Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-30

! ing announcement to those les
courageous than themselves. Lifebelt
we're finally adjusted to all and tn
lifeboats were cleared away, and g.
though strangely insufficient in nun
Der, were only partially loaded and II
. all instances unprovided with com
passes and only three Of them ha'
lamps. They were manned 80 badl,
that, In the absence Of prompt relief
they would have fallen easy victims tt
the advancing ice floe, nearly thirt.
miles In width and rising sixteen fee
above the surface of the water. Thei
danger would have been as great as 1
they had remained on the deck Of .ht
broken hull, and If the sea had riser
these toy targets with over 700 OK
hausted people would have been help
lessly tossed about upon the waves
without food or water.
"One witness swore that two Of the
three stewards in her. boat admitted
that they had never had an oar IN
their hands before and did not even
know what the oarlock was for. The
lifeboats were filled so indifferently
and lowered so quickly that, according
to the uncontradicted evidence, near
~ 500 people were needlessly sacri
feed to want of orderly discipline IN
loading the few that were provided
And yet 1t is said by some we'll mean
ing persons that the best Of discipline
prevailed. II this is discipline what
would have been disorder?
Junior Officers Deserted Post.
Among the passengers were many
strong men who had been accustomed
to command whose lives had marked
every avenue Of endeavor. and whose
business experience and military
training especially fitted them for
such an emergency. These were rude
! ly silenced and forbidden to speak, as
was the president Of this company. by
Junior officers, few Of whom, l re-
greet to say, awaited themselves of the
first opportunity to leave the ship
Some Of the men, to whom had been
intrusted the care Of passengers,
never reported to their official sta
tons, and quickly deserted the snip
with a recklessness and Indifference
to tho responsibilities of their posi-
lions as culpable and amazing as 1t Is
impossible to believe. And some OF
these men say they laid by In their
partially filled lifeboats and listened
to the cries of distress until the noise
quieted down and surveyed from
safe distance the unselfish men and
women and faithful fellow officers
and seamen, whose heroism lightens
up this tragedy and recalls the noblest
traditions Of the sea-"
Would Regulate Wireless.
Tributes to the valor Of Phillips and
Bride, the wireless operators on the
Titanic. were paid by Senator Smith.
He said that the final exit Of the Phil
lips boy was mot so swift as to pre-
vent him from pausing long enough to
pass cup Of water to a Painting
woman" The senator showed that had
not the underpaid wireless operator
on the Carpathia prepared for ped
with his receiver still on his head the
Titanic's distress signals never would
have been received by the rescue ship.
when the world weeps together
over the common loss" said Senator
Smith, "all nations should take steps
wisely to regulate wireless telegraphy
and see that operators are fairly paid"
He condemned the reign Of silence"
the details Of the disaster.
In condemning the failure of the Call
fornian to learn all about the disaster
before the Titanic sank, and go to her
rescue, Senator Smith said:
"The steamship Californian was
within easy reach OF this ship for
nearly four hours after all the facts
were known to Operator Gotham. The
captain of the Carpathia says he gave
explicit directions that all official mes
sages should be Immediately sent
through other ships, and messages Of
passengers should be given prefer
ence. According to Binns, the inspec-
tor, the apparatus on the Californian
was practically new and easily tuned
to carry every detail OF that calamity
to the coast stations at Cape Sable and
Cape Race. and should have done so.
Limo Officials Criticised.
1.-The course taken was singularly in
accord with the reticence Of the Off
Gals Of the White Star Co., who knew
at 2:3O Monday morning" said the
senator, what was supposed to have
occurred. and yet at Isl Monday even
ing a message from their own office,
offi cially signed, containing the positive
assurance of the safety Of the passen-
gers, was sent to half-crazed father
at Huntington. W. Va, nearly two
hours after their admitted familiarity
with the details OF the disaster. 1t Is
little wonder that we have not been
able to fix with definiteness the
author OF this falsehood."
Senator Smith reviewed the testi-
mony Of Captain Lord. showing that
the Californian came within four miles
Of the doomed vessel and that he went
to his room to lie down while signal
rockets we're being fired
Failure Of Captain Lord to arouse
the wireless operator on his ship, who
easily could have ascertained the
name of the vessel in distress and
reached her In time to avert loss OF
life," said Senator Smith, places a
responsibility upon this
officer from which it will be difficult
for him to escape"
Praises for carpathia Captain.
"Constrast II you will, the conduct
of the captain of the Carpathia in this
and imagine what must be
the consolation Of that thoughtful and
In