Evening star., 1935-06-21

amounting to $500 we're paid TO tht
inspectors at San Juan"
Far less emphatic in his testimony
than during the first two days
Mitchell for the most part read from
records.
Supporting his charge of "dry rot
IN the Inspection Service, he asserted
that fines against steamship Cpera-
tors were being waived by the Bureau
of Navigation in nearly all cases
He said Arthur j. Tyrer, assistant
director of the bureau in charge OF
the Navigation Division for many
years, had told him that APPLICATIONS
for relief from fines numbered about
10000 year.
1T had been the habit for many
years, so Mr.. Tyrer told me, of re-
mitting entirely large per cent of
the cases coming before the assistant
secretary" Mitchell asserted.
Cites Specific Relief Requests.
The witness said that at one time
the Pacific Steamship Lines, Ltd,
made IL applications for relief from
violations of harbor laws for which
the law provided forfeiture of the en-
tire ship.
Il called Mr.. Tyrer into my Office
and asked him why he proposed to
remit tie entire penalties" Mitchell
said, "and he stated that in his opinion
the violations were technical in ma
ture only"
The violations, Mitchell said, were
made deliberately" with a view to
evading California State charges for
pilotage.
Mitchell declared his attempt to i'm
pose fine of $1,000 for each of the
IL offenses resulted in the case being
taken out of his hands.
He told the committee he had
"very positive indication of corrup-
tion in New York." where the bureau
maintains large inspection force. He
said he told Weaver the system
needed general shaking up, all over
the country" and that Weaver turned
the case over to the attorney general
for investigation
Mitchell told the committee he had
been unable to find the inspection re-
port on the Moro Castle which he
had volunteered to produce today. In
his testimony yesterday, he had said
that improper inspection may have
been responsible for the fire which
destroyed the steamer with loss of
134 lives.
"Conceding, without admitting, that
there is graft and inefflciency in the
inspection department" said Chair
man Copeland, "I do not think any
fair-minded man who goes into the
facts as our special committee did
can trace the disaster to the inspec-
ton service"
Investigation Made.
Defending his administration of the
Commerce Department, Roper de-
clared he had investigated all charges
OF irregularities" in his department
and taken action where justified.
He said Mitchell had refused to act
on business put before him to such an
extent that he created 'Tog jam" in
the department.
Il deeply regret" the Secretary
commented, "that he did not appre-
ciate the objectives involved but was
willing to wreck the public service
through charges based chiefly on ru-
mors and suspicious.
The cabinet member, who took the
stand Immediately after Mitchell had
concluded his testimony, read a pre-
pared statement with great earnestness.
Between phrases he would pause to
glance up at the committee with lips
compressed in obvious agitation.
The committee members listened
tntently, their eyes centered on the
witness.
Explains Leviathan Case.
Answering Mitchell's charges that
he had wrongfully permitted the giant
ship "Leviathan" to be laid up by the
United States Lines Co., without in
fiicting upon the company the 81, ,720,-
600 in penalties he should have ap-
piled under its mail subsidy contract,
the Secretary said he had ordered the
Leviathan restored to operation in 1884
as a test of its popularity as a pas
senger vessel.
Ine RECORDS OF tnat year snow ne |
said, that the Bevtathan continued to |
sustain heavy losses. The total num-
Der of f1rst-class easttound passengers |
for the entire Summer season o! 1884
was 975, of which 2S5 had been trans
ferred by the company from other
ships.
"This is an average on each of the
i've eastbound voyages Of about 140."
He then said ne received informa-
ton from Senator Copeland that the
big ship was so old it might be con-
sideIed q fire trap"
"It was reported to the depart
ment," he said, "that fear existed in
the minds Of passengers on these trips
as to the safety Of the Leviathan"
Copeland Warning Quoted.
He quoted a cautionary letter he
had received from Copeland on March
4, 1885, about the time the Leviathan
was retired from service.
In the letter Copeland commented
he had heard 1t was the plan to keep
the Leviathan afioat through 1885.
II am much worried about this" |