Guggenheim, Astor, and Strauss. They were the ones with enough money and pull to keep it from happening.
No red flares? That was on purpose. The Californian saw flarewhite onesand probably though there was a party going on. No binoculars? That was on purpose too. Smith going like a bat out of hell along the more northerly route, which had more ice? He was ordered to sink it.