The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-05-30
Titanic Disaster Directly
Caused BY His Failure
to Heed Warnings.
OF IcFBERcs AHEAD
Senator Smith Also in Speech
Blames2 { aptain Lord for
Loss of Life.


Blanc for the Titanic disaster is
ehargeab.e directly to the failure OF
the dead Captain Smith to heed re-
peated warnings Of icebergs ahead,
bu: fesponsibiIity for unnecessary
loss OF lie must be shared by Cap
tain Lord of the steamship, Califor-
nIan through his disregard of distress
signals. This is the finding of the
Senate committee which investigated
the sinking of the Titanic. as pre-
pared in a comprehensive speech de-
liyered by william Alden Smith, OF
Michigan, chairman of the commit
tee, today.
Senator Smith declared that re-
sponsibility also rested upon the
British Board CT Trade, ito whose
laxity of regulation, and hasty in
spection, the world is largely in
debted for the awful fatality" In
denouncing Captain Lord. of the
Californian, the senator said the IT.
tanic's distress signals were plainly
seen from the deck of his vessel a
short distance away.
America viii leave to England the
chastisement of those guilty. as
serted the senator, and he quoted
British law to show that Captain
Lord might be prosecuted for a mis-
demeanor.
Other conclusions presented. in
brief. were as follows:
Before the Titanic departed on
her maiden voyage there were no
sufficient tests of boilers, bulkheads,
equipment or signal devices.
officers and crew were strangers
to each other and not familiar with
the ships implements of tools, and
no drill or station practice took
place and no helpful discipline pre-
vailed.
The speed OF the Titanic was 24h
miles an hour at the time OF the &C
cident, although officers of the IT.
tanlc had been advised Of the pres
ence of icebergs by the steamships
Baltic, America and Californian.
Passengers were not advised oil
danger, although President Ismay,
of the White Star Line, who was
taking the vessels maiden voyage
was informed. No general alarm
was given nor any organized system
of safety undertaken.
OF the 1924 passengers and Ss9
members OF the crew on board. there
was room in the lifeboats for only
1,l76 persons, and because OF the
lack OF orderly discipline the boats
took of only 7O4 persons. twelve be-
ing rescued from the water.
oRicers OF the White Star Line
"battled with the truth" after re-
ceiving information from their Mon.
treal Office Monday morning follow
ign the accident.
Senator Smith condemned an
tiquated shipping laws and overripe
administrative boards" and asked
that ali nations act together in ship
ping reforms. New laws" he said
will best testify to our affection
for the dead.
Captain Dostron. of the rescue
ship, carapthia. was praised by Sen
ator Smith and he urged that Con
sress recognize his valor. "
When the crisis came a state o
absolute appropriateness stupitle'
both passengers and crew and, II
their despair, the ship. went down
carrying as needless sacrifice of no
BILE women and brave men as eve
clustered about the Judgment Sea
in any single moment of passini
time. sss
The Titanic rushed onward o.
her true course-one recognized a
appropriate and agreed upon b
mariners as the international high
way for westbound vessels, yet dan
gerous at this season of the year
when the Labrador current may b
bearing vast masses of ice across tn
track OF shlps-scores of these tow
ering glaciers planted themselves i
the very pathway Of this ship an
were so large and so numerous tina
in the absence OF fog, they shout
have been easily discernib'e by tn
lookout. II, as he says in his test
mony. he had been supplied wit
glasses.
Captain Smith knew the sea an
his clear eye and steady hand ha
often guided his ship through dar
Eerous paths; for forty years storm