Evening star., 1928-12-18

Although American and British in
quiries have disclosed much informa-
ton about the sinking of the steamship
Vestris, the press of this country feels
that only a beginning has been made
toward fully appreciating the lessons
which should be learned from this
appalling tragedy
"Do something about it," urges the
Albany Evening News, observing that
Capt. Jessop, American adviser in the
New York investigation, recommends
that owners be compelled to provide
full data on stability for every ship"
The News insists that public interest
must not lag. There must be insistence
on every precaution to safeguard lives
of ship passengers"
Quoting Capt. JeSSop'S assertion that
"it is incomprehenSible that so much
incompetence could be loaded into one
boat" the Milwaukee Journal calls it
las Scathing a criticism of British sea-
manShip as has been made since Britain
went down to the sea-" The Journal
also refers to the inquiry ordered by
the Department of Commerce, and adds,
1T would seem that the record of the
department should be thoroughly in
spected' itself in congressional inquiry
to learn how much incompetence has
been loaded into the inspection bu-
reau."
1.-THE British government the Ameri-
can Government, the owners of the
Vestris and the people must feel that
additional search for the utmost OBJ
tainable light upon a difficult but vitality
important case should be renewed at
once" in the opinion of the Hartford
Times, and the Little Rock Arkansas
Democrat concludes that what is
needed now is complete review of the
testimony by neutral observers" The
Arkansas paper also says OF the case:
"The testimony showed that some per-
son or persons were guilty of the gross
est of negligence. 1t showed that the
liner was helpless hulk within COM
paratively short time after it struck
the storm area. 1t showed that what
ever inspection it may have undergone
was pitifully inadequate. 1t showed
that the ship was poorly officered and
its crew unframed"
The official report confirms the ver-
dict of public opinion and adds specific
conclusions of appalling import" AYERS
the Binghamton Press, which recon-
mendS that ''the United States Govern
ment and the other governments OF the
maritime nations of the world ought
now to be interested in finding out how
much competence is loaded into. other
ships of the seven seas"
"UnqueStionably new recommended
tions for the safeguarding of life at sea
will follow this disaster" in the opinion
of the Roanoke World-News THE in
vestigations so far held do not explain
why the steamboat inspection service
of the United States Department of
Commerce approved this ship and al
lowed it to sail from New York in un-
seaworthy condition" That paper holds
that the blame falls jointly upon the
two nations.
X X X X
A phase which is emphasized by the
Buffalo Evening News is that'"on some
important points 1T appears that the
VeStris was not subject to either Ameri-
can or British inspection" and the News
sees "the need for revision of the laws
relating to inspection
The call for greater radio protection
of world shipping is made In several
comments The nearnesS of an Amerl-
can freighter, the Montoso, to the sink
ing ship is mentioned by the Mime
apoliS Tribune, with the statement that
the passing craft might have lent in
valuable assistance to the Vestris had
the Montoso carried wireless equipment,
as it would have been compelled to do
under British laws" The Tribune con-
tinues "The question is not one of
American responsibility; it Is merely a
question whether the British provision
is not more sensible and more conducive
to marine efficiency than the American
provision
THE parliamentary body of every ma
tion." in the Judgment of the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, should enact such law,
tional. wireless cannot do everything,