Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-10
The Once Over
THE PROBLEM OF LFE-BoAT EQUIPMENT
BY Il. /. PHILLIPS

ME PROBLEM OE LAEE-bOAI EQAIENAEN4
The recent discharge Of four Of the President Hard
ings crew following the discovery OF a big cache Of
LIQUORS hidden In a ~life-boat, opens the question Of
whether or not aleS, wines, WHISTLES and cigars should
be part Of every life boats equipment. The seagoing
public seems hopelessly divided on the issue. Some
think rye, Scotch and gin should be kept out Of life
boats, but that no passengers should ever be lowered
in a hfe-boat without plenty OF light wines and beers.
Others take the extreme view that lfe-boats should
never be put over without a complete line Of liquors
and a competent steward. A third class holds that
every ocean liner should equip its lfe-boats with
glasses. strainers, shakers. oranges. olives. cherries
and bitters with possibly some sliced bologna and
cube cheese, but that the passengers should carry
their own stuff.
Stll another coterie clings to the view that in
case Of disaster at sea the entire matter should be
left in charge Of the ships doctor who. if reasonably
sober, should be allowed to make out prescriptions for
passengers who need a stimulant when miles from
land in an open boat. Women and children should
be given prescriptions first of course, and any man
striking a woman in an attempt to get her prescrip-
ton away from her should be severely dealt with.
The prescriptions having been issued. the paSSen-
gers would then 60 to the ships bar and await atten-
ton. OF course, under sucn conditions, it would be
necessary to delay the shaking a little longer than
usual. This would require perfect cooperation and
impose a strain upon the captain, il is true. Passen-
gers would be somewhat impatient at the delay in
taking TO the small boats, perhaps, but the end would
justify the means.
Personally the writer thinks that it should be set
tied on the Canadian plan. Give all ship passen-
gers a permit good for q specific number OF ship
wrecks within a given time. When a man feels a ship
IS listing too sharply let him so at once to the bath
steward and present his permit. Every bath steward
has plenty Of liquor. All the passenger would be
asked to do by law would be TO estimate the number
Of days he expected TO be in an open boat and promise
not to fool the government.
Storing liquor as it was done aboard the Harding
is folly. There was no system to it. Suppose there
had been a s~hipwreck and all the passengers had hap
pened to get in the one boat carrying the liquor?
Picture them huddled together in a raging sea, cold.
frightened and desolate! Then, quite suddenly, the
discovery is made that there are 200 bottles Of liquor
for, obviously, at such a time nobody would have an
opener!
Clearly the question Of liquor in lfe-boats demands
careful study. Write your congressman now.
%%
HELPING MRS. ROCKEFELLER
Mrs. John d. Rockefeller. Jr, offers a prize for the
best six-word slogan ~epitomizing the need of Danish
ing the billboard and restoring the natural beauty
of the countryside. Okay. Here goes: Rocks and
Rills, Not Socks and Pillsl"
The bathing suits are 50 scanty along the Con-
nectlcut shores these days that people are beginning
to call the section Nude England.