Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-05-28
smith and he urged that congress- rec
ognize his valor,

Il
OF nautical knowledRe.
'eour course was simple ana plain
to enthor tine facts relating to this
disaster while they we're SAN vivid
realities" he said. "Queniiona Of d.
verse citizenship gave way 70 the uni-
versnl desire for the simple truth. -
wns OF paramount importance that
we should act quickly 70 avoid iuris-
dlctional confusion and organized OPP
position at home or abroad. We, of
course. recognized that the ship was
under foreiEn fiag, but the lives of
mnay OF our own countrymen had
been sacrificed and the safety Of
many had been pUt In grave peril, and
10 WAS vital that the entire matter
should be reviewed before an Ameri-
can tribunal II legislative action was
10 be taken for future guidance,
without any prctension 20 expert
ence or special knowledge OF nautical
affairs nevertheless ] am OF the cpln-
ion that very few important facts
which were susceptible Of beInE
known escaped out scrutiny Energy
Is often more desirable than learning,
and the lnquisition serves useful
{ puIUnht 70 the atotes
"in the construction OF the Titanic. =
continued the senator. "no limit of
cost circnmscribcd their endeavor and
when this vessel took its place nc the
head of the line every modern im-
provoment Ia shipbuildine was sup
posed 20 have Oeen realized; so con-
fident we're they that both owner and
builder were eager 10 90 upon the
trial trip
when the crisis came a state Of
absolute unpreparcdness supplied
both passengers and crew and IN their
despair the ship went down, carry
ing as needless sacrifice Of noble
women and brave men as ever clus-
tered about the judgment seat In any
single moment Of passing time.
I'VE shall leave 10 the honest judg-
ment ol England It's painstaking chas-
tisemenS on the British board OF trade,
10 wheee laxity OF regulation and
hasty inspection the world II largely
indebted for this awful fatality. OF
contributing ceuses there were very
many. Jn the face OF warning sig
mails, speed was increased and mes
sAges OF danger seemed ITO stimulate
her 10 action rather than to persuade
hcr 20 fear.
''The Titanic rushed onward on her
true course--one recognized as APP
proprlate and agreed upon by mar
inars as the international highway for
wcsthound vessels. yet dangerous ~
this season OF the year. whpn the Lab
rador current may be- 6earlns vast
IlIIr rlr ~
-racofes Of these towering glaciers
planted themselves into tho very path
way OF this ship and were 80 large
and so numerous that, IN the absence
Of fog. they should have been easily
iisoernlDle hy the lockout, II. as he
says IN his testimony. he had been
supplied with Rlnsses.
captain smith knew the sea and
his clear eye and steady hand had
often guided his ship through danger
Gus paths; for 20 years storms sought
ln vain To vex him or menace his
craft His Indifference 10 danger waB
one 0f the direct and contributing
causes OF this unnecessary tragedy
while his own Willingness 10 die waa
the expiating evidence OF his fitness
to live: those of ds who knew him
well--not in anger. but IN sorrow
nie one specific charge against him.
overeonndencc and neglect 10 heed
the oft-repeated WARNINGS OF his
friends. but. In his hcrrible dlsmay,
when HIS brain was afire with honest
rctrlaution. we can sim see, IN his
manly bearing and his tender solicit
tndo for the safety Of women and lit
ne children, some traces Of his lofty
spirit
sThe mystery OF his indifference 20
danger. when other and less preten-
tlous Vesa.,iA doubled their loekouie or
stopped their engines, finds no. rea-
sonaoie hypotheRis In conjecture or
speculauoni science In shipbulldinB
wis supposed to have attained periee-
tion aad % have spoken her ihat
word. mastery OF the ocean had az
last been achieved. but overconn-
depce seems TO have dulled the sRe-
ullles usually So alert with sac az
maspherp literally charged with warm
ins aiEnais and wipeicss messages
taslsierlns their last appeal, the stok-
efa la the engine room fod then fires
with frosh fuel, registering In shat
dangerous place her fastest speed
Mature gave warning of ap-
preaching peril so significant that pas
sengers In slatoroom and aseerage
shut out the chill and spoke 20 one
another OF the sudden cold. Sailors
of the Grand Banks know the inn
porianee ~ tho thermometer. which Is
almost as necessary tO their safety 90
~ tho compass. Even the quarter
master, Hichens, who regularly took
/ the Temperature OF the water from the
sea, said ~ suddenly became bitter
co,u and added that tho first order
received BY him from second Onicer
i-ightollef az 5 o'clock sunday ovcn-
Ing WAS 20 take his compliments
down 10 the ships carpenter and IN
form him 90 look 10 his fresh water,
that Il was about 20 freeze,
senator Smith declared that the
command OF the officer of the watch
Ga avert the disaster actually exposed
the most vulnerable part OF the Ti-
lanie 60 the ice when tho shock came
distracted by the sudden appear
gnee OF danger" aaid Me speaker. "he
sharply turned aside the PROV. the
/ part best prepared io resist collision,
] .uun.inu the fnmUIa "a fhn hIn.us u