Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-18
CONGRESS TAKES
PROMPT ACTION
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officers and crew Of the wrecked titan o,
the seas; and he can Immediately reques,
them to come to Washington to tell the
committee all about the equipment of the
Titanic and about the causes of the sink.
ing.
Asked as to the possibility that many
OF the officers Of the line and of the boat
cannot be summoned before q congress.
sional committee because they are Brit
ish subjects. Senator Smith flashed back
They will be asked to come, and II
they do not they VIII sacrifice the re-
spect Of the American people,"
Witnesses to Be Summoned.
It is probable that several members OF
the investigating committee will accom-.
pany Senator Smith to New York, al.
though just who will go has not yet been
determined.
Senator Smith said he had been in.
formed that one of the steamers of the
White Star line had been requested to de-
lay sailing from today until tomorrow
so that some of the British subjects could
return Immediately to England. The pres.
ence OF the officer of the Senate to serve
summons on them Immediately will Their
be important
A rigid inquiry into the maritime laws.
regardless Of what interests may be at
fected, is promised by Senator Smith.
THE facts necessary to intelligent
action should be ascertained without
fear or favor Mr.. Smith said, land the
officers Of the White Star line should re-
spond to congressional action frankly and
leges of American ports and retain the
confidence of the American public.
I'VE are well aware that this English
line of boats is closely related to. IL not
actually part of, the British navy; but
even that fact should not deter the
authority to fix standard Of equipment
and construction calculated to minimize
the dangers of sea travel from Ameri-
can ports"
What It Is Proposed to Learn.
The resolution under which Chairman
Smith and his subcommittee are proceed
ing, adopted by the Senate yesterday
afternoon in less than an hour and a hall
after it had been introduced by Mr
Smith, provides for a broad inquiry
Among the lines of inquiry suggested
are 1.-The causes leading to the wreck y
TO determine the responsible therefor
with view to such legislation as may
be necessary to prevent, as far as pos
sible. any repetition OF such a disaster. y
TO inquire particularly into the number
OF lifeboats, life RATS and life preservers
and other equipment for the protection OF
the passengers and crew, the number OF
people aboard the Titanic, whether
passengers or crew. and whether adequate
inspection were made Of such vessel, In
view OF the large number Of American
passengers travelling over q route COM
monty regarded as dangerous from Ice
bergs." and whether it is feasible for
Congress to take steps looking to an In
ternattonal agreement to secure the pro-
lection of sea trafilc, including regulation
OF the size OF ships and designation OF
routes"
The committee is also to recommend
such legislation as 1t shall deem expedi-
ent.
Senator Cullom. chairman of the Senate
committee on foreign relations, intimated
tnat the charge that ocean liners gener-
paratus to insure the safety Of all on
board will probably be discussed by the
committee at its meeting Saturday.
Uhler and Smith Confer.
Gen. Uhler, chief Of the steamboat in
spection service. kept in close touch with
Senator William Alden Smith during the
day. He was at the Capitol early and
arranged for further conferences with
Mr.. Smith,
The United States laws requiring WIRE
less apparatus on passenger liners, Gen.
Uhler said today, affect the transatlantic
ships. as well as coastwise steamers.
But the regulations as to lifeboats, life
RATS and other life-savang equipment do
not apply to many of the transatlantic
liners because Of International agree
ments. Although they apply to the Ital-
ian, Austrian and Spanish liners, he said,
hny IN ~ ~ H.
OF other nations. notably the British, un-
der which flag the Titanic sailed.
Prompt Action Assured.
Many bills introduced in both houses of
Congress yesterday and today are to be
taken up promptly by the respective COM
mittees to which they have been referred.
Senator Perkins introduced in the Senate
and Representative Sulzer in the House
bills for the equipment of steamers with
adequate life-saving apparatus They
would require that every steamer shall
have a sufficient number Of seaworthy
ifeboats to carry lat one time every pas
senger and every member of the crew."
so certifying to the federal supervising
inspectors, who shall determine the char
acter of such equipment but would have
no discretion whatever as to the number
OF lifeboatS that number to be deter
mined solely by the actual capacity to
carry all on board.
They even specify that the lifeboats
should have not less than three cubic
feet Of displacement for each person.
and that there should be life preserver
for each person aboard.
They would also make It q felony for
any captain, executive officer or resident
general agent Of a corporation actually
charged with control. management. OPP
GRAFTON, equipment or navigation Of ocean
vessels to permit knowingly a vessel to
without full life-saving equipment; and
the penalty would be imprisonment at
hard labor for not more than ten years.
Proposed World Wide Conference.
Worldwide conferences to make the
sea a safer lane Of travel for the big lin
ers which carry millions Of passengers in
the course Of q year have been planned
by members Of the House Of Representa-
tives. Joint resolutions introduced yes
terday and referred to the committee on
merchant marine and fisheries would en-
power the President to call the world to
a conference on the line Of travel to be
taken by Atlantic liners. This conference
would have for its object the establish
ment Of International obligations to fol-
low the southern route until we'll into
the season when icebergs have disap-
peared.
The other conference Of maritime ma
tons which the President will call II the
joint resolution introduced by Represent
alive Alexander OF Missouri Is adopted
would establish an ocean patrol of scout
boats. whose chief duty would be to
locate Ice foes, bergs and other obstacles
path of these menaces to human life,
Several other bills were introduced inf0