Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-29
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The Coast Guard

Once more Perth Amboy is called upon to say farewell to a COM
pany of Coast Guards that has been billeted in this city. The men
who leave tomorrow, however, have not been with us as long as the
previous company and therefore have not been able to form SO many
friendships that make the leavetaking harder.
But although their stay has been shorter the boys about to de-
part have been well liked and popular. The excellent showing by
them in the Elks' parade Tuesday won hearty applause all along the
line and testified to the popularity of the guards.
Of course, in a campany of $50 to 200 young men there are bound
to be a few whose conduct may not be what it should be. That would
be the case in a similar company of young men picked from our own
city or any other community. 1t is also true that, unfortunate as it
may be, an ofense seems to be greatly magnifed when committed by
a person in uniform. Things that are daily overlooked when com
nitted by the average young ia about town, cause some people to
throw up their hands in horror if committed by a man in uniform.
Such ofense, committed by a small minority, tends to discredit the
whole company, as unfair as such a custom may be.
On the whole, the Coast Guards have been a very decent lot of
fellows. They have made a favorable impression here and Perth AM
boy is glad to have entertained them
These men are in a branch of the federal service but little under
stood by the average person. In reality the Coast Guards ar a part
Of what is known in times of peace as the Revenue Cutter Service.
Then they are un Ter the Treasury Department at Washington and
patrol the waters of this nation seeing that the revenue laws are
obeyed. They are the national policemen of the seas, so to speak.
In time of war the revenue service automatically goes over to
the control of the Navy Department and the revenue cutters OIL which
these men do duty are assigned for patrol duty. Most OF our revenue
cutters today are in foreign waters as that is where most of the
patroing has to be done. Many of the boys in the company of Coast
Guards now here have been across" Some of them have seen serv-
ice in the Mediterranean. Their work lis as hazardous as any that the
navy is called upon to perform as far as defensive work is concerned.
OF course, the revenue cutters o which the Coast Guards serve would
never be engaged in a regular battle of an offensive nature.
The guards who leave here soon find themselves aboard a cutter
and on duty at sea. They usually have five days at sea and one day
ON shore. OF course, there are rockies during these times, the
same a in any other branch of the service and these new recruits
must receive their training before they go aboard. But they eventu-
ally get there and then they see a much of real war work as any of
Uncle Sans men now afoat have seen.
When the war ends the Coast Guards will return to the revenue
service under the Treasury Department and the men who have en-
listed for the duration of the war will be discharged. 1t is altogether
a desirable branch of the service and Perth Amboy is glad to have
the boys stationed here.
So it is goodbye and good luck to the company now here, and a
hearty welcome to the newcomers who will be at the barracks in the
board of Trade rooms by tomorrow night.