The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-06-22
VOICE FROM DEAD
 NSQUALUS PROBE
tcOntinusd from Page I,

tContinued from Page D Jus was two seconds ahead of her time for the previous day. He att tributed the faster time to an. inc crease in engine power.
 Preble corroborated testimony of earlier witnesses that hte control board was "green"-i indicating that all hull openings were closed when the submarine began its fatal dive, and remained green" until after the accident occurred.
 The action of the officers and en-i listed personnel, he said, was as though they encountered such an emergency every day.
 Preble Had Experience
 Treble, who has participated in official tests on 5 to 27 submarines during his 9 years at the Ports mouth navy yard, told the naval court that he believed submarines should be equipped with quick-clos- ing inbOard engine induction valves equipped with remote control. DO you believe the hull valve and other engine valves are of poor de- sign for an emergency?" asked Cap- tain William R. Munroe of the four- man court
 up to the time the Squalus sank I thought they were pretty good. Now I know that they are not. I know we can improve the design of the valves" Preble replied.
 Would you recommend the chang ing of this type of value on slb- marines in service?" asked Munroe. Without delay" said Treble. Change Valves quickly With quick-closing hull ventila- tion stops, Preble added, it would be possible to stop any great thrush of water into the boat.
 with the present hull exhaust ventilation line directly connected with the battery, would the thrush of water not salt the battery in spite of the quick-closing stops?" asked Lieutenant Oliver F. Naquin, corn- mander of the Squalus.
 "Yes, sir" replied Preble, a slen- der, ,,red-faced man who smoked and leaned back in his chair as he an- swered questions.
 "Well, do you not consider that . vital military deficiency?" pressed Naquin. @
 "Well, you only get this water in an emergency. If the battery is salted too much, you're done." Flees to Control Room Seaman Robert l.. Washburn, of Greenwich, Ohio, who was in the after battery room to get medicine for cold at the start of the dive, testified that he fled into the control room when water started to pour from the ventilator blowers and ex- haust duct. The water was ankle deep, he said, and the submarine was at such an angle that he had to pull himself forward on the hunks.
 Pharmacists Mate Raymond F. OHara, of Elmira, N. Y., said he was giving medication to Washburn when the submarine began to sink. The water had reached tabletop level when he ran forward to the control room, the last to escape from the flooded after compartments. The water entered the crews compart- ment through the exhaust blower.
 "Wasn't Doing Nothing"
 Seaman William D. Boulton of Luton, La. testified he wasn't doing nothing" during the dive. He closed the radio room fapper and ran from the after battery room into the con- trol rooms. Only one man-Electri- clans Mate John J. Batik of Ports mouth failed to escape from the after battery room, Boulton said. Batik was trapped in the battery well.
 Machinist's Mate Charles Yuhas of New Salem, Pa, testified that he was in the control room during the fatal dive, but said he "saw nothing that could help"