Evening star., 1922-01-30

and place the responsibility"
He told the Senate that in order to
obtain the knowledge necessary thor
ough. searching and immediate investi-
cation should be made.
Text OF Resolution.
The resolution follows:
Whereas, the tragedy al the Knick-
erbocker Theater last Saturday even
ing. resulting in the death Of 1O9 citi-
zens and the serious injury of many
others. has profoundly shocked the
people of Washington and the entire
nation; and
Whereas the explanation that
snow. although of an extraordinary
quantity, was the chief cause of the
collapse of the roof appears to be
unsatisfactory. and
Whereas it is currently reported
that contractors and builders, espe-
cially during and since the world war.
have ignored, evaded or treated
lightly the rules and regulations pro-
vided in the building code of the Dis
trict OF Columbia, especially those
sections which make mandatory pro-
vision for assurance against such
terrible calamity as has just oc-
Cured. and
"Whereas it has been persistently
rumored that contractors and build
ers, determined to save money on the
erection of residences and building
structures, have acted in collusion
with inspectors of buildings en-
ployed by the District of Columbia, and
whereas it is the imperative duty
of the Senate of the United States to
know all the facts relating to this
inexcusable tragedy and also to learn
what, if any, truth there is in the
repeated assertion that the safety
and health of thousands of citizens
and residents of the District of Co
lumbia have been jeopardized by the
actions Of careless contractors, build
Resolved, that the Senate commit
tee on the District of Columbia be and
hereby is authorized and directed to
make searching investigation into the
Knickerbocker tragedy, including the
operations of builders contractors and
building inspectors, especially in reia-
ton to structures erected during and
since the world war.
Resolved, that the committe be
authorized to employ such expert and
other help as may in its judgment be
needed to obtain all the facts connect
ed with this disaster.
Resolved, that the expenses OF the
investigation be betrayed from the
contingent fund Of the United States
Senate"
AS soon as the resolution was in
troduced, Senator Frelinghuysen
asked Senator Capper If he had any
knowledge of local building laws or
how they were administered. Sena-
tor Capper replied that he had no
intimate knowledge of the laws, but
he had considerable information to
the effect that the laws were not
| what they should be. and the enforce
ment under the few regulations ex-
listing is lax.
House for an Investigation.
ST l.
should be made a widespread one,
covering the entire city government"
said Senator Frelinghuysen. Il think
that the time has come, and I speak
as property holder, for a general
improvement in the municipal laws
| relating to this city. There are twice
as many auto accidents here as for
any city in the country of its size
There Is a great laxity in the ad-
ministration of the traffic laws. There
Is no method of determining by
qualified examination who should and
who should not run cars.
II know from personal knowledge
, that there are in this city at the
present time many buildings that are
fre-traps and II any time a casualty
loss of life. This city has grown far
beyond its proportion in ten years
| and it is time that Congress should
pay some attention to this matter and
that some civic leadership should be
| established to give protection to citi-
xens who reside here"
Senator Bell Of Delaware, chair
man of the Senate Diktrict committee,
was In conference with Senator Cap.
per this morning regarding the reso-
luton of the latter. Senator Ball was
Of the opinion. he said. that any in
lvestigation that the Senate or Con-
gress makes should follow the invo0-
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