The Washington herald., 1922-08-29
Among Senators.
~ p AMpINC

Mr.. Ashurst: The able Senator has stated
that Congress is not to blame for the collapse
of the Knickcrbockcr Theater. l wish the
Senator would allow me to interrupt him long
enough to say that Immediately after the the
ater collapsed, and as soon as daylight came,
/ went, to that theatcr and ascertained that it
built in most shabby, unsafe and inse-
cure manner; that the iron beams were put into
the hollow concrete tile in such manner that
the astonishing thing is that the theater stood
long it did. ] think Congress is to blame
when it keeps on its pay roll in this District
building inspectors who would approve such
flimsy and dangerous structure.
: 1t seems to me that if Congress and the
committees of Congress sit id'y by and permit
such poorly constructed buildings to be ap-
proved. we cannot escape some responsibility
in the matter I should like to have the Sena-
tors opinion as to that
Mr.. Myers: What has Congress to do with
city?
Mr.. Ashurst Congress has absolute and
exclusive jurisdiction the District of Co.
lumbia.
Mr.. Myers: To make laws for the people
Mr.. Ashurst: And, in the last analysis, it
has control over the building inspectors; it
pays the building inspectors $500 or
$I,7oo a year, and manifestly efficient men
cannot be procured for such sum. | insist
that we have responsibility which we cannot
shift by saying that do not know anything
about it. -
Mr.. Myers: Neither Congress nor the Fed
cral government is should be he'd respon-
sible for the neglect of contractors, builders or
architects Of privately constructed buildings in
the District OF Columbia. In the case OF
government building. erected and owned by the
government, it would be different; then there
would be a liability.
Mr.. Robinson: Mr.. President, will the
Senator from Montana yield?
Mr.. Myers: l yield with pleasure to the
Senator from Arkansas.
Mr.. Robinson: In the District of Colum-
bia Congress exercises al the police powers
which the States exercise within their respective
jurisdictions. 1t prescribes the conditions under
which buildings may be erected the manner of
construction, and so forth, and requires inspec-
Z. tion OF buildings The laws already in exist
encc contemplate that buildings shall be safely
constructed and with due regard to the lives of
those who may enter them
Mr. Myers: Certainly, that is true; but
suppose that |, as matter OF private invest
ment, undertake to erect an office building in
thiS Sly, employ an architect to draw plans
for it and to supervise the erection of the
structure and let the contract to the contrac-
tors and builders to erect it; if they do not
do their duty properly, is the government in
any wise responsible or to blame.
Mr.. Robinson: If the government authori-
ties fail to make the inspection and enforce the
laws which Congress has passed for the pres
ervation of the safely OF the people, there is. at
least, some moral obligation upon the govern
ment of the District to take some action con-
eerning it to safeguard against danger | my
SELF do not think there is any legal liability.
Mr.. Myers: l am not speaking of legal
liability but of moral liability
Mr.. Robinson: Certainly, there is no ,epaI
liability; but Congress legislates for the Dis
tr:ct; Congress is the town council for the
District; Congress performs the functions
which city council ordinarily performs in the
various towns Of the United States and if the
government fails to do its duty and see that
buildings are constructed with regard for the
safety of those who may enter them, / cannot
see that there is anything immoral or unjust in
Congress giving consideration to some proposal
for relief in such as the Knickerbocker
Theater dsaster.-Congressional Record. Au-
gust IS.