The Sentinel=record., 1912-04-20
PROBE THE
 CAUSE IF
 SHIPWRECk
SENATORIAL INVESTIGATION OF # TITANIC DISASTER BEGINS
 WITHOUT DELAY.
Second Officer, Who Manned All the Lifeboats, Gives Detailed Story of the Wreck--stuck to Ship
 But Was Saved.

New York, April 19.-The serious ness of the inquiry by the senate in vestigating committee into the Titanic disaster was disclosed tonight when Senator Smith of Michigan, the chair man, at first flatly refused to let any of the officers of the 200 odd members Of the crew of the sunken steamship get beyond the jurisdiction of the government. The men were all to have sailed tomorrow on the steamer Lapland Later it was settled that the greater part of the crew would be permitted to sail on this steamer, but that the 12 men and four off cers among the survivors now under s~SpoeDa, together with Mir Ismay, would not be allowed to depart.
 The intention of the committee was made clear at adjournment when with Alfred Crawford. a steward on the stand, Senator Smith pleaded weari- ness.
 sWe have been at this all day and into the night" he said, "and l be- lieye we had better cease until to- morrow am not through with Mir. Crawford yet and would like to ques- tion him further tomorrow, together with other members of the crew and the officers"
 C.. Birmingham, counsel for the sWhite Star line. interposed.
 ''i9iz sSllsAe are 20e men who are to sail tomorrow, he said. Surely the com mittee doesn't intend to hold them? We are perfectly willing to pledge the presence of the four officers and the 12 men desired by the committee, but the men are entitled to return to their homes"
 q am not prepared to permit that. " said the senator. We cannot say whom we want and they cannot go."
 We cannot care for them then, " retorted MT Birmingham. When the Lapland sails we shall cease to be re- sponsible for them. If the commit tee desires to herd them up, very well. but it cannot expect the steamship company to care for them except to the extent of transporting them back to their homes.'
 Senator Smith declined to recede from his position at that time. The committee then adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. At con- ference later. the decision to let all the men go except those under sub- poena, was reached.
 The first days testimony brought to the front the apparent conclusion the biggest ship ever built, "a life boat in itself" according to the views of modern shipbuilders, sank in mid. ocean with more than 1,500 human be- ings because she was being rushed across the ocean almost at top speed and crashed into field of iceburgs after warnings had been given to look out.
 That so few were saved from wa tery graves was because there were not enough lifeboats on board to ac commodate the passengers. There were only 20 lifeboats. because tho Titanic was believed to be unsuitable
 This state of affairs, appeared after the committee had examined today ] Bruce Ismay. managing director O the White Star line; Arthur Henrl Rostron, captain of the rescue shil Carpathia, and Second Officer Light holder of the Titanic, who went dowI with the ship but later was rescued William Marconi, inventor of the wire less telegraph: Thomas Cottam thu wireless operator of the Carpathia and other survivors from the sunkel steamship.
 It was explained to the committee at tonight's conference over the ques tien of holding the crew, that MT. Is may was very anxious to leave a once for Europe as he had been worl out by his experiences and felt tn need of returning quickly to his Ene lisa home for rest. His pleas, how ever. were unavaiing.
 Officer Gives Testimony.
 Charles Herbert Lightholder, set