Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-29
bENATE ORDERS INQUIRY
| into MONGOLIA ACCIDENT
Naval Affairs Committee Will At.
tempt to Get at Very Bot
tom of Facts.
NO DISSENTING VOICE HEARD
Action on Resolution, However, Pre-
ceded by Vigorous Exchange Be-
tween Frelinghuysen and Swan
SON, WHO Defends Administration.


WASHINGTON. May .S-Thc SEN
ate Naval Affairs Committee will be-
gin searching inquiry on Friday into
Tho accident. charged to defective
shell. which killed two Red Cross
nurses on the American liner Mongolia
on their way to the battle front in
Europe. causing the first casualties
in the war between the United states
and Germany. The committee will
summon Secretary Of the Navy Daniels
Admiral Earle. chief of the Ordnance
Bureau, and various other naval Of
hcialS and employees to get at the
very bottom OF the charges Of the
use OF old and defective ammunition
aboard tho armed merchantmen now
being sent into the barred zone.
The investigation was ordered by
tho Senate to-day. when, without "a
dissenting voice, it adopted the rcso-
luton offered several days ago calling
for complete probe into the acct
don't, after II had been slightly modi-
fled at the suggestion OF Senator
Swanson. OF Virgin chairman Of the
Senate Naval Affairs Committee. Ac-
ton on the resolution, however was
preceded by vigorous exchange be-
tween Senator Frclinehuysen. OF New
ton. and Senator Swanson. who de-
Tended the administration. Senator
Frelinghuysen denounced the use of
shells seventeen to nineteen years old
and declared that this war will not
he won by supine secretivencss."
PEOPLE HAVE RIGHT
TO KNOW ALL FACTS
This is not the Presidents war"
declared Senator Frelinghuysen. This
is not the War Departments war
This is not any ono mans war. This
is war Of the American people and
the American people have "A right to
know what is going on. The Prcsi-
dent vs. a past master at word painting.
but d"nouncc THIS stupid doctrine
that the American people must he Kept
in total ignorance regarding the con
duet Of the war. pitIlcss publicity
/ is whit is needed.
THE pitilcss publicity OF Lord North
clffc's papers is what transformed the
Eng land OF the beginning of the war
into the powerful fiehtiug machine Of
to-day. Ambassador Gcrard's state
{ ment is true that If Russia stacks her
arms. the United States will have to
bear the brunt Of the war. To fight
Il to "a successful conclusion ne must
y
in this country. and TO get their help
they must he allowed to know what
is going on
we have RICH, to eApcc, that such
| accidents viii be reduced 1t will ever
be tho cause Of unspcakablc regret
! that the hrst victims OF the war wern
women. Following this we learn that
other similar accidents occurred prior
10 the Mongolia My one hhjcct as 10
prevent such accidents hereafter. The
country demands this information. We
will never win this war by Supine
! sccretiycncss
NJ MBER OR ACCIDENTS
SURPRISINGLY FEW
Senator Swanson declared that the
number OF accidents had been surprs-
ingly few when IL was considered that
t zoo merchantmen have been armed.
| lie Informed tho Senate there AFRO now
| fully 5000 naval scamcn aboard Amer
lean merchantmen. only two accidents
have occurred. that aboard the Mon
Golia and one on the ST. Louis. he
said
After tho accident on the 81. Louis"
Senator Swanson said. "ec hty-nine
shells were removed from the ship and
taken 10 tho proving grounds for test
y ing. Only two were found To bc de-
fcctivc The remarkable thing about
the Mongolia accident WAS that the
shells were all right. The copper
inouthpiecc Of one OF tho shells re-
bounded back TO the ship and caused
the death of the two nurses. Such
accidents are rare. but they have oc-
Cured before in both tho American
and French navies The Secretary of
the Navy and Admiral Earle welcome
the fullest Investigations.