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ENGLAND'S INDIGNATION AND GRIEF OVER TH E " TITANIC "

TE C O N S T E R N A T I O N a n d m o u r n i n g w h i c h r ei g n

t h r o u g h o u t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o v e r t h e c r u s h i n g d i s a s t e ro n t h e b a n k s o f N e w f o u n d l a n d h a v e f o u n d a s y m p a t h e t i c

r e s p o n s e i n t h e m o t h e r c o u n t r y. S u c h a c a t a s t r o p h e , a s

D i s r a e l i s a i d o f t h e a s s a s s i n a t i o n o f P r e s i d e n t L i n c o l n , " t o u c h e st h e h e a r t o f n a t i o n s a n d a p p e a l s t o t h e d om e s t i c s e n t i m e n t s of m a n k i n d . " A m o n gthose who pe r i shed in the i ce we re peop leo f c o s m o p o l i t a n c h a r a c t e r a n d r e p u t a t i o n .T h e i r l o s s , a s t h e L o n d o n p a p e r s r e m i n d u s ,is a loss to c ivi l ized society. The EveningStandard and St. James's Gazette b l a m e sr e c k l e s s g a m b l i n g o n b o a r d t h e g r e a t l i n e r sas infe ct in g off icers as wel l as passe nge rs ,a n d i n d u c i n g c a r e l e ss n e s s w h i c h s p r e a d sf r o m t h e s a l o o n t o t h e c h a r t - r o o m , a n d w er e a d :

" R e f o r m e r s h a v e d e c l a r e d t h a t g a m b l i n gaboa rd the b ig l i ne r s i s r e spons ib l e fo r much

r e c k l e s s n e s s . T h e t r a v e l i n g w o r l d h a s f a ll e nin t o the de lus ion th a t eve ry b ig sh ip i s al i f e -boa t herself. T h e o r e t i c a l l y t h e Titanicm a y h a v e b e e n u n s i n k a b l e . P r a c t i c a l l y s h ew a s n o t . T h e B o a r d of Tr a d e h a s h a d a r u d ea w a k e n i n g f r o m i t s d r e a m o f s e c u r i t y. "

J o s e p h C o n r a d , t h e v e t e r a n a u t h o r a n dm a s t e r i n t h e m e r c h a n t s e r v ic e , w r i t i n g i nThe Budget ( L o n d o n ) , sa y s t h a t t o o m u c his sacr i f iced in l in ers t o speed an d s ize , an dr e c o m m e n d s t h e u s e o f s m a l l e r v e s s el s t r a ve l ing in pa i r s . To quo te h i s wo rds :

these da ys in the

T h eIt is

" T h e impa c t o f a l i ne r o f 45 ,000 tons inc o n t a c t w i t h a s u b m e rg e d i c e b e rg is b o u n dto p ro ve f a t a l . Th i s wou ld be l e s s l i ke lyif the vesse l we re only of 20,00 0 tons disp l a cem en t . Sa fe ty i s s ac r i i i ced to speedb u i l d i n g o f m a m m o t h s h i p s .

" I t i s a que s t io n o f s i ze , no t of t he num be r o f l i f e -boa t st r o u b l e i s t h e r e w e r e t o o m a n y p e o p l e a b o a r d t h e s h i p ,a b s u r d t o s a y t h a t a s h i p s u c ha s t h e Titanic i s u n s i n k a b l e .S u c h l a rg e b o a t s n e c e s s a r i l y e nda nge r the l i ves o f more passenge r s i n p ropor t ion to sm a l l e rvesse l s . Th e l a rge bo a t s a r e ab let o h o l d m o r e ' p a s s e n g e r s a n d c r e wi n p r o p o r t i o n t o t h e s m a l l e r.

" A s t o t h e s o l u t i o n : I t h i n kt h e i n c r e a s e i n o c e a n t r a v e l a n dt h e e n o r m o u s n u m b e r of p e r s o n sw h o c r o s s t h e o c e a n e v e r y y e a rw a r r a n t s t h e sc h e m e of d i s p a t c hi n g t r a n s a t l a n t i c l i n e r s a c r o s s t h e

o c e a n i n p a i r s . I n s t e a d o f s e n ding on e bo a t o f 40 ,000 tons , s endtw o bo a t s o f 20 ,000 tons each .L e t t h e m c o n s t a n t l y b e w i t h ine a s y c a l l o f e a c h o t h e r — s a y,a b o u t f o r t y m i l e s a p a r t . T h u st h e y c o u l d k e e p i n c o n s t a n tt o u c h b y w i r e l e s s , a n d s h o u l da n y t h i n g o f a p e r i l o u s n a t u r ea r i se , t h i s wo u ld be an ines t im a b l e a d v a n t a g e .

" T h e b i g s h i p i s a m i s t a k e e xc e p t f ro m a c o m m e r c i a l v i e wpo in t . I ha ve sa i l ed in sh ips fo ry e a r s a n d k n o w w h a t s t r a i n a n dr e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s t h r o w n o n t h e

C o p y r i g h t e d by U n d e r w o o d & U n d e r w o o d .

L O R D M E R S E Y ,

Who will conduct the British inquiryinto the Titanic disaster.

c o m m a n d e r o f a n A t l a n t i c l i n e r. C a p t a i n F l a h e r t y, of t h e R e dS ta r L ine , t o ld m e once tha t , i n t h e dea d o f n igh t , wh i l e hes tood on the b r idge o f h i s sh ip , he s igh ted a ba rk in c lose p roximi ty to h i s ves se l . H e r eve r sed eng ines , bu t was una b le toa v e r t d i sa s t e r. T h e s h i p c r a s h e d i n t o t h e b a r k , w h i c h c r u m b l e d

l i k e m a t c h w o o d . T h e c a p t a i n t o l d m e t h a t t h i s e x p e r i e n c e s oha r row ed h i s m ind (he ha d 1 ,100 s l eep ingp a s s e n g e r s o n b o a r d ) , t h a t w h e n h e a r r i v e di n p o r t , w h i c h h a p p e n e d t o b e N e w Yo r k ,he r e s igned h i s pos t .

" T he l i ves o f t r ave le r s , ac ross th e oceana re ce r t a in ly end ang e red a t t h i s t im e o fyea r by s t ee r ing a cour se so nea r d r i f t i ngicebe rgs .

" B u t i n t h e Titanic's case i t occu r s t ome th a t had she bee n i i f t een f ee t sho r t e rs h e m i g h t h a v e c l e a r e d t h e b e rg . "

The Pall Mall Gazette ( L o n d o n ) u rg e s o nt h e a u t h o r i t i e s t h e n e c e s s i t y f o r a s e a r c h i n ginqu i ry in to th e causes o f t he wrec k , an do b s e r v e s i n d i g n a n t l y :

" W e h a v e a d u t y t o t h e l i v i n g t o p e rfo rm. Th e pub l i c has bee n l i v ing in a foo l ' sp a r a d i s e . W h a t a g h a s t l y m o c k e r y t h ep h r a s e ' p r a c t i c a l l y u n s i n k a b l e ' h a s b e c o m e !We a r e u n a b l e t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e a r g u m e n tth a t i t i s necessa ry to p ro v id e fo r pa r t o ft h e h u m a n f r e i g h t a n d u n n e c e s s a r y t o p r ov ide fo r t he r e s t . I t i s a c l inch ing p roofo f t he Board o f Trade ' s un f i tnes s to supe rvise affairs of the sea.

" I t i s t h e n a k e d t r u t h t h a t t h e g r e a t m ajo r i t y of ou r hug e l i ne r s , r en de r ed ca re l e s sb y i m m u n i t y f r o m a c c i d e n t , d r i v e a c r o s st h e o c e a n w i t h a m e r e h a n d f u l o f m e n w h od e s e r v e t h e n a m e o f s a i lo r. M r. I s m a y h a sd e c l a r e d t h a t h is c o m p a n y w e l c o m e s a ni n q u i r y.

" H e w i l l b e t a k e n a t h i s w o r d . T h e r ea r e s e a r c h i n g q u e s t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e d e s i g n

of the sh ip . W as the scan t l ing su ffi c i en tly s t rong? W as th es y s t e m of w a t e r - t i g h t c o m p a r t m e n t s a d o p t e d o n t h e b e s te x p e r t a d v i c e o r d i d o t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n s o v e r r u l e t h ecounse l o f expe r t s ? The se a re q ues t io ns wh ich mu s t b e

a n s w e r e d . "

LUXURIES, OF MODE RN TRAVEL

But not enough life-boats. •Montreal Herald.

I t was c r im ina l neg lec t , s ayst h e L o n d o n Daily Mirror, t h a tsen t t h e he lp l e s s pas sen ge r s t ot h e b o t t o m , a n d i t p r o c e e d s :

" Tw e n t y - s i x s u r v i v o r s , t o f o r es t a l l a l l s ensa t iona l and exagg e r a t e d s t a t e m e n t s , m a d e t h i ss t a t e m e n t — n o t e x a g g e r a t e d , b u tye t su re ly a s we l l qua l i f i ed tom a k e t h e b l o o d r u n c o l d a s a n yi n v e n t i o n o f t h e s e n s a t i o n -m o n g e r — ' T h e r e w e r e n o t e n o u g hboa t s t o save the peop le onb o a r d . ' ;

" T h a t fo r t h e m o m e n t ise n o u g h . D e t a i l s a f t e r t h a t d on o t m a t t e r. T h e f a c t c o m e sf rom those wh o kno w. Th i s i sno f a l se rum or, no l i e . W e ha veto f ace i t . S lowly, w i th in f in i t er e p r o a c h , t h e w h o l e w o r l d t u r n st o w a r d t h o s e r e s p o n s i b l e a n da s k s t h e m w h y.

" T h e r e is n o t o n e of v u l g a rr e c r i m i n a t i o n , n o c a l l i n g o f n a m e sand b r ing ing up o f u se l e s s b i t t e rn e s s . In th i s ges tu re i t i s s imp ly

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92 6 T H E L I T E R A B Y D I G E S T May 4, 1912

the sorrowful turning of all those who sympathize toward thosewho might hav e know n. The re is absolutely no answer to give.

" N o d o u b t t h e Titanic was wonderfully made. The re wereliving roses on board and wonderful rooms and racket courtsand conce rt-rooms and ballrooms. And there were more boatsto take people off , remember, than the Board of Trade required.With tha t we have to be contented , bowing our heads ."

T h e L o n d o n Standard eulogizes the wonderful fortitude of theship's musicians, observing:

"W e are usua l ly an undem onst ra t ive people , bu t the inc identof the str ing band of the Titanic, i ts members gathered togetherto p lay the hymn , 'N earer, M y God, to Thee , ' as the grea t sh ipsettled for her last plun ge, left men speechless with pity . It isa great incident of history, worthy to rank with the last paradeon the Birkenhead."

"The p i ty and pa thos of i t i s a lmost more than any humanhear t can bear, " says the LondonDaily Telegraph. B u t Th eMorning Post (London) believes that in the gallant behavior ofall on board "the two nations have thus some comfort in theirsor row." The London organs genera l ly defend Ismay "a sbeing unjustly made a scapegoat for the disaster" in this count ry. Whi le The Chronicle asks that a str ict inquiry be made intothe circulation of false news with regard to the safety of thegrea t sh ip , "nev er ag a in ," says th is paper, "m ust there be suchan orgy of falsehood as raged in America on this occasion."

GERMAN VIEW OF "THE NEXT WAR"

AV E R Y I N F L U E N T I A L m i l it a ry w r i t e r o f G e r m a n y

declares that Germany must win her place as a world- power throu gh warfare. This is General Bernh ardi,

who in his new volume on" Deutschland und der Naechste Krieg"("Germany and the Next War") prac t ica l ly throws down thegaunt le t to Europe , and to England in par t icu lar. Never hasthe policy of Berlin been proclaimed so clearly and so fearlessly.The General 's book gives a candid expression of the view thathis country must f ight i ts way to predominance regardless ofthe rights and interests of other people. This accepted au thorityon current strategical and tactical problems describes the peacemov eme nt as simply "pois ono us." In one chap ter he discusses

T H E P B O G K E S S O r P E A C E .

ENGLAND AND GERMANY ABB GETTINGTO G E T H E B .

—Fischietto (Turin).

-Pasquino (Turin).

t 'Th e Right to Mak e Wa r." A chapter fo llows on "T he Du tyto Make Wa r." The peace propaga nda of fore ign Powers hedenoun ces as sheer hypoc risy. He even advocates aggression

and invasion. "T he du ty of self-assert ion," we read, "is byno means exhausted by the mere repell ing of hosti le at tacks.It includes the need of securing to the whole people which theState represents the possibility of existence anddevelopment ," which heinterprets as mean ing" the r ight of conques t . ""M igh t is r igh t , " he

thinks, and this canbe decided only by war."W ars which were del ibera te ly under takenwith statesm anlike intent were always productive of the happiestresu lts ," he believes.A count ry may in i t ia tea w ar for its own"highest purposes," inwhich case i t ma y employ mean s which are unjustif iable in anindividual. On this point we rea d:

"It has, however, to be considered that the relations betweentwo States must often be regarded as a supprest state of war

which for the mom ent is being carried on only in peaceful comp etition . Such a state of thing s justifies the use of peaceful mea ns—cunning and deception—just as war i tself does, because in sucha case both parties are prepared for the use of such means.On the whole I believe that a conflict between personal andpolit ical moraUty can be avoided by clever and prudent diplomatic be havior, if one is perfectly clear abou t the goal which onedesires to reach and always remembers that the means whichone employs must ult imately correspond with the moralcharacter of this goal."

Coming down to the specific enemies that Germany must'be prepared to a t tack , the Genera l remarks :

"W e mu st always keep in view the possibil i ty of war w ithEngla nd, and tak e our poli t ical and mili tary measu res accordinglywithout regard for any peace manifestations of poli t icians,publicists , and Utopians

"In one way or another we have got to se t t le wi th France ,if we desire to obta in elbow-room for our world policy. Th at isthe first and most unconditional requirement of a healthyGerman policy, and, as French hosti l i ty can not be disposed ofonce and for all by peaceful means, i t must be done by forceof arms . Fran ce must be so comp letely overthro wn tha t shecan never again get in our way."

This writer proceeds to discuss in the clearest and mostmat te r-of - fac t way " the coming naval war wi th England."He states his position as follows:

"The conception of our naval duty points directly to thefact that i t is the English Navy which must give the measureof the extent of our armam ents for nav al war. Wa r withE n g l a n d is probab ly the w ar which we shall f irst hav e to fight out.The possibil i ty of victoriously repell ing an English attack musttherefore guide our war preparations, and, if the English continue to increase their Navy, we can not avoid following themeven beyond the l imits of our exist ing Navy Law."

Lord Esher, who is considered in England one of the highestauthorit ies on mili tary m atters , speaks in ' the Lo ndon Timeswith something l ike horror of the German general 's gospel ofblood and iron, saying:

"It is hardly conceivable that after 2,000 years of Christ ianteaching, and in the midst of a people from whom have sprungsome of the loftiest thinkers and some of the greatest scientificbenefactors of the human race, such opinions should findexpression. Th ey eman ate, too, from a soldier hithe rto held inthe highest respect by all who have studied war as an odiouspossibility, and not as an end desirable initself. No one couldhave supposed that such ideas so crude and juvenile could havesurvived the awakening processes of recent t imes."