Pride of French fleet becomes hulk in Casablanca after bombs dropped by U.S. fliers in the occupation of French North Africa laid the ship wide open. This is the first picture of the wreck of the 35,000-ton battleship Jean Bart. Fire reduced her to this charred hulk after the bombs completely disabled the vessel at a wharf in the Moroccan port.
Franklin sergeant stays at post ‘in case the Japs come at us again;’ 6 others escape
By George Weller
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Old Senator dreams of his triumphs and sculptor Jo Davidson brings it to life in bust
By Thomas L. Stokes, Scripps-Howard staff writer
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Every great fire or similar tragedy has been followed by a wave of official inspections. So with the awful Boston fire.
Cynical people are inclined to talk about “locking the door after the horse is stolen.” Perhaps so. Such belated investigations cannot save lives already lost. But we are certain they save lives which might be lost in future potential tragedies.
Naturally, Boston authorities are busily investigating circumstances of the nightclub fire which cost approximately 500 lives. The facts thus far deduced are damning. Here was a club with nearly a thousand patrons – and only two main entrances, both of them through revolving doors. There was a third small door from a cocktail lounge and a small service exit.
Of the two revolving doors – one was fastened but was supposed to releaser through a “panic clutch” intended to work if enough pressure were applied. Apparently, the force applied by one of the most hysterical pressures in history wasn’t enough to release it.
Pittsburgh City Council yesterday ordered the Departments of Safety and Public Health to inspect all nightclubs in this city.
Some folks will say this was a grandstand play.
Which is silly.
All of us, unfortunately, are hindsighted. We act on the basis of facts we should have appreciated previously.
How often – we ask – have the readers of this paper scanned some story about an auto accident, about the little girl who played with matches, or the baby who pulled the scalding water off the kitchen stove? How often have we read about the family with the unsafe gas heater or the one that left an unmarked poison bottle on the bathroom shelf?
Or the little girl who ran across the street without looking?
Okay, we’re all guilty. None of us locks the barn door till the horse escapes.
Pittsburgh City Council yesterday ordered inspection of all nightclubs.
Boston’s officials ordered an ordinance against the use of decorations that might easily burn.
Aftersight – yes. But foresight against other tragedies that might come.
Every nightclub, every place where sporting events are held, every place of public meeting should be inspected. If the exists – as was the case in the Boston tragedy – are not adequate, make the owners conform to safe practices. If they won’t conform, make them quit business.
We believe there are a number of places in Pittsburgh which are potential deathtraps.
Sure, this may be afterthought, but it might be forethought as regards future tragedies.
Assembly line system of building merchant vessels wins praise from our allied astonishes old-time builders who said it couldn’t be done
By Charles T. Lucey, Scripps-Howard staff writer
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Prominent athletic heads take common sense view on programs for wartime
By Paul Scheffels, United Press staff writer
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Communications Commission reminded of efforts to curtail calls
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Hang on a min… Wasnt Yamamoto the heaviest battleship ever made?
The news is referring to the heaviest in the U.S.