The Washington herald., 1922-02-16


TRANSCENDING in import any other clauses
of terse and fortnight finding handed
down by the coroner's jury investigating
the Knickerbocker Theater disaster are the fol-
lowing:
1t is noted that special qualifications are
essential in filling the position in the office of
building Inspector; that the testimony of wit
nesses from the office of building inspector,
with one exception, shows lack of knowledge
ings erected in the p District % Of coiUmbia
s- We recommend thorough revision of the
building code in the District Of Columbia, with
= heavy penalty for violation Of any Of its clauses.
While the grand jury will be the focus of
public attention. this would be better directed at
The significant though potentially less sensa-
tional activities coming ineluctabe consequent
to this notation and recommendation.
Justice will tnd must be done. but justice is the
negatively righteous aftermath Of the crash that
killed ninety The positive, the constructive
phase is to be compassed in the formulation of safe
guards against second catastrophe of the kind.
: Yesterdays developments at the District Build
. ing seem to indicate that the truth of the jury's
charge against the office of building inspector lies
between the sense of the verdict and the emphatic
declarations of Col. Charles E. Keller, Engineer
Commissioner. This official maintained that jury
of aymen could not bring out the technical quaiif-
cations of the inspectors staff In the of the
Inspector, himself Col. Keller said he must be
either an architect, builder construction engi-
And while specialized knowledge is de-
rnanded of the staff, the fault would lie with the
examining Commissioners if inefficient lieutensnts
were given the jobs of computer and field inspec-
tors the speaker averred.
But whether not the personnel of this i'm
portant Office present or past, fails has failed
TO measure up standard, the disressful fact that
it has been woefully and dangerously undermanned
was proved by Col Keller's plea yesterday to the
subcommittee appropriations of the Senate Dis
trict Committee for per cent increase in
pioyes.
1t is gratifying to learn also from the lips of
Col Keller, that tentative revision of the District
building code is in progress. This however, is
being conducted by the already overburdened force
in the office under FIRE. This is heaping Ossa
OF extra work upon the Peon of labors which must
< be carried on day by day. The code should be re-
vised by committee of construction engineers
architects and contractors of the first rank, who
undoubtedly would gladly give their services toward
renovation really in their interest.
49, In this connection, it may be stated that deal
OF vital information in building design is to be OBJ
tanned from compilations now being made by the
division of building and housing of the Bureau of
Standards. The framing of national building code
is the thought behind this activity.
But let have guarantees against repetition
OF the Knickerbocker debacle. None could more
keenly desire such guarantee than the theater
owners, the auditorium proprietor the investor in
any structure housing enterprise dependent ut
tcrly upon public confidence and good will. For
without that confidence, there is nothing.
AS relates to the jury's recommendation that
all places of public amusement shall be closed and
kept closed until such time as their safety is as
sured" the Commissioners do not seem inclined to
act, and in truth the finding appears too drastic.
Thoroughgong inquiry into plans and specifications
OF all such establishments, and practical tests of
sile strength and condition of materials with the
immediate closing Of any structure found deficient
And it is learned that such Investigations were in
augurated soon after the disaster of January 20.
The jury's observations relative to the lack of
equipment by the FIRE department have been antici-
pated in some measure, by additions of apparatus
the Knickerbocker crisis demonstrated as lacking
Certainly delay should be tolerated in providing
the department with paraphernalia ready for the
demands of any emergency.
The coroner's jury has functioned ntelgently
painstakngly and expeditiousy as possible in the
circumstances The District owes to the iury
!, generous need OF approval for a civic duty we'll
performed
y Reformers used 10 rant