The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-06-01
ON TITANIC D|sAs7E

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Senate Investigating Committee Hold
Captain Smith Responsible TO
Loss of Vessel-commander o
Californian Scored for Disre
gardina Distress signaIs-Wire
less Operators Praised.
Blame for the Titanic disaster is
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 Cali
fornian, through his disregard of dis
tress signals This is the finding
of the senate committee which in.
vestigated the sinking of the Titanic
as presented in a comprehensive
speech delivered by William Alden
Smith, of Michigan, chairman Of the
committee.
Senator Smith declared that respon
sibility also rests upon the British
Board Of Trade, TO whose laxity
of regulation and hasty inspection
the world is largely Indebted for
the awful fatality" In denouncing
Captain Lord of the Californian, the
senator said the Titanics distress
signals were plainly seen from the
deck of his vessel, short distance
| away
America will leave to England the
| [ai,a ar,+1 ae
ed the senator, and he quoted Brit
ish law to show that Captain Lord
might be prosecuted fog a mis-
| demeanor.
Some Of the Conclusions.
Other conclusions presented, in
brief, were as follows:
Before the Titanic departed on her
maiden voyage there were no suf-
flcient tests Of boilers, bulkheads.
equipment or signal devices.
| OiEIlers and crew were strangers
to each oel2e r and not familiar with
the ships inp.,sments or tools, and
10 drill o. station practice took place
and no helpful discipline prevailed
The speed Of the Titanic Was 241a
miles an hour at the time of the &c
cident, although officers Of the I'll
tanic had been advised of the pres
ence of icebergs by the steamships
Baltic, Amerika and Californian.
Passengers were not advised of dan
ser, although President Isnay of the
White Star Line, who was taking the
vessels s maiden voyage. was Informed,
No general alarm was given nor any
9Tga alal1ea slRssstsaIla llad ers
taken. sss 2sg sssss
OF the 1924 passengers and 899
members OF crew on board, there was
room in lifeboats for only 117e per-
sons, and because OF lack of orderly
discipline the boats took off only 7O4
persons, 9 being rescued from the
water.
Officers of the White Star Line
''battled with the truth" after receiv-
ing information from their Montreal
office Monday morning following the
accident.
Plea for Shipping Reforms.
Senator Smith condemned stanti-
quated shipping laws and overripe ad-
ministrative boards" and asked that
all nations act together in shipping
reforms. New laws" he said. "will
best testify our affection for the
dead"
Captain Rostron, of the rescue shin
Carpathia, was praised by Senator
Smith, and he urged that congress
recognize his valor
Tributes to the valor of PhilIiDs
and Bride, the wireless operators on
the Titanic, We're raid by Senator
Smith. He said that the final exit Of
The Phillips boy was mot so swift
as to prevent him from pausing long
enough to pass a cup of water to
fainting woman The senator showed
that had rot the underpaid wireless
operator OF the Carpathia prepared
for bed with the receiver still on his
head the Titanic's distress signals
never would have been received by
the rescue ship.
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.
Senator Smith recommended that
lanes of travel should be more care
fully defined, strength of ships bows
| increased, life-saving equipment bet
tered, and discipline and practice
| made an eSaction. He said that buoys
should be carried to mark temporar-
| ily the place Of the ships burial in
| case of accident; and men Of
strength ind spirit must be won
| back to q calling already demor-
allied and decadent.
The Committees Report.
Just before delivering his speech,
Senator Smith, chairman of the sub
| committee which Investigated the
| wreck, submitted the committees re
port and its conclusions. The report
| is largely a review Of the evidence
| and contains recommendations for
legislation. No particular person is
| named as being responsible, though
attention is called to the fact that on
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