The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-27
BY CHARLES JOHNSON POST
Copyright. 1928. by the New York Tele.
gram ComoanV)

BY CHARLES JOHNSON POST
Copyright, 1928. by the New York Tele-
gram Company
Well, the well has closed. A week
ago I started to try to develop the
real causes for the scandalous sink
ing of the Vestris. Every child on
board was drowned and only eight
women saved.
I stated then that the true and
fundamental cause of the disaster
was in the sinking of the Vestris
itself, and that the fouling of life
boat gear, the leaky lifeboatS, and
all the rest of this utter d2snorali-
zation of life-saving equipment was
entirely secondary
And, in most dramatic form, all
this was confirmed by the testi-
mony of the chief officer of the
Vestris himself, Frank w. johnson.
He was asked: I'm your opinion,
was the sea at any time such as to
endanger well-found vessel of the
size Of your vessel?"
And he replied moi"
Whole Case in Nutshell
This was the question asked by
Captain E. P. Jessop, United States
navy, retired. 1t is the whole case
in a nutshell
You are going to hear lot about
'SenSationalism" and sensational"
newSpapers-but I ask you Is Cap
tain JeSsop, United States navy, a
sensationalist? Was the chief Of
flcer of the Vestris looking for
newspaper sensation?
'@hy, every sea-faring man
knows that Johnson's job-like one
of every other seaman-iS depend
ent upon ship owners and the 10y
atty with which he can make a good
impression upon them. That is
what makes for all these shuf1ings
and lodgings.
Do not forget this crucial ques-
ton put by Captain Jessop and
its answer when the red her
rings are being dragged across the
trail and you are urged to remem-
Der human frailities or lifeboats
that are naturally" expected to
leak-which YVES what another YES
iris officer swore to.
Shock to Ship Owners
What the United States is doing
with regard to the Vestris is along
lines that are causing the indig-
nant flush of holy anger-and
maybe a little fear-to rise to the
surface of ship owners.
For one thing we are hoping, as
a tribute to the memory of the
drowned children and women of
the Vestris-the only tribute that
is really worthwhile-to find the
fundamental cause Of this out
rageouS disaster, instead of fritz
tering away some trivial energies
on the helpless officers and crew.
But this is not according to GUS
tom; it is not according to those
traditions of the sea" that have
been made by ship owners and up
held by them in the interest of
their own pocketbooks.
It is time that a certain con-
scienceless breed of ship owner be
dragged out to stand forth in the
true light of his own parsimonies.
There are fine ship owners-let
them come forward and help in
this delousing of the sea.
What is the matter with the
Lamport g. Holt line presenting
United States District Attorney
Tuttle with some of these facts
and reliable information, instead
of shuffling and evasive officers
and a quibbling marine superin-
tendent?
Seek to Save Offers
Why this contemptuous sheer of
federal investigation of the United
States?
Or of the United States steamboat
inspection service?
Well, maybe I can suggest an
answer.
1t is because the United States
officials are breaking the traditions
of the sea that would pile the blame
on the officers and crew who have
to work sinkable ships, that these
crews have to take out or lose the
only job they know.
The Senationalism of the press is
because newspaper readers and the
American public are refusing to &C
cept those traditions of the sea
which send women and children
and husbands and fathers to their
drowning Gas on the Vestris), to
preserve the pockets of that type of