Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08
HOUSE VOTES So
PROBE COMM|SS|o''
Coolidge Suggestion Embed
led in Resolution and
Sent to Senate.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
submarine SD, as proposed by Presi
dent Coolidge. was approved yestei
day by the House. which passed the
Butler resolution authorizing spe'
cial inquiry commission appointed ny
the President. 1t was sent to tEt
Senate, where similar resolution
has been introduced,
The investigation was devised no,
only TO aeQuaint the people of the
country on the causes of the disaster
hut to devise means of preventine
future disasters" explained Chairman
Smell of the House rules committee
in charge OF the measure.
The House approved the proposal
after rejecting, LAG to 8, a motion
which was interpreted during debate
az constituting a challenge that the
President and the Navy Department
desired the Inquiry for the purpose of
''whitewas hing" the Nays rescue
efforts.
Hits ut Wilbur.
Smell challenged Representative
Black, Democrat, New York, who Of
fered the motion. to point TO one word
in the resolution that implied white
wash"
THE whole fabric of the resolution
implies that" Black declared, adding
that this was emphasized by the re-
fusal of Republican leaders TO provide
that no member of the commission
could be financially interested in any
Government contract.
Previously, during debate, Black
had demanded the resignation OF Sec.
rotary Wilbur. He characterized tbs
Secretary as buddy fuddy" and de-
clared that the Navy needed "a
leader"
Representative Clifford. Republican.
Massachusetts. argued that the COM
mission should report direct TO Con-
gress. which should. be represented
among its members. He did not offer
a motion to that effect. however.
For Outlawing Subs.
Representative Bankhead, Demo
crat. Alabama, also without propos-
ing an amendment, said that he fa-
yored including in the resolution a
request that the President immediate
~ start negotiations with other ma
lions looking to the outlawing of sub
marines IN warfare.
The House refused TO accept a pro.
posai by Representative McSwain.
Democrat, South Carolina, TO provide
specifically that any testimony given
the commission by naval officers
should not jeopardizs their chances for
promotion in the event their views
differed from those OF super.ors.
Representative la Guardia, Repub-
lican. New York, who recently in.
spected from another submarine the
Nays rescue efforts at the scene of
the S-4 disaster, supported McSwain.
arguing that testimony given a con-
gressional committee by William
Mitchell, former assistant Army air
chief. had formed the basis of his
caurts-martial.
Open Hearings.
The House accepted several amend
rnents to the resolution which was
sponsored by Chairman Butler OF the
naval, committee One by Repre-.
sentative Griffin. Democrat. New
York, would provide that all commits
sion hearings should be open to the
public, and another by Representative
Montague. Democrat. Virginia. that
the commissions inquiry would not
be regarded as supplementary to the
investigation now In progress by
Navy board.
AZ passed, the resolution would
authorize Mr.. Coolidge to appoint
special commission Of five members.
two 70 be retired Naval officers, and
three from civil life. They would be
directed to make a thorough inquiry
into the 81 disaster. and also con-
slider means OF improving safety de.
vices ON submarines. A report on
their findings would be submitted TO
the President not later than next
May Is.