The Washington times., 1912-04-24

far enough so that 1t is possible to
grasp in general way the truth as to
what happened and why.
The trend OF the sworn testimony
points, not SO much to the fact
that Bny particular individual is
to blame, as to a stupid. fatuous,
blundering policy on the part of those
responsible, in the last analysis, for the
conduct OF the ritanic-that Is. the
White star Company Gnd the respon-
siblc officers OF the ship under the com
pany.
The whole truth as to the conduct of
J. IJruce Ismay, president OF the In
ternational Mercantile Marine Campany,
It's managing director, has not been
men. II is quite clear Mr.. Ismay will
have to go through life explaining why
II Is he has survived when 1,a0 others
on the Titanic were lost no,wev,sr, eyer,
much TO indicate that the questions In
volved regarding the loss of the titanic
are much bigger and broader Than the
question of what lsmay did or did not
10 or Just how far he is guilty OF con-
duct that deserves criticism.
General Faults.
The general trend OF the testimony
] is calculated to show that the underlying
reasons why the Titanic is now at the
| bottom of the sea instead of afioat, are
| the reasons that relate to blind. blum
dering, overconfldent ineffciency. The
same reasons underlie the fact that hun
dreds of passengers were not saved who
might have been saved, even after the
vessel struck.
The deeds Of heroism, the gallant con-
| duct of some of the officers and crew
| the magnificent self-sacrifice displayed
| cannot hide these facts. 1t was case
! qualities were allowed to be mistaken
and misunderstood for effectiveness.
The notion that the vessel was sc
constructed she was unsinkable was the
| covering for numerous weaknesses, the
| cloak for oVersights or blunders thai
would not have been thought of had II
been felt there was need for the utmost
care lest the craft fail to reach port.
! Some of the facts now clearly ap
| parent are these:
| That there were not enough lifeboat;
to float half the passengers and crew
| IL filled to their utmost capacity.
| That the customary boat drill wa!
omitted, in spite of the fact the crew
had been assembled newly from various
ships.
That the presence OF icebergs wa
known to the officers of the ship tn,
Sunday evening before the vessel struck
That, in spite of this. there is no evi
| dence of any precautions of an unusua
sort being taken.
Full average speed was maintained
iCebergs or no icebergs.
/ No Marine Glasses.
The lookout was not even provide,
with marine glasses, though an office
was asked for them at Southampton
end this officer knew of the presence o
. icebergs hours before the vessel struck
Consequently, he knew the vessel wa
proceeding into dangerous Waters with
out the lookout having the advantag
of glasses.
The superstition that the vessel wa
unsuitable had been 30 instilled into tn
minds of passengers that so many fel
} II unwise to take to the lifeboats.
, The conduct OF the officers of the shi
was brave and courageous when Il wa
too late, but there is no question tn
lifeboats might have been made to con
! ! tain many more people. Sailors were
in some cases, not at their station
l when needed to man the lifeboats.
=, Probably there was general belle
among officers and passengers tina
! whatever happened, with the wireles
: at hand, help easily could be called
, This doubtless tended to help along tn
: general disposition to recklessness.
The more known of the facts the NOR
Il is beginning to be clear. 1t will be ar
Z parent, that had there been no laxit
anywhere along the line In the manage
ment of the Titanic, and had there bee
~ the strict stringent discipline in all pal
: ticulars that would have been foun
a | necessary for a naval vessel or eve
for a smaller passenger vessel, the di'
7 | aster would either not have occurred 6
. all or its seriousness would have bee
v much lessened