The Washington times., 1922-05-24
WOULD EQUIP
LIGHTHOUSES
WITH WIRELESS
Bill Proposed by Senator
France Would Aid 800
Lonely Keepers.
BY JOSEPH IRWIN FRANCE.
United States Senator From Maryland.

by JOSEFh Irwin FhANSC,
United States Senator From Mary land.
Installation Of complete radio
equipment-for sending and receiv-
irg-in the 800 lighthouses Of the
United States and it's insular pos.
sessions is the purpose OF a bill
which / intend to introduce within
| the next few days, the ided having
the indorsemeA of George II. Put.
nam. Federal Commissioner of Light.
houses.
This measure, II enacted into law 4,
will alleviate the loneli1ess Uf the
lighthouse tenders as was done for
the forest rangers Of the West,
many Of whose stations in the noun
tain tops are radio-equipped.
In addition to the Humanitarian
idea Of this proposal, the measure
will be designed to guarantee ef
ficiency In guarding the coasts and
interior waters-especiaily the large
lakes and bays-as well as greatly
facilitating communication with
both ships and points landward.
In Touch With World.
The installation of the radio in the
Will tndDlc inc men III
narge TO receive world news. must
cal concerts, and other benefits Of
| which they are deprived in their
! warn ships OF danger during fogKy
session. when their lights could not
be distinguished.
In case Of sickness. or lack Of
fuel or food, the lighthouse tender
,uld summon aid by using the
radio as the average person on iand
makes use OF the telephone in SINH
lar emergencies.
The men who man the nations s
lighthouses in storm, darkness or
| sunshine do their work for human
| ity. without any boast, without any
advertising, and with none 10 trum.
pet their praises. and with only their
own sense Of duty TO guide them.
The Government certailly owes IL
to them. TO brighten up their lives
by the means OF installing the radio
that they may have still great cr
cheerfulness. endurance and re.
sourcefulness that will perpetuate
their history Of brave de eds.
Nothing indicates the lioeraiijy.
prosperity, or intelligence OF a ma.
tion more clearly than the facilities
which II offers for the safe ap-
proach OF the mariner to ;ts shores
With the aid of the radio, the cap
tains OF incoming ships, as wall as
his pa ssengers and crews would have
still further feeling Of protection.
In Dangerous Times.
The lighthouses OF the United
States not only mark the Atlantic
and Pacific Coasts and AlaskH but
also guard naviation in tn vicinity
OF its insular possessions. In the
main part OF Chesapeake Bay there
are lighthouses at the cxtremities Cf
the shoals, and many Of them. stand
ing out in the water, have often
been damaged by the noVCment Of
ice.
In 1893, remember three light.
houses being swept away by ICE.
The one at Sharp's Point was car.
ried away and the men in Cka.'Ce
Clung 10 the wreCkage fOr sixteen
hours without food or heI:, finally
grounding on an island. similar &C.
Cidents occurred at WillOiShby Spit
and Thimble shoal Jff Old Point
Comfort. Some years 40 the Pal
limore light station. when stands
in twenty.three feet OF wafer at the
entrance to the channel leading TO
the city, toppled over oy the moyc.
ment of the ice and was a ,otul loss.
With the use of the ia lilo in light
houses such accidents could, in
great measure, be wooded AS il
would enable the tenders Ia sum
mons aid at the earliest possible
time ana with the least difficulty
in making communiCa ions.