The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-05-01
DEFENSE OF ]. BRUCE ISMAY
r. E. Hill of Abbeyille Answers Sen.
ator Rayner's Criticisms Of White
Star Director

have not seen a word of disapproval
or condemnation in The State Of the
unjustifiable and brutal attack by Sch
ator Rayner of Maryland in the Unit.
ed States senate, upon Bruce Ismay
one of the directors of the White Star
line, who was a passenger aboard the
unfortunate steamer Titanic, ship
Of that line, whose tragic end with
such a fearful loss of life has caused
such widespread sorrow throughout
this and other countries.
That it may be known that there ia
at least one person IN America who
condemns the utterances Of this
doughty senator, I send you this COM
munication with the request that you
publish it.
I fail to see how any fair-minded
person who will read the testimony
of Mr.. Ismay before the senate in
vestigating committee, " can find
grounds for any adverse criticisms
of his conduct on the occasion Of the
disaster to the Titanic, or as to the
management Of the unfortunate yes
sci Immediately preceding that event;
neither ia there any ground for CEN
suring him in the heartless manner
in which Senator Rayner did, in ref
erence to the failure to have that veg
sci, equipped with the necessary life
saving apparatus.
In referring to the conduct Of Mr..
Ismay in getting into one of the life
boats and thereby saving his own
life (while several hundred other
passengers went down with the sink
ing steamer, Senator Rayner exhausts
his vocabulary In abuse and vituper-
alton of Mr.. Ismay; characterizing
his conduct on that occasion as cow
ardly and deserving Of the greatest
Just here let me in
sert, lest I forget it--that / regard
the conduct of Senator Rayner in
making that speech, which he knew
he could do with impunity,as bearing
more of the marks of cowardice than
does that of Mr.. Ismay on the occas-
ion in question. What does Mr.. Is
may say as to his action on that event
full occasion? His testimony before
the investigating committee was as
follows:
"The boat was being filed; the Of
ficers called out to know If there were
any more women to 60; there were
none, and there were no passengers
on the deck, 30 as the boat was being
lowered, I got into 1t.
Now who, other than a fool or
idiot, would have done otherwise?
Not Senator f:ayner, I'll venture.
Suppose Mr. Ismay had not gotten
into that toat, 1t being the last one
to leave tt e sinking ship. what would
have been the difference? Nothing
more than that there would have been
one more name to be added to the
list of the lost and one less to those
saved. And, furthermore, 1t Is barely
possible that If Mr.. Ismay had not
gotten into the boat in which he did,
all in it might have been lost, as It
appears that he had to act as one OF
the oarsmen during the four hours
from the time they left the sinking
steamer until they were picked up by
the Carpathia.
But the magnanimous senator says
he doesn't believe Mr.. Ismay's tale
when he states that he took the last
lifeboat, and If he did"it was coward
1y to take any lifeboat." Why was
it any more cowardly or even as
:owardly in Mr.. Ismay to have got
ten into this the last boat to leave
the steamer than was that OF the nu-
merous other men who escaped In the
15 or 20 other boats which LETT the
vessel before the one in which Mr..
Ismay embarked?
He was simply passenger ABOARD
the Titanic, and while he was q d.
rector of the Whits Star line and
mart owner of the unfortunate vessel
he. az s,lch, had nothing to do with
the regulation Of her speed or her
MANAGEMENT in any particular. these
matters being left entirely, as is al
ways done to the captain.
Mr.. Ismay, not being a practical
sailor. and therefore not capable OF
navigating a ship. II he. because OF
the fact that he was one Of the direc-
tors of the White Star line, had as
sumed the conduct Of that ship, In
stead of leaving that matter as ne
did. to Captain Smith when 1t was
discovered that they were in the vicin-
ity OF icebergs, and the accident had
occurred as 1t did, the world would
have held him responsible, and Justly
80. for the consequences; but because
he did not 80 interfere, he Is held up
to the execration of all mankind by
Senator Rayner.
AS touching the matter Of the equip
ment of the Titanic with adequate
lifeboats and other necessary life saw