Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-23
The Lessons of the Titanic.

L
disaster in the history Of the world,
and probably unequalled by any other
tragedy of modern times in its appeal
to all the varied forces of the human
heart and mind, the Titanic disaster
and the subjects suggested thereby
J continue to hold first place in the con-
sideration Of the entire civilized world.
| A pretty full story of all the pathet-
ic details Is comprehended in the mar
ratives OF survivors published else
where in today's paper, and with the
investigations now in progress and to
be brought about, and the develop
ment Of additional facts, it will prob
ably be some time before the whole
matter begins to lose interest.
Primarily this disaster is due to that
great weakness in human nature
thirst for precedence. The public de-
mands the largest, finest and fastest,
and the steamship companies are try
ing to comply with that demand. The
White Star line had succeeded in pro-
ducing in the Titanic the largest and
finest steamship afloat, and was en-
gagged in trying to give the first pas
sengers the distinction that would go
with the ability to say that they were
aboard a boat that broke an ocean rec
ord. The shortest route across the
ocean from Southampton to New
York is the quickest and this was es-
teemed above the fact that 1t is also
the most dangerous.
A senatorial investigating committee
which commenced work in New. York
last Friday Immediately after the ar
4 rival of the Carpathia with the sur
vivors of the Titanic. and which has
since adjourned to Washington, is
probing deep into all the facts and cir
cumstances of the horrible tragedy
but as to whether it will develop any
thing that is not based on the propo-
sition outlined above, is rather doubt
| full.
J. Bruce Ismay, president of the
White Star line, has been subjected to
/
that if there is any responsibility 1t
must centre at last in the managing
head of the big company that built
and was operating the unfortunate
ship. Intense feeling has developed
against Mr.. Ismay, first because he
was saved, and second because of his
inability to undo what has been done.
This will hardly be the finding of the
investigating committee; but 1t seems
to be q pretty fair summary of all that
has so far come out.
There have been stories to the ef-
feet that Ismay was one of the first to
provide himself with place in boat,
and that he selfshly looked out for
himself regardless even Of the women
and children. Ismay himself testified
that partly undressed, he helped to
load several boats with women and
children, and then finally took place
in boat only when there were no 9TH
er women or children or even men pas
sengers waiting at the place where the
mony he gave along this line was with
evident reluctance. He did not seem
to be wanting to make a hero of him.
self, nor was he willing to confess cow
ardice. Against those who gave bad
color to Mr.. Ismay's conduct, other
witnesses who appear to be as re-
spectacle as any on board, corroborate
Mr.. Ismay's statement, and go on to
say that they know the truth of their
own knowledge. There was complaint
against Mr.. Ismay that on getting
aboard the Carpathia and being in
stalled in a comfortable stateroom, a
sign was put across the door request
ing, Please don't knock" This was
attributed by some to selfishness. 9th
ers say the poor man was so nearly
dead that he could have been of no
use to anybody.
There was much complaint i'm New
York Thursday that the Carpathia had
refused to answer wireless inquiries.
The Carpathias attitude was attribu-
ted to a desire to conceal facts, and
the thousands of distressed relatives
and friends of the Titanic passengers
were worked up to frenzy Of feeling
against men who could be so heart
the Carpathia came to shore it devel-
oped that there were only two wireless
operators aboard. One of them was
her own, a young man Of %, who had
picked up the Titanic's S o S of dis
tress on Sunday night until he fell
from exhaustion. The other was also
boy, the Titanic's second wireless
operator, who had been rescued with
both ankles broken and who notwith-
standing his terrible suffering reliev-
ed the Carpathia's operator at the key
and worked until he could work no
longer.
The Carpathia is a vessel of about
thirteen knots speed. That is some
thing near the average for ordinary
ocean steamships carrying both freight
and passengers. The senatorial inves-
tigating committee asked the captain
of the Carpathia if he did not think
the Titanic was taking tremendous
risk in going over the northern route
at this season of the year at
twenty-three knots an hour. The cap
tain of the Carpathia did not think
there was anything unusual in the mat
ter, as ordinarily the course is clear
Of ice. This, he said, was an eXcep-
| tiOnal season. 1t seemed to some of
the members of the committee that
the captain of the Carpathia was try
ing to shield the White Star officers.
When the testimony developed, how
ever that regardless of the terrible
jeopardy into which he knew he was
putting all her passengers and herself,
he forced the Carpathia's speed up to
16 knots an hour, and rushed to the
rescue through miles and miles of ice