Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-29

The custom by American capital
and American oficialism Of gambling
on human life where dollars are to be
made by the chances, seems to be as
deplorable today as in other days
when "investigations'' promised re-
forms. We tolerate unheeded re-
sponsibility and. after disaster, make
inquiry. 1t is our easy way of letting
things 60. Investors and officials
entrusted with our safety take num-
berless risks for the profit. and when
the inevitable comes they point to
custom. Here Is a sample:
At Chicago, Tuesday night, Score
tAry Of Commerce Redfield was
quoted as saying that government
supervision had not been lax and that
the Eastland had safely carried many
more passengers than were aboard
when she rolled over. In other words.
there had to be first time for her
to roll over and drown her human
cargo. Never mind If she had been
overloaded when she performed the
fatal trick, she had been more heavily
overloaded many times before and
her owners and the inspectors "got
away with it"-and the profits. They
took the chances on a boat known to
be cranky" and dangerous, and If
she had returned from her trip that
last day she would have gone again.
Now we shall investigate from
many angles-at least eight "investi-
cations" are under way-and we shall
learn that somewhere from 1000 to
1900 people. who had entrusted their
lives to the word of government in
spectors. were drowned, and perhaps
we shall be able to pick out a few
guilty on whom to vent our wrath.
But that will not sweep the grief
from the hearts of thousands.
The Chicago Tribune says:
The greatest man-made disaster in the
history of the country has happened in
the Chicago river. The Eastland surren-
dered to weaknesses Of construction and
rolled over on its side without the shock
OF any external cause.
II the boat had been rammed and sunk,
II It had caught fire, If it had been m
rough weather, we might comprehend
the possibility of disaster, but even now,
with the fact revealed, the possibility of
1t seems incomprehensible
boat licensed to carry passengers and
subject to regulation. filled with people
TO whom lake trip presented no possi-
BILE prospect of danger, virtually lying
at its dock in the smoothest weather.
the Eastland lying on the bed of the
river or any one who. being spared thai
sight, sees photographs of surviving pas
sengers on the side of the overturned
boat Will say that, despite the fact, the
thing was impossible.
me cause or causes may be plausbly
:; set forth, but they cannot explain how
IT might be possible that a licensed and
dock We are simply forced to inquire
what sort of people we may be that
things however impossible happen.
'arele2sness before the fact and investi-
alton afterwards, there will be inquiry
20 te lax before ANA active afterwards
Is INC nabit Ct \oiicialism. When the
:pe,i.c inquiry has been concluded and
y men i has been found that human
trusfulness was betrayed by inexcusable
human error. then another investigation
OAkil " DE III OrQer.
1. ought to he general and it ought To
touch the conditions of life which give
Us the certain prospect of great disasters
wholly man-made. wholly avodable,
wholly inexcusable.
Newspaper workers develop a sense of
futurity. and one of the calculations in
American life is for great disasters at
certain cert Iron more or less definite periods
followed by the burning Of the Cen Slo-
cum. wholly avoidable land that by the
sinking Of the Eastland. wholly avoid
able.
nave now the greatest man-made catas-
trophe. What next and why? In the
American scheme of things there Is q
iaxness Of law application which nullihss
the best work OF men who seek by the
writing Of words in statutes to protect
the people Of the nation.
we fail because we are tolerant. We
submit to the evasion of law or to the
tneumciency of law because we have an
optimism that even a succession of trag-
edies cannot break down.
The good nature and amiability of the
American people is imposed upon by off,
Gals placed In responsibility towards
them. II results in murder, as it did on
the Eastland. Why are disasters a GER
ton? Because officialism cannot be kept
Its duty. -
This city is suffering the shock of the
RAENb0oA 0ISdSNcI kIlS Country ever kn4W.
It has more homes OF mourning than
were in black after its great theater Are.
and its mood, as it RECEIVERS. ought to be
one Of resolve that what can be done to
resulting in the murder Of citizens viii
be done.
The New York Globe says:
The entire nation suffers with the peo-
pie OF Chicago in the disaster which is
nothing short OF national calamity. AS
usual. after official neg1ect and general
1ncompetency, We are comforted BY the
statement that there will be an "investi-
cation" Little relief such an announce.
fient can bring to the grief-stricken
thousands in Chicago. DO government
authorities exist only to make solemn
announcements concerning such events
Is this after they have happened?
The time to have made an inyestiga-
ton Of the Eastland was when the per
init was granted to her. It was known
that the vessel was unseaworthy. that
Der record was bad and her construction
faulty, and yet somebody who has bean
placed in position Of public trust fo
protect the people against Just such
things permitted 1900 people to be hertled
like apin1ala into this death trap
IT ID said that Victor Orlander repre-
sentinE the Lake Seainen's Union, had
repeatedly warned the inspection servic3
against such q catastrophe. But what
Glance has one who represents only the
HIVES OF employees and the public aEainet
Official incompetency md that greed for
profits which seeks minimize govern