Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1916-04-19


turned out without pensions and with
out any provision whatsoever for their
declining years.
Pay After Retirement.
All this has been changed now and
the lifesaving service has been made
part of the revenue cutter service
and the two together are called the
coast guard. The men who dare all
| to help others can retire after GER
| tain length of service and then they
receive retired pay. For years at
| tempts were made to induce congress
| to render assistance to the service
which always was ready to give It's.
help to others, but every attempt to DO
anything for the men who fronted
wave and storm at the call OF duty
| failed until a short time ago, When
| congress finally consented to act.
| If an aero coast guard service is
sanctioned by congress it will mean
added dangers for the members OF the
coast guard. When a vessel reports
| by wireless that it is in distress some
where off the coast it is the instant
duty of a revenue cutter to put out
| to the rescue. 1t frequently happens
| that the cutter men cannot quickly To-
cate the distressed ship because wave
and wind and tide have changed its
position. It is believed that by the
use of aeroplanes of the sea plane type
vessels in distress more quickly can
! be located and help more quickly rem
| dered
1t is believed also to be part of the
| plan to equip some of the life-saving
| stations on the coast with aeroplanes
| The thought is that an aeroplane put
| ting seaward can pass line over
stranded ship more accurately and
| quickly than it can be done by means
of the mortars on shore which are
now used to throw a projectile with
a line attached to ships on the rocks
or fast in the sand.
The coast guard as it is constituted
| is Uncle Sans most recently organ
| lied service Of course the revenue
cutter and the life-saving services as
distinct bodies have existed for years,
| UuL uOM IuGy nave USSu WHICH,
State, War and Navy Club.
Officials and employees of the state,
war and navy departments have or
ganized a social club which will have
membership reaching into the thou
sands. The department of the interior
set club example two years ago, and
it seems likely that it will be followed
by all the other departments of govern
ment. The Home club of Mr.. Lanes
department has been huge success.
1t is said that Washington, in pro-
portion to it's population, has more
social clubs than any other city in
the Union, but the organizations for
instruction and to promote sociabil-
ity among the officials and clerks, are
a departure in club life. Through all
the years of Washingtons existence
as the nations capital nothing of the
kind ever has been tried before, and
this is regarded as an amazing fact
by those who now see the possibili-
ties in the case.
The organization which the state
war and navy departments have set
out to form has not yet been named
That it will take definite name, fol-
lowing the example of the interior de-
partment's organization, which is
called the Home club, there is no
doubt. The state, war and navy work
ers are determined to put their club
on firm basis from the start and to
make it a club after the manner of
university clubs and other organiza-
tons which all the big cities contain.
Will Erect a Building.
A corporation has been formed, and
the employees of the three depart
ments have purchased stock at mod
est figure. The money will be used
to erect and equip a building to be
used as the home of the club, one
where the employees can gather for
purposes of entertainment and in
struction. The Home club of the in
terror department has leased fine
residence on Lafayette square which
formerly was the Persian legation,
but it is the intention Of the newly
formed society to own it's own build
ing.
Cabinet officers are much interested
in the forming of these social organi-
cations in the departments of which
they are the chiefs. 1t is said that
the government already has benefit
ted, from the fact that the workers
in the interior department, through
the club life, have become better &C
quainted with one another, and there
fore have exchanged views of work
ing conditions and concerning means
to improve the service
1t has been possible for department
employees to join other clubs in the
city of Washington, some of which
have small initiation fees, small dues,
and yet give good returns for the
money spent. In these clubs, how
ever, membership consists of men and
/ al Of