The Detroit times., 1912-05-28

render assistance 10 every pyerson,
even u such peryson be a subject ., a
who Is found at sea IN danger OF ocine
lost. and AZ he fails 10 DO 80, he shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor.
The senate passed; on the lsth gay
the same treaty which clearly indi-
Gates the disposition or the govern
ment OF England. and our own as Well,
IN matters OF this character, Contrast,
III you will, the conduct OF the captain
OF the carpathia In this emergency anu
Imagine what must be the consolation
OF that thoughtful and aympatheuc
mariner. who rescued the shipwreektI
and left the people OF the world MS
debtor as his ship sailed for distant
seas "A few days ago, BY his utter SELF
efracement and his own indifference 10
peril, by his promptness and MS
great service TO humanity. lie should
be made To realize the debt OF graft
tude this nation owes TO him, While
the book of good deeds. which had SO
often been familiar with his unaffected
valor should henceforth carry the
name OF Captain Rostron 10 the re-
hottest period OF time. With most
touching detail he promptly ordered
the ships officers TO their stations, dls-
tributed she doctors into positions OF
greatest usefulness. prepared comforts
for man and mother and babe; Win
foresight and tenderness he lifted them
when the rescue had been completed
summoned all OF the rescued together
and ordered the ships bell tolled TOT
the lost, and asked that prayers Oh
thankfulness be offered by those VINO
had been spared. IL falls TO the lot
of few men TO perform a service So an
selfish, and the American Congress can
honor itself no more by any single
act than by writing into It's laws the
gratitude We Eel toward this modest
and kindly man. TIE lessons OF thls
hour are, indeed, fruitless and its pre-
cepts ill-conceived IL rules OF action
do not follow hard upon the gay s oi
reckoning. Obsolete and antiquateo
shipping laws should 40 longer encum-
Der the parliamentary records OF any
govyernment, and overripe aumlnlstIa,
tive boards should be pruned OF deaa
branches and less sterile pFeSePts
taught and applied.
Recently we haye witnessed mark
ed concentration OF contr2i o. ocsan
transportation. Three companles-the
International Mercantile Marine %,
the Hamburg american Co, ana the
Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.--control
Goa ocean steamers with a gross TON
mage Of 3,6322SS tons. These compah-
les control more tonnage than the TO-
tai American tonnage OF all classes on
the Great Lakes-2.y43,b23 tons. ANY
one OF these companies controls ION
mage nine times as great as the over
sea steam tonnage OF the United states'
and twice as great as the total regis
tered steam tonnage OF the merchant
marine OF the United states.
Regulation OF steamship transporta-
ton is as necessary as regulation OF
railroad transportation. and less diff
cult TO obtain. Transportation by ran
is conducted through settled locaitles.
where many residents would quickly
discover and Immediately report any
or disregard OF safety
requirements, while by water IL Is con-
Quoted beyond the criticism or any eN-
cept the actual passengers on the snip.
making IL all the more necessary lot
definite regulations.
Lanes OF travel must be more care
fully defined, strength OF bow more
positive and watertight SUBDIVISION 10
| limit submergence, life-saVing equlP-
ment better and numerous enough Tor
all, discipline and practice rudimen-
tary eXaotlon, eye more keen and ear
alert TO catch the warning cry, as on
British battleships as well as on our
own powerful lights should be pro-
yided for merchant vessels TO search
out the partially submerged derelct.
buoys should be carried by every snip
to mark temporarily the place OF inc
ship's burial in case of accident; and
men OF strength and spirit there must
be won back 10 q calling already de-
moralized and decadent But ~ per
cent of the men before the mast In
our merchant marine are natives OF
naturalized Americans: even England.
that 20 years ago had barely i,VVV Ut
ientals on her merchant ships, now
carries over 10000 OF that alien race.
Americans must re-enlist in this ser
vice, they must become the soldiers or
the sea- and whether on lookout on
deck or at the wheel, whether abIe or
common seamen, they should De peter
paid for their labor and more mighty
hcnored in their calling: their rights
must be respected and their work care
fully performed; harsh and severe re-
straining statutesust be repeated
and new digni given this import
ant field OF laborS
In our Imagination we can see again
the proud ship instinct with life and
energy. with active figures again
swa rming upon It's decks. musicians.
teachers, artists, and authors; soldiers
brave men and noble women OF every
land We can see the unpretentious
and the lowly. progenitors OF the great
and strong. turning their back upon
the Old World, where endurance - 10
their no longer a virtue, and looking
hoDefully TO the new. At the very
moment OF their greatest JOY the snip
suddenly reels, mutilated and groan-
ing. With splendid courage the mu-
sicie ne MI the last moments with SYM
pathetic melody. The ship YEARLY
gives up the unequal battle. Only
vestiRe remains of the men and wo-
men that but moment oeIore quiSh-
ened her spacious apartments with hu-
man hopes and passions, SORROWS. ana
flows UTDon that broken hull new vows
were taken. new fealty expressed OLE
love renewed. and those VINO haH
been devoted ia friendship and com
panions in life went proudly ana ae-
hantly on the last life pilgrimage to-
pether In such heritage we must
feel ourselves more intimately related
to the sea than ever before. and hence
forth IL will send back TO US on It's rls-
ing tide the cheering salutations from