Opinion: Bail out plan won't help sinking ship

October 08, 2008
Andrew Thomason
Staff Writer

A team recently discovered a diary from a survivor the Titanic disaster. Though most of it was mundane, it revealed a series of announcements Captain Edward Smith made that were previously unknown. Below is a transcript of those speeches composed from the diary.* After review, the current leaders of the United States could apply the lessons in the diary to current situations                

“Attention ship passengers. I know things look bad right now. There is no way anyone could have seen the damage this iceberg would cause. I was assured by the ship’s engineers that it was unsinkable. Obviously I was lied to, but don’t be worried, my first-mate is formulating a plan to save us.
“The first step we need to take is to ensure the richest, and therefore most important, people are the first in the lifeboats. This will ensure that if we do sink, which I assure you we won’t, the best of us will live on.

“Secondly, we need to form a single-file line, starting where the leak is. We will then start to bail out the water, passing it along from person to person. Yes this will tax your abilities, but I have faith in you. Thank you for your attention.”

The diary then indicates the majority of the passengers did not approve of this plan, dubbed by some as the ‘bailout plan.’ Some refused to take part, requiring the captain to try and persuade them again.           

“People, listen to the solution my first mate formed. It is the best possible plan for the current situation.

“I assure you that bailing out this ship will, in the end, benefit us all. To sit around and do nothing is deadly. So start forming the line at the hull breach and begin bailing”

Once again the diary shows most of the passengers objected. The captain came back on the loud speaker approximately 20 minutes later.      

“Please people! We can not think of another way to save this ship! We’re all tired depleted from coming up with this plan. Once again, I assure you, this is for your benefit. If you do not do this, we are in dire straits.

Convinced bailing out the ship was the only viable option, the passengers eventually followed the plan outlined by Captain and his first-mate. Unfortunately, it did not work as well as either of them thought and roughly 30 minutes afterwards, the ‘bailout’ began.

*Obviously this is a metaphor; no real diary was found. If you have not figured this out by now, what are you doing in college?