Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-22
TITANIC OFFICIAL BLAMED
Rev. Mclaughlin Says Disaster
Could Have Been Averted.
MINISTERS DISCUSS sHIPWRECK
some Say ID Was Visitation of Gods
Wrath and Others Lay the
Blame TO the FaIIIbiIIty
of Man.

4 blind desire for gain on the part OF
Managing Director Ismay Of the White
Star steamship lire was the cause OF
over I.s00 deaths, is the charge made
by Rev NJ. o. Mclaughlin in a sermon
delivered Sunday at Hartford Memorial
church. Criticisms sounded from nearly
every other pulpit in the city yesterday.
: few pastors said the wreck of the IL
tapic was a Judgment Of God. but others
took up the issue and laid 1t TO mans
.aIIibihty Rev Mr.. Mclaughlin said:
For all practical purposes time is now
no longer, and the seas will soon be no
more. Through modern inventions the
world has come to be great whispering
gallery and distance has almost disap-
peared.
No white Flag Raised.
Thousands have gone down in time OF
war. with eolors flying and bands play
ing, rather than to raise the white flag.
but here in the twentieth century, In
time OF peace. the greatest exhibition OF
ship building skill sinks with hundreds
Of great and noble citizens on board.
While the world admires the death cour-
age Of these brave men who gave their
lives for the women and children, the
world also mourns deeply for these coIr-
ageous men and feels that the awful
disaster could have been avoided.
1T is an easy matter to criticise. and
while | am the last person usually 10
venture criticism. / believe in this case
h1 - -
Managing Director Isrnay and other Off
GERS of the White star line led TO the
sacrifice Of these hundreds OF souls. !
do not believe. as some people are wont
to assume at such times, that this was
lesson or judgment sent from God.
God does not destroy.
Gods purpose toward mankind Is to
save and conserve. People In places Of
responsibility bring calamities upon them
selves and others, through their own
careiessness. God has given men the
compass, and barometer, and knowledge
OF the seas and the seasons. and men
themselves are to blame for collidlng with
ieebergs-in the spring of the year 1912.
No Good Ont Of This Disaster.
TWO kinds Of erroneous remarks have
been heard made by the selfish few In
comment OF this disaster. I have heard
some say that the death OF 50 many rich
men was good radiance. but the base,
ignorant fellows who make such remfrks
place themselves below the beasts Of the
field and the reptiles OF the dust. Some
others have said II was a mistake for |
men like Astor and Brandeis and Guggen-
helm and others TO give place TO women |
and children of steerage passage This |
error Is just as serious. Men Of great |
affairs like these men are just rs chiv-
alrous as any others under the sun az d \
10 deny them the privilege OF showing
their courage and valor and the true
manhood Inherent In their breasts would
b. TO do them a great wrong.
But referring again to the cause OF this
Captain Smith said when the /
set sail. the ship was unslnkA-
BILE This was the first great mistake
of him and his company. The best vcMel |
man can make Is but toy In the hands |
Of natures elements. The strongest steel |
skyscraper man can construct is but
paper before the winds OF the Prince
OF the powers Of the air. The heaviest |
steel rails are but willow wlsps In the |
hands Of natures floods. Therefore no
man-made security should encourage
those In charge OF any ship or train TO |
omls any possible precaution for the
safety Of those who entrust their ilyct
10 their care.
Manager Ismay and Vice President
Franklin were assuming that this vessel
was unsuitable and were urging the
captain to make the highest possible
speed. though they knew that they were
in the rigors OF icebergs. These great Ice
bergs formed as glaciers on frozen hill
sides Of the north. slide into the seas. and
many OF them are so large that they are
only dissolved by the equatorial waters.
AT this time Of the year the northern
seas are full OF them. Vessels that pre-
ceded the Titanic by few hours picked
their way carefully through this lane OF
ioebergs, and even wired the Titanic TO
beware. But the Titanic. assuming that
it was unsuitable. was blowing carelessly
through these ioebergs at twenty-five
knots an hour, with 80 Of Its crew asleep
in the hold OF the vessel.
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