The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-05-28
Titanic Disaster Directly
Caused By His Failure
to Heed Warnings.
OF lcEBgERGs AHEAD
Senator Smith Also in Speech
Blames Captain Lord for
Loss Of Life.

Blame for the Titanic disaster lie
chargeable directly to the failure OF
the dead Captain Smith to heed re-
peated warnings of icebergs ahead,
but responsibility for unnecessary
loss Of life must be shared by Cap
tain Lord Of the steamship, Califor-
Man 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 Of 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 I'll
tanic's distress signals were plainly
seen from the deck of his vessel a
short distance away.
America will 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.
Oflcers and crew were strangers
10 each other and not familiar with
tho 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 ac-
cident, although officers of the tt
tanic had been advised of the pres
ence Of icebergs by the steamships
baltic, America and Californian.
Passengers were not advised OF
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.
or the 1924 passengers and 500
members of the crew on board, there
was room in the lifeboats for only
1,176 persons, and because OF the
Jack OF orderly discipline the boats
took on only 7O4 persons, twelve be-
ing rescued from the water.
Officers of the White Star Line
''battled with the truth" after re-
ceivIng information from their Mon
treaI office Monday morning follow
ign the accident.
Senator Smith condemned an
tiquated shipping laws and overripe
administrative boards" and asked
that all 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
gress recognize his valor.
when the crisis came state Of
absolute unpreparedness stupihed
both passengers and crew and, in
their despair, the ship went down
carrying as needless sacrifice of no.
Bile women and brave men as evel
clustered about the Judgment Seat
in any single moment Of passing
time. -
THE Titanic rushed onward OF
her true course-one recognized al
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 thu
track of ships-scores of these tow
erlng glaciers planted themselves il
the very pathway Of this ship AM
were SO large and SO numerous tina
in the absence of fog, they shoul'
have been easily discernible by tn
lookout, If, as he says in his testi
mony, he had been supplied will
glasses.
Captain Smith knew the sea an
his clear eye and steady hand ha'
often guided his ship through dan
gerous paths; for forty years storm