Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-28
Sea Disaster Directly
Charged to Dead Cap
tain by Report
WARNINGS NOT Needed
Lord of Californian Is Con-
demned for Refusing
Aid.

Washington, May 2s.-Blame for
the Titanic disaster is chargeable d.
rectly 10 the failure Of the dead Cap
tain Smith TO heed repeated warnings
OF icebergs ahead, but responsibility
for unnecessary loss Of life must be
shared by Captain Lord of the steam
ship Californian. through his disregard
Of distress signals. This is the find-
ing of the senate committee which
Investigated the sinking OF the IT,
tanic, as prepared In a comprehen-
sive speech delivered by William AL
den Smith OF Michigan, chairman Of
the committee.
Senator Smith declared that re-
sponsibility also rests upon the Brit
ish board OF trade. TO whose laxity Of
regulation and hasty inspection. the
world IS largely indebted for the
awful fatality" In denouncing Cap
tain Lord Of the Californian. the sem
ator said the Titanic's distress sig
mails were plainly seen from the deck
of his vessel a short distance away.
ENGLAND TO CHAsTISE.
America will leave 70 England the
chastisement OF those guilty, asserted
the senator, and he quoted British
law 10 show that Captain Lord might
be prosecuted for a misdemeanor.
other conclusions presented, in
brief. were as follows:
Before the Titanic departed on its
maiden voyage there were no suffi-
cient tests of boilers, bulkheads,
equipment or signal devices.
Officers and crew were strangers
20 each other and not familiar with
the ships implements or tools, and
no drill or station practice took place
and no helpful discipline prevailed.
The speed Of the Titanic was "a II
miles an hour at time OF the accident
although officers Of the Titanic had
been advised of the presence of ice,
bergs by the steamships Baltic, Amer.
ika and Californian.
DANGER UNKNOWN.
Passengers were not advised ot
danger, although President Ismay Of
the White Star line, who was taking
the vessels maiden voyage, was in
formed. No general alarm was Civ
en- nor any organized system of safe
~ undertaken.
or the l 1924 passengers and S9s
members OF crew on board, there wa.
room in the lifeboats for only .17t
persons and because of lack of or
derly discipline, the boats took OF
only 704 persons, > being rescued
from the water
Officers OF the White Star line bat
tied with the truth" after receiving
fee Monday morning following tn,
accident.
Senator Smith condemned "anti
ouated shipping laws and overrip,
administrative boards" and asked
that all nations act together in snip
ping reforms. New laws" he said
will best testify our affection 70
the dead"
RoSTRoN PRAISED.
Captain Rostron OF the rescue shiI
Carpathia was praised by Senate
Smith and he urged that congres
recognize his valor.
At the outset. Senator Smith de
Tended the course Of his committe
in holding British subjects to secur
their testimony without delay. an
briefly answered criticism OF his lac
of nautical knowledge.
our course was simple and plail
to gather the facts relating to thi
disaster while they were still viyi
realities" he said. Questions o
diverse citizenship gave way TO tn
universal desire for the simple truth
IL was OF paramount Importance tha
We should act quickly to avoid juris
dictional confusion and organized OF
position at home or abroad. We. @
course. recognized that the ship Wa
under a foreign flag: but the lives c
many OF our own countrymen ha
been sacrificed and the safety OF man
had been put In grave peril. and
was vital that the entire matte
should be reviewed before an Amer
can tribunal II legislative action wa
10 be taken for future guidance.
Without any pretension to expel
ANttNN VI SltNAdA hAtM AtAEt VI hduNANe
affairs. nevertheless / am of the opir
ion that very few important fact
which were susceptible Of bein
known escaped our scrutiny. Energ
Il often more desirable than learnin
and the inquisition serves a usefJ
purpose 10 the state.
STATE or UNPREPAREDNESS.
In the construction Of the T
tanic,' continued the senator. n
limit OF cost circumscribed their Ell
deayor and when this vessel took II