The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-04-24
Sinking of the Titanic.

feet from bottom to top OF turret. It was
q new ship, built with air tight sections
which were supposed to keep 1t afoat de-
spite any conceivable injury to it. And yet
it went down as easily as did the trail
boats Of the a~ncients that were propelled
by galley slaves.
1t would seem that old ocean has fallen
upon the highest levisthan Of thisecienti-
&c age to reassert its terrible supremacy.
Man marks the earth with ruin-his con-
troll,
Stops with the shore-upon the 'watery
The wrecks are all thy deed. n o doth re-
A shadow of mans ravage, save his own,
When for q moment like 9 drop OF rain,
he sinks into thy depths with. bubbling
grOan, -,
Without a grave, unknelled. uneof1ped and
unknown"
The introduction Of steam shortening
the ocean voyage; the application OF
science In every detail OF ship construc-
tlon; and above all things. the ALMOST su-
pernatural wireless telegraphyiI IT would
seem, would reduce the tole Of tho ocean
to nominal figures. But 1t is as true now
as when it was written by the ancients:
"They that go down into the sea In ships
shall perish In the Deep" ..3.E
No caste or class or wealth or rank Is
recognised In the oceans domain, when
man becomes Its prey. All men are pau
pers In Its memorable grasp. - O.
Aside from the universal yiexcited by
the loss Of life on the sunkeR Titanic,
there are valuable lessona In the incident
for the public mind. The chivalry that
prompted the men aboard to care first for
helpless M and children in'the face OF
certain death for themselves, is conclusive
that man is not degenerating scientists TO
the contrary, Notwithstanding. History
does not record q nobler deed than that OF
the men aboard the III fated ship. And
the conduct Of certain millionaire aboard,
shows that much Of criticism by the en-
vious who can see only efYemincy and greed
as q result Of fabulous wealth, Is Ill found
cd. Mr.. Aston. q member OF the oldest
and wealthiest family In this country. met
death as calmly az did the humblest pas
ssnger aboard. And the same is true OF
Mr.. Strouse and Mr.. Gugenheim.
Then again, the effect Of military train
Ing making Its possessor calm and meth
odical In the hour OF danger, and supreme
in controlling the fears OF those about him,
was superbly illustrated in the conduct OF
Major Archibold Butt, aid to President
TAFT, and Col. Archibold Oracle, U. S.A.
The former cared for the helpless women
and children and this done mst death
calmly, as a soldier should. The latter
taking his chances with the men leaped
into the sea and was the means OF saving
thirty odd souls.
An incident Ia recalled something over q
year ago In which a ship took fire at sea.
The passengers were panic stricken aipd
none seemed to know what to do Their"
CHANGED to be three soldiers aboard. They
at once took In the situation aud went
m~ethodically to work to relieve 1t. The
fire was In the hole Of the ship and Its pro-
aress shut OF entrance from within. One
Of the soldiers was let down beside the
ship and suspended by the others holding
to bis feet. The suspended soldier was
given a hose which he turned Oh the fire
through a port hole and in little while
the fire was extinguished. The strength
Of discipline in the hour Of danger was
never more strongly illustrated than In
the conduct Of Major Butt sndJ}'ESlonel
Oracle In the last hours Of the Ttanicf
Another interesting lesson drawn from
Incidents on the sinking Titanic is the
supremacy Of the Anglo-Saxon race. Six
Chinese laborers saved their lives by
crouching under the seats Of the life
boats. In this they evidenced their cum
ming, but when their conduct Is ~contrasted
with the magnificent conduct Of the white
men aboard 1t makes them appear despica.
BILE indeed. The traits here 30 clearly
brought out are national characteristics OF
the races and account for the mastery Of
the white races.
II the sinking OF the Titanic Is consider
ed IS something more than q mere chance
accident, still another question OF interest
arises.
We would inquire reverentially, why In
the ~dispensation OF Providence. should q
crew composed OF 90 many noble hearted
men and women he swallowed up by the
scar Why should such a man as Isadore
Strouse. Q life long philanthropist, whose
greet wealth has been poured out for the
relief Of the suffering poor, die a more mis-
cradle and narrowing death than the most
wretched Of those who he had succored7
Surely Goods ways are not.Has. mans
ways" and his purposes are beyond finite
oomprahanaiOn-