The New York herald., 1922-01-22
The Coast Cuards Service.
Its Record In Pescs ssl War Re-
called IN Answer 20 Critics.

To THE NEw yosx HxnALo, n wa.
with distinct pleasure that I read tha
article IN your paper last sunday upon
the work Of the United states cosst
Guard The article Is every word true.
More than this. n appears a. a time
when the Coast Guard needs acferse
Certain political forces IN the na.l.a
are doing all that they can 20 hurt ti.e
Coast Guard and 10 impair Iis future
and work. It's many forms OF servics ,o
the nation have been ignored.
How many persons know that tl.r
Coast Guard lost a larger parce1sa.s
or Its enlisted aud Commissioned rcr.
sonnei than any serv OF the United
States In the great Warg some of the
largest transports were nsvlg.ted b.
Coast Guard officers How mnny
persons know that q Coast Guard or
Ger nayigated the NC-< across the Al
ianticy How many know that s,..s
Coast Guard has borne the brtlns -
the work or caring for victims OF the
influenza epidcmics In Alaska7 How
many know that the Coast Guard hns
transported reindeer Go Alaska and the
due 20 its efforts that animal is now n
mainstay for the natives, furnishinr
food and transportation 20 them7 How
many know that the Coast Guard is ,ha
Oldest marine service In the Uniicf
States?
The Coast Guard does not desire any
praise or unnecessary attention. TIE
service has performed its duties In a
faithful manner. Nobody except those
closely associated with the work knows
how the service has been hampcred iy
appropriations which have been too
small. And yet no matter what the az.
preparation may amount 20 the Coas'
Guard does the best that u can DO anl
keeps quiet concerning the things thsa
Il did do.
Legislators from inland States 90
not know what the service consist
OF. They do not realize its WORK. One
Senator IN an address on a pay bill
said that the naval officer should re-.
ceivs higher pay because ne was edu-
Gated at Government expense. Ths Sen
ator did not know that the coast Guard
Academy at New London has Q three
year course OF study at least equal a.
that Of the Naval Academy. This ~ a.
sample OF what the Coast Guard 4.
fighting at the present time.
At present the highest rank IN the ser-
vice 10 that of Captain. equal TO a Car
tain IN the navy. There Is only ore
Captain IN the Coast Guard. There are
six Commanders. The rest OF the cflccrs
arc two and one-haif stripers or less.
Under present conditions officsrs cannot
advance even though their ability may
be exceptional The service hss there
fore asked that II be permitted TO have
one Rear Admiral. This proposition r.
and necessary but stands
serious chance of being defeated BY cp-
ponents Of the Coast Guard
Senator wadsworth Of New rork "a
chairman OF a committee which has ap.
proved a pay bill which would she
Junior officers s1.lo0 a year with no al
Iowancss. This sum II $1,000 decrease
IN service pay. The pa now Is barely
adequate to cover expenses. II such
bill were passed II would force every
Junior officer out of the service.
No one connected with the Coast
Guard desires to bankrupt the nations
The service has always been cconoml-
cal. It's officers arc not itckors. TIE
service merely wants what Il deserve
and, as Tfn NEW YoRK EfxsAlp points
,ut, Il deserves fairness and Just pay
and rank to carry on Its important
work. COAST GuAnp.
NEW LONDON, Conn. january 81.