Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-07
OBJECTS TO REPORT
German Naval Expert Sees
Scheme in Titanic Probe.
SAYS U. S. WOULD CONTROL
Believes Object Of Senate Committee
Is to Hurt Foreign-0wned Boats.
GERMANY TO PROTECT BIRDS
Government Interested in Plan
Adopted in Holland to Prevent
Loss of Life.
SAYS U. S. WOULD CONTROL
GERMANY TO PROTECT BIRDS

BERLIN. July 1.-The report OF the
American Senate committee Of inves-
tigation Of the Titanic disaster Is
strongly criticised in a published
statement by Capt. Won kuehlwetter.
retired, OF the German navy. who sees
in 1t further attempt on the part Of
the United States to cripple the
foreign-owned steamship lines, al
ways a thorn in the eye of America,
and to build up her own lines at their
expense. He looks upon 1t as a pre-
liminary to one-sided legislation, aim
ed to admit the fOreign-owned steam
ers to American harbors only under
conditions and examination dictated by
the United States law. The German
maritime expert Is able to agree with
only four of the seven main conclu-
sions Of the Senate committees report
that the captain Of the Californian
saw the Titanic's distress signals and
failed to respond to them; that the
lifeboats were not loaded to capacity
because Of the lack of discipline of the
Titanic's crew; that partly filled life
boats failed to return to pick up more
victims, and that the provisions for
lowering the boats would not have
permitted their launching in a heavy
sea.
IT was not shown. says Won Kuehl-
wetter, that the Titanic's watertight
compartments were not actually
watertight, as is alleged In the Senate
report, and the proposal to require q
double bottom throughout each ship 8
hull involves a change in construction
which cannot be accepted without
t~v-S
tenn, by which each passenger could be
instantly notified of danger. would, in
the German experts opinion, be pretty
sure to cause panic and Is not advfs-
able. The blame ascribed in the Senate
report to the Titanic for disregarding
warnings of Ice is by Won Kuehlwetter
shifted to the steamship companies,
which have, he declares, established
their present courses with full
knowledge that they lie inside the dan
ger zone and have thus presented a
temptation to all captains to be care
less as WELL
Capt. Won Kuehlwetter declares that the
inquiry in London In proceeding much
more quietly and thoroughly than was
the case with the American Investigation.
will stand upon much more Arm basis.
Bank Rate Held Long Time.
The reduction of the Imperial Banks
discount rate to AZ per cent June IL.
at per cent since September 10. 1911.
put an end to the longest period for which
the bank ever kept up SO high rate
without change. It's adherence to the
high rate so long Is due to the belief OF
the managers that the banks extend credit
to manufacturers and merchants far toe
literally, SO that the whole business sys-
tenn OF the country rests too much upon
an artificially expanded basis Of credit
The Imperial Bank, with its 5Ot
branches In all parts OF the empire, Is
the bank of bankers In every com.
munity, hence the burden of excessive
credits falls back upon 1t finally. Owing
to this state Of things the president has
been for several years carrying on q
campaign Of reform in banking practice
looking chiefly toward restricting credits
to safe limits. Several years ago he In.
duced eight of the leading joint-stock
banks of Berlin to publish every two
months a balance sheet, 80 that the bust
ness community may be kept fully in
formed as to the changes going on in the
financial movement Last winter he sue
ceeded in having the banks adopt a much
more detailed form for making their re-
turns, and most Of the larger banks OF
the country have now joined in publish.
ing returns, and the Imperial Bank issues
regularly every two months a compilation
of the balance sheets Of eighty-six large
banks.
The President has, at various times
during the present period of dear money
warned the banks and the business inter
ests of the country to take in sail, and
this year his warnings have become more
frequent and more earnest than ever
On the day of the rate reduction he
plainly told the committee Of Berlin
bankers composing the Imperial Bank
central committee that the banks would
have to continue to restrict credits. as
otherwise the lower discount rate would
be Of but short duration.
Plan to Save Birds.
The German government has become
interested in a plan adopted In Holland
to prevent the destruction Of bird life by
lighthouses, and has recently sent two
representatives to examine the system
used with much success on the island OF
Terschelling.
Dr. Hennicks, one Of these commits
sioners, has recently described the sys'
tenn in a lecture before the German So
ciety for the Protection Of Bird Life
The Dutch experiment. he says, Is based
upon the belief that birds are not killed
to any great extent. as commonly sup
lighthouses in the darkness, but that
they try In vain to find a resting place
on their sides, after flying around long
time, dazed and confused by the bright
light of the refiectors, and finally drop
to the earth from sheer exhaustion and
are killed. At Terschelling broad lad
ters are fastened on the sides OF the
lighthouse tower, the rungs OF which
serve as perches for the birds. Near the
top the rungs are placed about four
inches apart, but lower down the in
tervals are occasionally considerably
wider in places, SO as to accommodate
the larger birds. According to DIR. Hen
nicke, the destruction OF birds has been
greatly diminished by this device. 1t is
assumed that the system win be tried
on German lighthouses.