Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-22
ATTENTION LONG AGO DIRECTED
TO CONDITIONS WHICH CAUSED
TITANIC HORROR.
LAW MAKERS URGED TO
COMPEL SAFETY APPLIANCES
Question Asitatcd During Past Twenty
Years-consress Indifferent Until
Appalling Risastsr Ensues-Years
REQUIRED to Bring About Other Safe
ty Laws.
Especial Correspondence
Laws.

WaShlEStOn, April 2Z.-The Wratn
and anger and bitterness displayed in
congress since the Titanic disaster and
the haste to enact legislation that VIII
prevent recurrence of such horrors
calls attention in striking and cur
iouS way to the singular SlOwness OF
senate and house to pass laws for the
protection Of human life until it is too
late.
For many years. the attention of
congress has been directed to the very
condition Of things that brought about
the tremendous loss of life on the IL
tanic. Repea teddy, congress has been
urged to see to it that ocean going YES
sells were properly equipped with life
boats and life-saviEg apparatus. For
no less than twenty years the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, among other
bodies. has been insisting on legislation
to make vessels safe. Primarily, the
Ia Dor interests have urged this for the
benefit Of the crews. OF course, II
goes without saying, that any such
legislation would tend to the safety of
passengers as well IS crews.
Congress Indifferent.
Congress however. has seemed al
most wholly Indifferent to the de-
mants for such laws. And the whole
history Of humanitarian legislation. or
attempts al such Legislation, SO far az
CONGRESS is concerned. tends to prove
that the members of that body are
wont idly to stand by and pay nc heed
to the demands fer safetE laws until
some great calamity or disclosure OF
heavy loss Of life or grave conditions
of some sort Sc arouse public sentiment
that the legislative part Of the govern
ment is literally driven to take pro-
tective measures
In the case of the immigration laws.
some years ago. tho ii had been re-
pes teGly shown that vessels were trat-
licking IL the business Of carrying
aliens to this country without any
thought save how TO crowd the most
PEOPLE into their ships and without re-
gard to light and air and health. II was
nc. unit! Investigations and disclosures
stirred w deep public Indignation that
action was taken.
Then there was direct legislation that
vessels carrying immigrants
from American ports unless they mace
proper provision for air space. me taiH
hat inter1a to;nal arrangements had 10
he made in order to encompass inns
object gave way and somethins Ell
fective was done.
Safely Appliances and Railroads.
Safety appliance legislation applying
to railroads was secured only aIter d
hard fight Il has been of immeas-
urabl, benefit to railroad employees anu
and the wonder Is that con-
press should not have passed 1t long
before Il did or that any opposition
should have been made that congress
corld afford to look on seriously.
The efforts to get legislation to pro-
hibi: the manufacture OF white phos-
,horus matches afford another illus
.ration Of the situation. The need for
This legislation has long been apparent
but it has been slow coming. ana
he strange spectacle was presented IN
Tho senate the other day, when 1t was
proposed to pass this bill, for senators
to get up and solemnly argue that
congress had no power to prevent an
evil so obvious and menace to health
so entirely patent as this.
Other LEGISLATION Came Slow.
Pure food legislation is another case
Of the same sort. The efforts to get
such legislation were long blocked In
congress- The constitution was in
voked and various obstacles were por-
trayed. Sage gentlemen shook their
heads gravely and said they could not
see where congress had any such au-
When the pure food law was
passed tho big advance. it was found
to have large holes in it which still
exist and which need to be patched
up They will not be. however, until
public sentiment bestirs itself.
Under the present circumstances.
with q great public outcry for legisla-
ton to compel vessels to be properly
equipped with life-saving craft and
appliances, and with the most terrible
sea disaster in history fresh in mind.
it will be interesting to watch the
course of law making. Indications are
plenty that efforts will be made to
bring about delay and to prevent SIM
pie, direct and stringen: legislation
that has no loopholes in it.
In part, this situation as to humani-
tartan laws is due to the fact that few
in congress are willing to fight for it
and in part to the activity of special
interests in stirring up opposition.
However, state legislatures are as
prone to delay as congress.