The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-11
The Knickerbocker
OISaSter.

Not many people, whether ex-
perts, observers, or those who have
followed the story of the collapse
of the Knickerbocker theatre in
Washington, will be inclined to
agree with one paper that 1.-The only
explanation of the tragedy is that it
was to be-" Rather the suspicion
prevails as the Norfolk Virginian
Pilot expresses il, here was not a
frightful act of God but a fright
full mistake of man." for, as another
writer Gays, somewhere somebody
Numbered"
But whatever investigation may
develop as to the cause, the lesson
is SO clear that the press intends
that it shall be thoroughly learned
this class are, alas, the price we
have to pay for stimulated vigilance
in the domain of public security"
observes the Syracuse Herald, and
newspapers everywhere demand
that the price shall not be paid to
no purpose. '4Fhe Iroquois fire in
Chicago" the New York Globe re-
calls, resulted in revolutionary
changes in theatre construction
throughout the country" and with
the advent of the movie "the safety
of theatre buildings has become a
much more serious problem" the
New York Post adds.
New Problems Arise.
The fire hazard has been reduced
to minimum as result of the ter
rible IroQuois fire, now the question
is whether adequate provision has
been made and is being made
against construction hazards" In
fact, as the st. Louis Globe Demo-
crat sees it, the effort to reduce the
danger of fire has resulted in a sys-
TEN OF building which presents
perils of its own" and now 1.-The
new construction of complicated
trusswork and reinforced concrete"
that has saved from the one peril
must be wrought so painstakingly
as to save US from the other" The
Rochester Times Union reminds US
that 1.-THE old builders, working in
stone, erected structures which
have stood the storm of centuries"
and ''if this can be done with stone
there is no excCse for failure to at
modern material, steel"
Certainly ''if any owners can af-'
ford to build safe buildings" the
New Haven Register thinks 'it is
the owners of moving picture
theatres" yet the Brooklyn Eagle
notes abundant evidence that care
has not been extended to all con-
struction of houses for movies, and
this Washington house was built
when costly movie theatres were
few and far between and with
moving picture theatre buildings
springing up like mushrooms" as
the Providence Journal puts it, the
Washington catastrophe, the South
Bend Tribune contends, lays the
whole subject of picture house
construction open to review" and
calls for a most searching inves-
tigation of motion picture houses
all over the United States"
Immediately back of the tragedy
lies the relaxation OF building laws
and inspection Ito permit the
speedy erection OF mushroom build
ng' during the hectic war period,
as the Omaha News and the Rocky
Mountain News expresses it, and
back or that, IN the opinion or many
writer's, lies the civic system which
makes Washington lone of the
worst, most perfunctorily governed
cities in the country" to quote the
Knoxville Sentinel. The citizens OF
the District of Columbia, the Ashe-
Vile Times points out, ARE the
helpless wards of the federal gov
ernment," and IF it be true that
the building laws are too lax, then
congress must accept a large share
of the blame" Indeed. lin the end
congress is the guilty party" de-
clafes the Philadelphia Record, for.
as the Hartford Times explains it.
Congress controls every penny
that is spent for municipal works
in the District" and congress, 'if
it does not provide funds that are