The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-23
ADVOCATE PENSIONS
FOR LIFE-SAVING CREWS
Mr. Livingstone Describes
Perils OF the Service.
Dramatic Appeal Before House Commit
tee-Dangers of Sea and War Com
pared to Life Savers.

Superintendent Kimball, of the Life Saw
I ing Service: Representative Scudder,
of New York; H. ]. Higginson. of Bos-
I ton and President Livingstone, of the
! Lake Carriers Association, appeared be-
4 fore the House Committee on Interstate
/ and Foreign Commerce yesterday in advo-
cacy of the bill recently introduced by
Representative Jones of Washington pen
I sioning life-saving crews.
Some Of the committee are inclined to
regard the measure as an opening wedge
( to a civil pension list, Representative
Richardson of Alabama being particular
/ ly outspoken on this point.
Those favoring the bill made eloquent
appeals before the committee on behalf
Of the men they represent, Mr.. Living
] stone making a dramatic speech in per-
/ trsying the dangers of the life-saving
crews incurred in their work of rescue,
and comparing them favorably with SOL
diers on battlefield or sailors in naval
engagement.
A Dramatic Appeal.
Talk TO me about the charge at Bala-
4 klava.' declared Mr. Livingstone. passion
ately, Il tell you gentlemen. when you
consider the intoxication of battle. the in
spiration of a bugle cry to arms, the COM
rades surrounding YOU. and the wild
cheers of encouragement, such an ordeal
/ is nothing to be compared to the charge of
: FIVE or six men in a life boat through a
barrier Of breakers that raise their crested
/ heads like a stone wall. The soldier on
the battlefield meets with foes who pos
sess conscience and mercy; the elements
have none"
BY this time Mr.. Livingstone had the
committee all interested and the members
leaned forward in their chairs to catch
his every word.
"Hobson's brave deed" he continued
'in sinking the Merrimac will be en-
blazoned in song and story through all
the ages to come, and not for one moment
would | detract one iota Of credit from
that hero's matchless courage. But the
life saver who embarks in his boat with
the hounds of death baying all around
him. with almost certain destruction be-
fore him, deserves equal credit with the
men who tried to bar the progress OF
Ceyera's feet in Santiago Bay"
The speaker paused for a moment "a
catch mis- breath, and said with grea,
solemnity: THE great master hath said
Know we greater love than he who
gveth up his life FIR his friends. and the
crews of the lifeboats assume this risk
every time they put to sea in an endeavor
to save the men who await their coming
on some storm tossed wreck"
Wrecks on the Great Lakes.
Mr.. Livingstone then pictured the mum
Der OF wrecks he had witnessed on the
| Great Lakes In his long experience as q
shipowner. Mr.. Mann of Iilinois inter
jected a number of irrelevant remarks
which appeared to irritate some of his
fellow committeeman.
II have lived for twenty years on tn,
chores Of Lake Michigan" said Mr. Mann
land have yet TO witness a wreck ap.
! preaching Mr.. Liyingston's vivid descrip-
ton
Probably you resided at a summer re-
sort" said Representative Tompkins
Ex-Representative Scudder described
the perils endured by life-saving crews oil
Long Island. He said in stormy weather
that the fierce winds over the dunes
swept the sand so thickly in the faces Of
the crews that they could not see a hand
before them, and were frequently lost for
hours while on their way to embark OF
an errand of mercy.
Mr.. Higginson also addressed the com
mittee, and Superintendent Kimbail made
short address fayoring pension list
for the men he controls.