Evening star., 1922-08-26
OPPOSES us, AIDING
THEATER VICTIMS
Senator Myers Denies Gov
ernment Responsible in
KniCkerb0Cker Crash.
ASSAILS DAMAGE CLAIMS
Ashurst and Robinson, However,
Insist Congress Liable for "In-
competent Inspectors.
ASSAILS DAMAGE CLAIMS
Proposals that Congress appropriate

proposals that Congress appropriate
money to aid the victims of the
fiayed in the Senate yesterday after
noon by Senator Myers of Montana,
democrat. The senator was speaking
in opposition to the soldiers bonus
bill. and declared that If that measure
was put through I'VE shall soon pass
on the demands of some other organ
lied minority"
Il have been literally astounded."
said Senator Myers. ito read in the
newspapers within recent weeks that
the helpless victims of the knicker-
booker Theater disaster in Washing
ton are organizing to come to Con-
gress and demand that Congress ap-
proprlate money out of the federal
Treasury to compensate them for suf-
ferings and damage which they sus.
tanned in person in that frightful
catastrophe or incurred from the
death of relatives"
Government Not Responsible.
Senator Myers declared that the
federal government could not be held
responsible. He said:
1T was an awful catastrophe; but
why on earth Congress should be ask
ed to appropriate money to compen-
safe the sufferers from that catas-
trophe is more than l can understand.
1 cannot see why Congress should be
called upon to compensate them any
more than it should be called upon to
compensate the living victims or sur
viving relatives of dead victims of
railroad disaster or of an explosion
in a factory or any other calamity
which might occur in any private en-
terprise. The Knickerbocker Theater
was a private enterprise, which was
conducted by private capital, by pri-
vate individuals. for private gain; and
1 cannot see, to save my life. how on
earth the government can be held, le-
gally or morally, responsible for any
that ensued from that dis
aster. The owners of the building.
the contractors who erected 1t. the
architect who planned and supervised
it's erection, are the parties to whom
victims who are living and relatives
of dead victims should look for repa-
ration. Let them do as do the victims
of railroad and steamboat disasters;
as do the victims of street railway
as do the victims OF expo
sions and other industrial disasters.
Who ever heard of any of them look
ing to the federal government for
They sue the responsible
parties. The Knickerbocker victims,
however. plan an organized raid on
the federal Treasury. The federal
is considered easy"
Senator Ashurst of Arizona. demo-
crat, said that he had visited the scene
of the disaster soon after the acci-
dent and had found the theater was
built "in a most shabby. unsafe and
insecure manner; that the iron beams
were put into the hollow concrete tile
in such manner that the astonish-
ing thing is that the theater stood
as long as it did.
Share InspectOrs' Guilt.
Il think Congress is to blame" said
Senator Ashurst, when it keeps on
To- 81 bet
inspectors who would approve such
f1imsy and dangerous structure. More
over, they are now about to rebuild
the Knickerbocker Theater on the
same site, where the vibration of the
cars at the corners Of the intersect-
ing streets is almost sufficient to
buildings. much less a flimsily con-
building such as the Knick-
erbocker Theater was.
'It seems to me that If Congress
and the committees of Congress sit
idly by and permit such poorly con-
buildings to be approved, we
escape some responsibility in
the matter. I should like to have the
senator's opinion as to that"
Sneator Robinson of Arkansas, demo- !
crat, also took the position that Con-
gress was in measure morally respon-
5lDle, since II mas exclusive JuTlSQlC-
ton in the District, and prescribed con-
ditions under which buildings must be /!
erected. He added, however, that he !
did not think there was any legal re- |
sponsibility on the part of the govern |
nent
Senator wadsworth Of New York. re-
publican, asked Senator Myers II he |
Knew of any instance where a city or |
L state had ever appropriated money in !
such way as is now suggested here |!
n connection with the Knickerbocker !,
disaster, and called attention to the fact !
hat all cities have building codes
Stntea' Obligations Compared
Senator Myers replied that he had |
never heard Of such an instance, and |
'aid: "And if such an obligation, moral |
'r otherwise. does not apply to New !
York city or Chicago or the state of I
or the state of Ohio, I !
10 not see how the principle could apply |
o the District Of Columbia, for which
Congress legislates"
Senator Wadsworth also wanted to
ederal government should be held re-
ponsible for railroad accidents on
rains moving in interstate commerce
whose equipment has been inspected by
gents of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, and whether the federal gov
rnment should be held responsible in
he case Of an accident, on steam
ederal steamboat service.
Senator Myers replied he had never
eard any one advocate the govern-
nent's being held responsible in such
ases.
Senator Heflin Of Alabama, demo.
rat, however, suggested that there
'ould be certain moral responsibility