The Washington times., 1935-06-21
Removal Necessary

position in the Department Of
Commerce"
Removal Necessary
Mitchell, said Secretary Roper,
Is man of a very suspicious
nature. Had he looked beyond
his suspicious he would have
found the men with whom Ae
worked persons of the highest in
tegrity, not workers subservient
to outside interests, he said. He
added:
II deeply regret that he
(MitchelD did not appreciate
the detectives involved, but was
willing to wreck the public
service through charges based
chiefly on rumOrs and suspi-
eiOnS,"
Mitchell's removal became i'm
perative when it grew impossible
to get him to pass with prompt
ness on even routine matters, de-
clared the Commerce Secretary.
He added:
"A veritabIe log jam was be-
ing created in the bureaus under
his direction. Thus. in the in
terest of efficiency in the proper
dispatch of Government bust
ness, his removal became i'm
perative."
Continuing his testimony for the
third day, Mitchell got down to
specific instances and assailed the
Federal Steamboat Inspection Ser.
vice by citing three cases.
Goes Into Cases
One concerned what he termed
inspection negligence at Calves
ton, Tex, another was a similar
instance at San Juan, Puerto Rico,
A third told of law violations on
the West Coast. Separate state
ments were presented in each case.
In the Texas case, Mitchell said
inspectors allowed the Steamer
Margaret Lykes to make two voy-
ages to the West Indies after one
of her propeller blades was broken.
When the matter was reported to
him, Mitchell said, he requested
an investigation and report from
Joseph B. Weaver, director of Nav
igation and the Steamboat Inspec-
ton Service.
In this case, the witness went
on, Mr., Weaver reported that the
local inspectors were mildly "rep-
rimanded only and the super
visory officer temporarily sus'
pended. .,
The San Juan case, Mitchell
called bribery Of steamboat IN
Spectors.
Gratuities Charged
He cited the Post Office Depart
ment investigation for his illustra-
ton here. The report, he said. re-
vealed that inspections were infre-
ouent and that the inspectors were
paid "gratuities" in many in
stances after each inspection.
Speaking again of the Margaret
Lykes, Mitchell said:
"The steamboat inspectors did
not properly inspect the life
boats and particularly the air
tanks. emergency food boxes,
ETC., in the boats.
"The inspectors did not re.
uuire that the cargo be removed
in the holds so that the smother
ing lines, which are used for
fire prevention, could be tested
and inspected.
"At the instance of Secretary
Roper, the Department of JUS
tice detailed a special agent to
investigate. After examining
the records of LykeS Brothers
at Galveston, Tex, the special
agent reported that out of IA
annual inspectors of six vessels
made by steamboat inspectors
at San Juan, the record showed
the steamboat inspectors were
paid gratuitieS in six instances
totaling $780,"
NOTHING DONE
The upshot of all this, said
Mitchell, was that two inspectors
were ordered to be transferred"
but that nothing else was done.
In the third case, the witness
said the records showed continued
violation of marine statutes by
the Pacific Steamship Lines. Ltd,
and that in every instance, on ap-
plication of the company for re-
mittance Of the fine. it was re-
Initted.
The instances cited today by
Mitchell came mostly from testi-
mony already before other Con.
gressional committees. His con-
tinued reference to the Black Spe'
cial Merchant Marine Committee,
finally irritated the committee
chairman. Senator Copeland (DO
New York, who said:
well now, it was an awfully
good thing for you, Mr.. Mitchell,
that there was a Black inveSti-
CATION to dig out all the facts
for you"
COPELAND VIEW
Senator Copeland turned to the
testimony of Mitchell that in his
CMitchell'S) opinion, faulty inSpec-
ton was in some measure reSpon-
Sible for the Moro Castle disaster.
The New York Senator made this
comment:
81 was very much surprised
that in the Moro Castle case