The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-07
From Other Pens

THE RECENT OCEAN DIsAsrEp
Inc federa! authorities have very
properly decided to make a thorourh
investigation Of the disaster which oc-
eur tnared G;y early Friday morning last off
lives were lost through the founderine
or the Old Dominion line steamer
Monroe. The loss of life, as Well as
the necessity for ascertainine IL the
regulations reg were being neglected and
increased. make q full probe Of the
whole matter imperative. The can
tain OF the steamer Monroe has libeIed
the steamer Nantucket. the ship which
rammed and sank his vessel, on the
ground that the Nantucket was not
properly handled, that her Officers
dtsregarded the regulations as to navi-
CATION In a fog, and that the shin was
running through the thick mist at a
nigh rate OF speed. These are serious
pears to be substantiated by the fear
full blow delivered by the bow of the
Nantucket against the side of the ILL.,
fated Monroe. 1t is stated by several
witnesses that the Monroe was rum
ming through the fog at half speed or
less, stopping altogether whenever the
log whistles OF other nearby steamers
were heard. The Nantucket's siren
was plainly heard by the officers Of
the Monroe, and the latter vessel was
tically no headway on at the time of
the collision. Despite the fact that
the Monroe blew two whistles several
times warning the oncoming ship to
go to port and taking that precaution
nerself. 1t does not appear that any
steps were taken to change the Nam
tuckets course. That the blow deIiv-
cred by the steel bow Of the collidinR
vessel could only have been the result
OF a nigh rate Of speed is certain. as
doomed vyo A,p% T.
two. Owing to the great amount of
coastwtse passenger traffic and the
number OF large steamers that are
constantly following the same track.
It Is highly important that the travel
Ing public should have every assur-
ance that the vessels are in thoroughly
competent hands, that the rules OF
navigation are strictly observed, and
that passenger ships are not run full
speed in foggy and thick weather. The
desire to make time not infreQuently
Is responsible for q disregard Of the
law which provides that q ship navi-
eating in a fog should proceed eau
tiously. A rigid investigation Of the
collision will serve
as warning to navigators generally.
New Orleans Picayune.
CURE FOR UNRIGHrEoUsNEss.
I'VE are labOrtng under an obsession
that society will become perfect IL We
pass laws enough" says Clarence Darrow,
always effect more evils than the disease
itself. If the making of laws were left to
truly wise men. there would be very few
of them.'
So far as the original statement goes. as
to the obsession that society's perfection
lies in the passage Of laws It is apt to
stand unchalIenged And the trouble with
this obsession is that 1t rests on q wholly
false philosophy Believers in tho new
Of religion center ali their
doctrine in the f.llibility Of the law as q
Of the New Adam to do what the iaW'
being weak. could not do.
But for all. regardless of their religious
sects. or faiths, the ultimate
cure for social umighfoous-
ness is individual righteousness, anal NOT
Tue en- enactment Of civil statutes; And when
and stop playing to the EaI-s
eries on this subject. they admit that.
Society fs purified exactly in the proper
don in which the individual is purified.
ano the ln0iviauaI may 80 on in his i'm
purity ana continue his ostrich act OF frv
n, n, to hide his head under q mountain of
:1v1l laws as long ~ he p1eases Withomf
the moral tone OF society excSot
2 accordance with this principle.-OmsfS