The Washington herald., 1912-04-19
INQUIRY OF WRECK
STARTS IN SENATE
Special Committee. Headed
by Smith, Leaves for
New York
TO MEET CARPATHIA
omo.r. Of Vessels win Be Ordered
to Attend Probs-Mabel
Boardman Offers Aid.
TO MEET CARPATHIA

The most drastic and determined in
vesttRation attempted by a Congressional
body in years began yesterday afternoon
when Senator William Alden Smith.
heading a subcommittee of the Senate
Committee on Commerce. accompanied
by the sergeant-at-arms Of the Senate
ana directly backed by the President OF
the United States, went TO New York
to subpoena the surviving ofhcers OF the
Titanic, some Of the passengers. and the
oficials OF the White Star Line. includ-
ing President ]. Bruce IsmaE whose
escape from death has aroused storm
of protest by the English press.
Have Revenue Cutter.
At the disposal Of the committee is a
revenue cutter. Those who comprise II
Will virtually arrest every person in au-
thority on the Titanic, pending COM
plete investigation of the causes OF the
collision with the iceberg and the sub
sequent destruction of the lifeboats. Is
may will be among the first TO be ques-
toned BY the committee.
The truth of the causes Of this dis
aster," said Senator Smith, Just before
the committee left, may serve as .
warning at other times. Whether or no,
we viii learn who was responsible, and
what discipline there was as the snip
began 70 90 down. =
Preceding the departure Of the commit
tee for New York, Senator Smith held
a long conference with the President and
Secretary Nagel, Of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor, with a view to de-
termining the nature of the investigation
Early in the day Senator Nelson, Of
Minnesota, chairman of the COMMITTEES
on Commerce, appointed the subcom-
mittee authorized by the Smith resolu-
ton to investigate the Titanic disaster.
She members are William Alden Smith,
chairman; Perkins Of California, Bourne
Of oregon, Burton of Ohio, Simmons OF
North Carolina, Newlands Of Nevada,
and Fletcher Of Florida. r..
The United States is determined to
obtain the fullest information about the
sinking of the Titanic" said Senator
Smith after his conference with the
President at the Executive Mansion.
We will go just as far as We posi-
bly, can TO see that no detail Of the awful
tragedy is kept from the public We win
see to 1t that these steamship officials
are courteous and accede TO the demands
of the Emitted States.
OmciaIs Cannot Escape.
Eve are taking the Sergeant-at-Arms
Of the Senate, Daniel Ransdell, with US.
We viii use such authority as may be
ttecesary after we get on the scene. We
, are taking this action because we have
heard that it was the intention Of some
of these White Star Line oflcials and
officers, among them Mr.. Bruce Ismay,
to return at once to England.
I'VE have heard that a sister ship OF
the Titanic is being put in readiness
when the officials land.
AS I said before, We do not know
how far We can go, becase these persons
are British subjects. But we are deter
mined to go as far as possible
''1n addition to the members of the
committee who are going, We are also
taking along Mr. George Uhler, the su-
iperyising engineer OF the Steamboat
Inspection Service"
NaEeI Goes to New York.
Secretary NageI, who left shortly after
the departure Of Senator Root, declared
that he, too, was going to New York
City, but he gave no intimation, IL he
knew. Of the drastic action contemplated
by the Commerce Committee OF the
Senate
Mr. Nagel said his reason for going to
New York City was to see that the in
coming survivors received every atten-
tion possible from the United States gov
ernment. Those who were in want would
be cared for. he said, and those who
were i'll or wanted to return to England
would be equally accommodated. By
this he meant the passengers who had
lost their all, and not the officers Of the
Titanic.
During the morning also Miss Mabel
Boardman, Of the Red Cross Society,
called at the White House and an
nounced that a national appeal would
be made for funds with which to care
for those who had lost everything on
the Titanic and had no friends in New
York City to take care of them. Miss
Boardman had not been away from the
White House more than two hours be-
fore the call was actually issued by the
society.
The effect the Titanic disaster was
again in evidence in the House yester-
day. The House Committee on Mer-