The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-05-16
NEw pENsIoN scHRMR
10 Reward Members Of Live-saying sey-
Toe on the Coasts.

10 Reward Members Of Live-saying sery-
ice on the Coasts.
\ Washington j. g. May l4-Are the
4 members Of the life saving service, who
patrol the coasts day and night il all
kinds oil storms aud weather, a. much
iantitled e pensions after a period Of
enlistment as soldiers and sailorsg This
question Is being decided now ii Com
4 gress ond the liie.savers have found an
ardent champion Of their cause III the
secretary Of the treasury. MacNeneh,
whose department directs their efforts
Defining retirement as granted to the
iarmy and navy as the acknowledgment
! by the government Of a moral obligation
Oh account d past meritorious service,
and q compensation for the loss OF earn
ling capacity incurred through injury,
disease 81 the devotion Of tho productive
years of life % the performance Of duty
Secretary MaeYeagh. writing to Senator
Frye chairman of the Senate committee
on commerce, shys;
Relative 10 the dangerous nature of
the service Il may De said that the risk
Of death. injury and disease incurred BY
the iife-saver Is not less than that OF the
soldier. or naval sailor ii his service
Is less dangerous in time of war, It is
mueh more 50 in time Of peace, which is
the generally prevailing condition that
has been interrupted but four times ID
our national history.
Extra hazard therefore IL incurred
BY the soldier and naval sailor only at
intervals Of many years. while the perils
Of the lde.ssyer run through the entire
period Of peace as well as war. Every
enlistment Of the life-saver is entered
with the certainty Of exposure to ex-
traordinary danger, while the vast major
ity Of those who enlist in tie army and
navy do s. with scarcely prospect 81
mourning the dangers Of war service.
'sThe lifs-sayer's hahitudes and course
81 life are very similar to those Of the
soldier and naval sailor lie is enlisted
fer a specified term of service after
rigid axamination--t0 which Is added a
professional one not required Of the sol
der and sailor Is subject to rigid disci.
pine, TO constant guard duty. the per
Torrance 81 daily drills, and when coca
sion requires I'd d. battle. The nightly
patrol of the life-savsr, however, involy
ing long difficult ana weagisnme marches
Ia All conditions 0f weather i one Or
especial hardship and exposure. which
finds ne parallel III the corresponding
duty Of the soldier and sailor
III this connection the secretary points
ont the admirable adoption Of ife saving
stains for military outposts Or pickets
and recalled the good work done By them
in the Spanish American war saying
They formed the principal part Of
The naval coast signal service throughout
THE campaign and according 10 the report
81 Captain John r. Bartlett. II. q NJ
superintendent % che coast signal serv
tie. rendered aid of great Importance by
advising the navy department of the
movements IT government vessels by
means of the service telephone lines.
which are connected with the general
telegraph systems Of the country.
#It was at the liie-saFing station
at Jupiter inlet that the message Of
Captain Clark of Tho battleship Oregon
was received when be made land off
Jupiter and sienaied the safe arrival Of
his ship. with ail On board well and
ready for battle. IN few moments
the welcome news was ii the hands Of
THE secretary of the navy.
Had tile vessels Of the enemy serious
ly threatened THE coast the services of
these station crews would have been
Invaluable ii making prompt discovery
az their appearance and notifying the
at Washington. and also In
transmitting orders and intelligence to
and from our own tieefs.
1.-THE military discipline of The service,
the familiarity 81 its men with the inter
national and service signal codes, and
their training ID keeping an alert out
look, eminentlY fit them Cor such duty. |
Upon the occasion Of any future war,
the stations would BE- again utilized In
The same way which, il ease Of an ct
tempted invasion hY the enemy, w8uld /
subject the men to The actual dangers
incurred by soldiers 1T time Of war. since
The stations, on account of their iin
p0rtanee as outposts, being on the skir-
mish line. AS Il were, would be the first
I'D invite the attack Of the enemy foT
suppression 81 their activities
Indeed, 10 we'll i tho availability and |
usefulness 81 these life-saVing stations
by the navy that cooperation
with them Is already provided for"
Referring to the principal objection
raised To The proposed legislation. name /
TIL That 1t might prove THE opening wedge +
In the creation of d pension list for civil F
employees Of the government generally. /
The secretary says that the foregoing I
ought to dispel this apprehension, as