The Calumet news., 1912-05-28
SPEECH BY SENATOR SMITH
Comprehensive Address on Recent
Inquiry Delivered Today
RAPs ENGLISH BOARD TRADE
Lsxity Of Regulation and Hasty In
speetion contributory Cause
OF Catastrophe.

washington, May 2S.-Blame fol
the Titanic disaster is chargeable di
rectly TO the failure of the dead Cap
tain Smith to heed repeated warnings
OF icebergs ahead. but responsibility
of unnecessary loss of life must be
shared by Captain Lord of the steam
ship California. through his disregard
of distress signals. This is the find
ing of the Senate committee which
Investigated the sinking of the Titan
ic. as prepared in comprehensive
speech delivered by William Alden
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 SEN
ator said the Titanic's distress sig
nails were plainly seen from the deck
of his vessel a short distance away.
Punishment up to England.
America will leave to England the
ehastisement of those guilty asserted
the senator and he uotedq British
law to show that Captain Lord might
be- prosecuted for a mis- demeanor.
other conclusions presented, i'm
brief, were as follows;
Before the Titanic departed on her
maiden voyage there were not suffi-
cient tests of boilers, Dulkheads.
equipment or signal devices.
officers and crew were strangers 60
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 y
miles an hour at time of the accident
although officers of the Titanic had
been advised of the presence of lee
bergs by the steamships Baltic, Amer
liza and Californian
Passengers Not Informed.
Passengers were not advised oil
Janger although President lsmay ol
the White Star Line. who was tax
ing the vessels maiden voyage. was
informed. No general alarm was Civ
en- nor any organized system of safe
ty undertaken.
OF the 1924 passengers and Ss'
members OF crew on board. there was
room IN the lifeboats for only LIE
persons and because of lack of orderly
a.. off
persons. ~ being rescue! from the
water.
Officers Of the White star Line
"battled with the truth" after recelv'
ing Information from their Montrea
office Monday morning following the
accident.
Senator Smith condemned anti
quated shipping laws and overripe al
ministrative boards and asked tina
al nations act together In shipping
reforms. New laws" he said "wlI
best testify our affection for th'
dead"
Captain Rostron Praised.
Captain Rostron of the rescue shil
Carpathia was praised by Senator
Smith and he urged that Congress
recognize his valor.
At the outset Senator Smith de
Tended the course of his committee
In holding British subjects TO secur
ther testimony without delay an'
briefly answered criticism of his lacl
Of nautical knowledge.
Our course was simple and plain y
to gather the facts relating TO I'M
disaster while they were still ViVi
realities" che said. "Questions OF di
verse citizenship gave way to the UNI
versal desire for the simple truth.
was of paramount Importance that W
should act quickly to avoid jurisdic
tional confusion and organized oppo
sition at home or abroad. We
course, recognized that the ship wa
under foreign flag: but the lives
many OF our own countrymen ha
feen sacrificed and the safety of man
had been put In grave peril, ana
Was vital that the entire matte
should be reviewed before an AMER
can tribunal II legislative action wa
to be taken for future guidance.
Unprepsred for Crisis.
Without any pretension to exper'
ence or special knowledge of nautic'
affairs. nevertheless i am of the oph
ION that very few important fae'
which were susceptible of pe'h
known escaped our scrutiny Energ