Титаник

           Therewereheroesamongbothgroupsandcowardsamongbothgroups,astheremustbeamonganylargenumberofmen.Itisthecollectivebehaviourandthegeneralattitudetowardsdisasterthatisimportantatsuchatime;andinthisrespectthereisampleevidencethatdeathscorednoadvantageintheencounter,andthat,thoughhetookaspoilofbodiesthathadbeendestinedforhimsincethemomentoftheirbirth,helefttheheartsunconquered.Inthatlasthalf-hourbeforetheend,wheneveryoneontheshipwasundersentenceofdeath,moderncivilizationwentthroughaseveretest.Bytheirbearinginthatmomentthosefatedmenandwomenhadtodeterminewhether,throughthelongyearsofpeaceandincreaseofmaterialcomfortandwithdrawalfromcontactwiththecruderelementsoflife,theirracehaddeterioratedincourageandmorale.Itisonlybysuchgreatteststhatwecandeterminehowwestandinthesematters,and,astheyperiodicallyrecur,measureouradvanceordecline.Andthehumanmaterialtheremadethetestaverysevereone;fortherewerepeopleontheTitanicwhohadsoentrenchedthemselvesbehindrampartsofwealthandinfluenceastohavewellnighforgottenthat,equallywiththewaifandthepauper,theywereexposedtothecapriceofdestiny;andwhomighthavebeenforgivenif,inthatawfulmomentofrealization,theyhadshownthewhitefeatherandgiventhemselvesovertopanic.