New Britain herald., 1928-01-04
PRESIDENT ASKING AUTHORIZATION ID
 START S-4 INQUIRY
Wants Consrss to Approve Special Committee, Three Of
 Whom Would Be Civilians
NAVY DEPARTMENT PROBE GETS UNDER WAY TODAY

Board Visits Destroyer PautA1n&
 Where Men Take Positions Held
 at Time of Tragedy-Invcstigators
 Also Inspect S-s, Ship of the
 M-Fated Sub Which Sank on
 Provinoetown.
 Washington. Jan. 1 R1President Coolidge today in g special message asked congress to authorize him to appoint . commission of five. three to be civilians. to inquire into the sinking of the submarine S-l.
 Chairman Hale of the senate naval committee immediately introduced a resolution for this purpose and it was referred to his committee. A similar measure was prepared by Chairman Butler on the house naval committee.
 Iinc of lnquiry.
 The committee would act along the lines of that headed by Dwight w. Morrow which investigated the status of the nations aviation after the row precipitated by Brig. Gen. William Mitche..
 Several inves:iga lions by congress have been proposed and the navy it. self already Is at work in an effort to fix the blame for the disaster which has become one of the livest issues of the present session of congress.
 The special committee might bring into one hearing all of the collateral issues involved in the submarine controversy such as safety precau- tions and other naval methods which have been criticised since the S-4 was lost.
 Letter From Wilbur.
 In asking for authority to appoint the commission of experts the presi- dent transmitted a letter from Secre- tary Wilbur embodying the original proposal for such an inquiry which would go also into the development of safety devices for submAr Artnes.
 Senator Hale told the senate that the whole country had been "inex- pressibly shocked" over the sinking of the S-4 and the lingering deaths of the six men entombed in the for ward torpedo room.
 That every possible measure was taken by the navy department to rescue these men the navy believes to be the case" Senator Hale said, T myself believe it to be thc case and so doubtless do many tors here present, but 1t Is nc ugh that such is our belief: not enough that a naval court of quiry. the usual court to make investiga- ton in cases Of this kind. shall sit and report its findings.
 ''The people of this country are stirred up over this tragedy of the sea as I have never known them to be over any other disaster in naval history with the exception of the blowing up of the battleahipe Maine in the harbor of Havana in 1898.
 The fair name of the navy de- mands that the verdict for or against the navy shall be delivered by a commission that all men must know to be impartial"
 The presidents communication said that he was tra nsmitting let ter from the secretary of the navy recommending that commission be created to conduct the inquiry.
 The secretary's letter. however. was not read and immediately after the house convened, Chairman But Tor presented resolution proposing creation Of the commission.
 At the same time. Representative McClintic, democrat. Oklahoma. A member of the house naval commit tee. introduced bill which would direct Secretary Wilbur to transfer the submarine base at New London. Conn.,. to southern waters. ,'ts bill would stipulate that the submarine maneuver grounds should be isolated from the lanes of ship travel and marked with buoys"