The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-20
SENATOR RAYNER
SCORES |SMAY
Senator Wants Those Re-
sponsible for Titanic Wreck
Prosecuted.

Washington. April 19.-An indict-
ment, rarely equalled i'll its vigor, was
directed against J.. Bruce Ismay. man
aging director and other officials of
the White Star line. holding them re-
sponsible for the Titanic disaster. was
delivered in the senate today by Sena-
tor Rayner. of Maryland. who pic
tured lsmay as the officer primarily
responsible for the whole disaster.
who reached his destination in safety
and unharmed."
Raynor pointed out that while there
were no civil nor criminal remedies
available in the American courts.
brought in the British courts and that
the congressional committee would
have absolute authority to subpoena
everyone connected with the disaster
and that II anyone should refuse to
answer questions he could be indicted
and imprisoned for contempt.
"Ismay claims. according to reports.
he took the last life boat" cried Ray
ner. II do not believe it. and if he
did 1t was cowardly to take any life
boat for The managing director of the
line, with his board, is criminally re-
sponsible for this appalling tragedy.
IF this happened on an American
vessel, there would be no question that
an indictment would be found. and IL
WY AoGto "StS VIZ itSC
of the company could be convicted Of
granddaughter il not murder. because
the evidence is clear that the vessel
= was not properly equipped with eff
Gent ~life-saving apparatus.
II have not the slightest doubt the
northern route was taken in obedience
to Ismay's direct orders and that with
full warning he risked the life of his
entire ship to maxi a speedy passage.
Il care not what are the rules OF
English admiralty. Here You have
the spectacle Of the head of a line
failing to see his ship equipped prop
erly with l~ife-saving apparatus, and
needless of warnings, sailing in a dan
gerous sea. he forsaking his vessel and
permitting her passengers and crew to
be swallowed by the sea.
THE martyrdom n agonies of
separation that o place on board
the sinking ship are too fearful for
the mind to dwell upon n contem-
plate. but Isn1ay, the officer primarily
reached his destination In safety and
unframed.
No legislation al bring back to
earth a single life lost upon that fatal
night. What we can do is help fix the
responsibility. if possible. and rely APP
on British Justice to bring to bay the
guilty directorate of this company.
All ClNllIEeu ItdtIOuS Will dpliduu ii
criminal prosecution of the manage
ment of this line. If they can be
made to suffer, no sympathy will go
out for them. and if it does it will
he submerged in the overwhelming la
mentation that today re-cchoes
throughout the civilized world for the
victims Of their culpablc carelessness
and recklessness. that sent hundreds
of their fellow beings into eternity,
despoiling homes and firesides and
turning this land into a house of
mourning.
I'm this hour of our calamity we
appeal to the majesty of the law to
deal out retributory justice to this
| guilty company to the last degree"
Two more bills. framed on the les
son drawn from tho Titanic disaster.
were introduced in the house today.
One of them by Representative
O'Shaughnessy of Rhode Island. would
compel all ocean-going steamships to
or from the United States to carry a
constant and adequate wireless equip
lment. Representative Parran of Mary
| land, offered a measure to appropri-
ate a hundred thousand for naval tar
| get practice in destroying icebergs by
guns of warships and by dropping eX-
| plosives from airships.