Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-08-09
Robert NJ. MeWaee.
Bismarck Tribune Washington Bureau
Care Of Travellers.

eTS VI lbtc HLOuluc HOS oeSA SSNu
lousy provided for by every agency
of the federal government. Not
withstanding the alleged periods OF
sea travel despite the unforeseen hor-
rors OF the Titanic disaster, the
stream of travel from America across
the Atlantic and from the farther
shores to the United States has not
noticeably diminished. People these
days will travel, tragedies by land or
sea Notwithstanding. American
shores make magnet no calamity
can negative. Folks will keep on com.
ing here from alien lands, just as
they have done from the distant days
of Columbus discovery.
And, in turn the descendants OF
cur earliest settlers, will keep on
traveling across the seas, curious to
LOOK upon the land Of their ancestors.
The multiplication of ships, the i'm
provement in every imaginable way
OF facilities for ocean travel, added
comforts, hitherto unheard Of luxur-
les. speed of the craft more closely
linking socially and in business ways
the old world and the new-all these
things .,.,e augmented the growth
AMI wide Importance of ocean move
ment. both of passenger and COM
mercial trade.
An absorbing question to govern
ment officials as we'll as to national
legislators, is whether the govern
ment to which those passengers are
bound by birth, citizenship, or alleg-
lance of any other sort, Is inclined
to care for them or not in the risks
they take at sea.
1t is noteworthy that there has
been no dereliction upon the part Of
! the United States government in the
obvious duties that have devolved
on us since the catastrophe which
sunk more of the civilized world in
| grief and horror than anything else
of the kind that has occurred in
modern times.
What machinery of this govern
ment is available to promote safety
of the human lives and of property
in transit across the sailed seas has
been used theoretically, intelligently
and promptly. Supervising Inspect.
or.General George Uhler, of the U.
Is. Steamboat Inspection Service,
who has been unremitting in his de-
| voted attention to the problems in
volved in the American governments
share in responsibility for the safety
of ocean travellers, says about this
important matter:
''As soon as the Titanic disaster
occurred everything was done to pro-
vide life-saving equipment for every
BODY on board ship, including pas
sengers and crew. Although the Am
erican rules previous to this, pro
vided for the care of more than twice
as many people as were provided fol
by the rules of the British Board Of
Trade, still we did not relax efforts
to improve on the situation. The
basis of both American and British
rules, however, is the tonnage OF the
ships rather than the number of pas
sengers, the same basis being &C
knowledged by all the maritime ma
tons of the world, with the possible
exception of Norway, which country
since 1909, has provided for full boat
age on transatlantic ships.
with the event of the appalling
Titanic calamity, all nations have in
terested themselves actively ant
profitably for the safety OF lives anC
property crossing the seas, and none
more effectively than our govern
ment. Indeed, nothing has been LEFT
undone, conceived by ingenuity, ex
perience and painstaking thought, tc
ensure safety for ocean travel. Any
sincerely urged project to that end
that appeared on its fact to be feas
ible and practical has been promptly
tested. The steamship companies
realizing to the full their own re
sponsibilities, have not been remiss
in their attention and activity in tina
and other directions. know Of one
company that, even before our rules
went into effect, had already placed
orders for 2SO lifeboats, all of which
are being built just as fast as they
can be turned out by working day
and night, and also on Sundays.
1.-THE very earnesIness with which
our country has engaged in forward
ing solution of the greatest possible
promotion of safety for life and prop
erty in transit over the seas has tend
ed unquestionably to keep confidence
alive, and all reports indicate these
has been no material elimination in
such travel and business. The Am
erican people will travel, if they have
reasonable assurances of even ordin
airy care for their safety"
| In this connection it is interesting
to learn that almost fifty bills have
been introduced in both the Senate
and the House Of Representatives
since Senator William Alden Smith
of Michigan, began holding his ex
haustive and fact-compelling investi
cation of the Titanic disaster, all OF
which measures look to the safe
| guarding Of human lives at sea. Some
of these bills are meritorious, others
impractical or inadequate; but they
are all well-intended, relating in the
main to life-boat equipment, sufficien
crew service, fire fighting apparatus
ETC., but most Of them are crude. II
| is nevertheless believed that an in
telligent consenusu of view will be
reached before congress adjourns
tho{ will f3no11v oun1vo a g a 1,yt orxr a M