Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-04-25
RAfNER DENOUDGEs lsMAY
Charges Company With Wanton Die
regard OF Lite And Declares
Congress Has Power To
Probe.

the floor OF the Senate, reviewed the
circumstances surrounding the sink
ing Of the Titanic and denounced J.
Bruce Ismay, managing director Of
the White Star Line, as "a cool and
brutal coward" He said that with
the responsibilities resting upon the
executive head of the company, Ismay
should not have saved himself until
every passenger on board the ship had
been given a chance to live.
The address aroused intense inter
est in the Senate and in the galleries.
Senators left the cloakrooms to hear
the Marylander lash Ismay and hold
him up to the contempt Of the civilized
world The galleries rapidly filled
when it became known that Senator
Rayner was making an attack upon
the White Star Line and its owners
Taking as his text the printed state
ment of Senator Smith, of Michigan,
to the effect that he doubted the au-
thority of the Senate investigating
committee to compel the testimony OF
Ismay, an Englishman, Senator Rayner
discussed exhaustively the jurisdiction
of the Senate committee over any
person upon American soil. He said
the power to summon witnesses and
exact testimony from them was undis-
puted by constitutional authorities.
British Courts Open.
Senator Rayner pointed out that
while there were no civil or criminal
remedies available in the American
courts, criminal and civil suits could
be brought in the British courts; that
Congressional committee would
have absolute authority to subpoena
everyone connected with the disaster
and that If anyone should refuse to
answer questions, he could be indicted
and imprisoned for contempt.
After he had taken up the legal
phases suggested by the published
statements Of Senator Smith, the
Marylander assailed Ismay with bit
terness rarely heard IN the halls of
Congress. He referred to the printed
interview of Mrs L. P. Smith, the
daughter of Representative Hughes, Of
West Virginia, in which this survivor
declared that Ismay sought safety
among the first and that he had left
his ship long before the women aboard
had been taken off.
Doubts Mr.. lsmay's Statement.
''Mr Ismay claims, according to re-
ports, that he took the last lifeboat, /"
cried Senator Rayner. Il do not be-
lieve it, and if he lit was cowardiy
to take any lifeboat, for the managing
director of the line, with his board,
is criminally responsible for this ap-
palling tragedy.
''If this had happened on an Ameri-
can vessel there would be no question
that an, indictment would be found,
and If the facts were sustained the
officers of the company could be con-
victed ofi Inanslaughte If not for MUIR
der, because the evidence Is clear that
the vessel was not properly equipped
with efficient life-saving apparatus.
Charges Disregard OF Life.
81 have not the slightest doubt that
the northern route was taken in obedi-
ence to Mr.. Ismay's direct orders and
that with full warning he risked the
life of his entire ship to make speedy
passage.
81 care not what the rules of the
English Admiralty are. Here you have
the spectacle of the head Of the line
failing to see that his ship was prop
erly equipped with life-saving appara-
tus, needless of the warnings that he
was sailing in dangerous sea, for
saking his vessel and permitting 1900
of her passengers and crew to be swal-
and the agonies of separation that
took place on board the sinking ship
are too fearful for the mind to dwell
upon and contemplate, but Mr.. eIsmay,
the officer primarily responsible for
the whole disaster, has reached his
destination In safety and unframed
Appeals To British Justice.
la
mo legislation can bring back to
earth a single life lost upon that fatal
night What ~we can do is to help
to fix the responsibility, If possible,
and rely upon British justice to bring
to bay the guilty directorate of this
company.
"All civilized nations will applaud
the criminal prosecution of the man
ayers of this line. If they can be
made to suffer, no sympathy will &C
out for them, and if it does it will be
submerged in the Overwhelming
lamentation that today re-echoes
throughout the civilized world for the
victims of their eulpable carelessness
a recklessness that sent hundreds Of
their eRlow-beings into eternity
desolating homes and firesides and
turning this land into house Of
mourning.
''In this hour Of our calamity we ap
peal to the majesty of the law to deal
out retributory Justice to this guilty
company to the last degree.
4 n . n s