COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 25 



LIMITATION ON SCOPE OF HEARINGS 



For the record, I would like to say that the committee decided at a 

 meeting some 3 weeks ago that we would go as far as this confer- 

 ence of January 12, obtain a summary of what the conditions were 

 then, and use every effort to make that a cutoff date. We agreed that 

 we would not go into what developed after January 12 at this hear- 

 ing. From then on there is involved the question of command re- 

 sponsibility, which will be the subject of a hearing in another forum. 

 Senator Symington w^as at that meeting, but was not there when that 

 particular point was agreed upon. 



Senator Symington. That is right, Mr. Chairman. I did not know 

 about that. I regret that I did not. 



Senator Stennis. Well, no harm has been done, if you just with- 

 draw the question beyond January 12. 



Senator Symington. I v/ill withdraw the question. 



Mr. Secretary, I congratulate you on your clear testimony. It is 

 obvious to me that despite the unilateral criticism of the Air Force 

 in all press stories that I ever read that the responsibility for design- 

 ing and building this tower is at least as much the responsibility of 

 the Navy, and that also the people who designed it and/or built it 

 apparently did not know how to design and/or build it right, because 

 they had, time after time, an opportunity to correct the design which 

 appears to be basically faulty. 



As to what happened after this date, I understand now that it 

 would not be advisable to go further. I simply pohit out to you again 

 that this, once more, is a result of the separate empires, is a complete 

 practical and clear illustration of what will be avoided if you had a 

 normal organization over there with responsibility located with au- 

 thority and authority commensurate with responsibility. 



Senator Stennis. All right. Thank you. Senator. 



Senator Saltonstall, do you have further questions of the Secretary ? 



Senator Saltonstall. Mr. Chairman, on page 4 of the brief sum- 

 mation of the issues, there is a reference to the meeting of January 

 12. The Secretary has testified that at that meeting it was deter- 

 mined that the tower was in serious condition. Now, the summation 

 states that at that meeting a statement was made that the tower was 

 55 percent as strong as it would be if it were intact. Would that be 

 before any repairs were made, or were to be made, or would that be 

 after the repairs were completed ? Do you know ? 



Mr. Charyk. I cannot attest to the 55 percent figure. 



Senator Stennis. Thank you. Counsel, do you have anything 

 further? 



Mr. Kendall. No, sir. 



Senator Stennis. Well, Mr. Secretary, we thank you very much. 

 From what I know about this case, it seems that the Air Force has 

 outlined the high points of its participation in this matter. We are 

 going to endeavor, as I have already said, to make January 12 the 

 cutoff date. Now, Mr. Secretary, you will be available should we need 

 you this afternoon or tomorrow, is that correct ? 



Mr. Charyk. I will be available if the committee so desires. 



Senator Stennis. We want to thank you again for being here. Of 

 course, you do not have to go. If you wish, you may. 



