The San Francisco call., 1901-12-24
THE REVENUE CUTTER SERVICE

q ENATE BILL 1925, which was introduced in
the Senate December 5 by Senator Frye of
- Maine, is a measure which not only COM
mends itself to the general public being emineny
just and proper but ii is of particular interest to the
commercial community of the Pacific Coast The
object of the bill is promote the efficiency of the
revenue cutter service by extending to its commits
stoned officers the benefits OF the laws relating to the
retirement OF officers of the army and navy who have
become ncapacitated for active duty on account of
age or physical disability incurred in line of duty.
The plea that the revenue cutter service is strictly
civil in character is idle and specious one 1t is
quite true that in time of peace the service is under
the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury and
that while placed it exercises certain civil func-
tionS; but the exercise OF those functions under
civil department OF the Government no more makes
the officers OF the cutter service civilians than does
the employment of army officers to arrest criminals
and fugitives from justice make OF them policemen
or deputy marshals.
In the performance of its duties under the Treas
ury Department the cutter service is called upon to
enforce every law for the protection of the Govern
ment in maritime affairs to assist vessels in distress
and to afford every protection possible to legitimate
commerce It's officers are required to undergo
rigid system OF instruction not only on subjects re-
lating to navigation and seamanshp, but are COM
PEELED to pass examinations gunnery, the hand
ling OF men under arms, surveying and all other sub
jects of military which form part of naval
officers education In addition thereto thev are re-
CURED to have a thorough knowledge of constitu-
tional, international and revenue law Upon the
completion Of their course of study they are required
to pass a very rigid examination in all these
branches and then commissioned by the Presi-
dent in exactly the way as are officers of the
army and navy.
In time OF the cutter service at once droDs IFS
civil character and is transferred by existing law as
body to the naval establishment where it becomes
subject to the rules and regulations governing the
navy and is compelled to perform the same duties as
are required of naval officers and men. Since then
these officers are compelled to perform duties which
necessitate exposure to the same risk of life in the
defense of their country naval officers it is hard
to conceive by what system Of logic they can be de-
MED equal privileges of retirement and promotion
The cutter service has participated in every war in
which the United States has ever been engaged and
its record of service for hundred years is one
OF which its officers may be Justly proud and are nat
urally anxious to maintain At the present time
however, the service is laborng under the lack of
proper legislation. The higher grades are clogged
and promotion almost at standstll by the presence
the active list of or more of superannuated
officers whose lives have been spent in the service
and who are too old or feeble to do duty. The
junior officers therefore called upon to perform
double duty without any extra compensation as re-
ward and do not even have the assurance of promo
ton as an incentive to urge them on.
This condition of the service is dishearteninp 70