Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-29
gross should be made but adjournment
was taken at SIG =. NJ.
PENSIONS RECOMMENDED
By the President for Members Of Life
Saving Service.

Washington Jan. a3.-'TEc President to
dav sent to the Senate q Inessag. recon
1ncnding the giving CT pensions to NON
bers Of the live saving service such a.
are given to fi2.l;en and POLICEMEN III i,l'
large cities.
The President quotes from lis aanua
message to the 18th Congress. and says
''Tbe need Tor some appropriate l=eis
ln.ion for the relief OF this body of meT
has not baoor,e less; il has. Oh the con
tTary, iacrcaffzI and viii. steadily con
time to grow until relief is granted. The
determination Of what ccuI So VIII pes'
secure the desired end involves Two spe'
cial considerations. On, tas to co WITH
the efficiency Of the service Itself. and
the other, which I think shor!d appeal
TO the Congress with equal force. d.
rec:ly concerns the welfare of the mem
bcrs of the life saving crews when dis
ability occurring in the line Of duty has
impaired their usefulness.
The President speaks OF the difficulty
Of holding the best men in the service
under political conditions, and adds:
THE once excellent teamwork of the
lifesavers, SO important where ccl1iDintd
phye!cal effect Is required. has coHse
quently deteiiors.ted and the former
standard cannot be reSained under the
present circumstances. OF late II ms
been found practically impossible to Sc
cure material of any kind for recruiting
the. crews at many of the stations. In
fact nearly all OF the - districts OF the
service are seriously crippled in this re-
spcct, and the eligible lists from which
the crews must be selected are wholly
insufficient 10 fill the vacancies occurring.
That the service has not yet been charge
able with serious loss of life in conse-
auence Of this state OF affairs is due to
fortunate chance and also to the fact
that the introduction Of recent great I'M
provements in life saving appliances has
afforded the means to accomplish res
cues which formerly would have been
impossible. But the indefinite continuance
of good fortune cannot be hoped for, and
occasions may be expected to arise when
improved appliances will not redeem the
deficiency Of the men who are charged
with this operation.
The remedy for this condition of affairs
shorid be ito establish such conditions
as will attract and retain men of the
hig qualification and character and
also safeguard the future welfare of the
veteran Surfmcu who have been and are
still the bulwari of the service
TIE President calculates that surfmcn
receive an averaE" of only about $50 Il
month, and he instances several cases of
actual want among these mon and their
families. declaring in this connection
your treatment of them is Gravely dis
credi,able to us as a nation"
The President concludes:
THE situation calls for immediate
action and I earnestly urge some ade-
quate form of relief for body Of men
who have saved thousands of lives often
under circumstances of extreme peril. and
millions OF dollars worth of property at a
comparatively insignificant sum. whose
ya!or has never been surpassed upon the
field of battle whose achievements have
won world wide rcnown and which are
deserving of the nations gratitude and
prote ction'