Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-28


BY IVAN H. PETERMAN.
CAPE MAY. N. j., February PIN
1870, when George Washington was
President. pirates and Smugglers worked
a profitable racket" along the unpro-
The Continental Navy disbanded after
the Revolution, and with the Nations
credit unestablished it remained for
the United States Revenue Cutter Sery-
Ice to rescue commerce and the customs
business.
The service continued until 1915,
when It was combined with the Life
saving Service as the Coast Guard.
Briefly, the duties Of the Coast Guard
as provided by acts of Congress from
1890 to the present are:
I. Assisting vessels in distress.
2. Removing derelicts from paths of
navigation.
3. Enforcement Of anchorage laws.
4. International ice patrol.
5. Enforcement Of navigation laws
pertaining to merchant vessels.
8. Enforcement of quarantine and
neutrality laws.
Z. SURPRISING mutinies on merchant
vessels.
9. Patrolling regattas.
Q. Protection of game and seal
ASAicAAcO1 CAAAOICcHlche "a SPOuBe-IlSLluS
law.
10. Protection of customs revenue
laws.
Twenty-four hours a day, every day
OF the year, Coast Guard men and yes
sells patrol the waters surrounding the
Nation, its Alaskan territory and the
great lakes. performing the duties out
lined above, says Rear Admiral F. C..
Billiard, head of the service:
There is no seagoing force any
where that has duties more arduous,
hazardous and full of hardships or that
require higher degree Of real seaman
ship than those of the Coast Guard.
THE Coast Guard is not charged In
any way with enforcement Of the ma
ttonal prohibition act. 1t Is charged,
and has been since its creation, with
protection of the customs laws and the
prevention of smuggling into the United
States. It has upheld and defended the
Constitution since 1890, and will con-
tinue to do so. 1t enforceS the sea laws
Of the United States, nor does It dis
crss or question their wisdom or their
expediency.
with . habit of mind developed by
traditions and an honorable history Of
1Se years, when assigned any task to
perform, whether agreeable or not,
whether popular or not. 1t simply gives
sailorman's answer, Aye, aye, sir, and
carries on"
To accomplish the work of the Coast
Guard there were, on June 80, 1929,
10,S37 enlisted men in the Coast Guard
242 civilian employees, 402 temporary
and warrant officers, $50 regular war
rant ofncerS, " chief warrant officers,
Is cadets in the Coast Guard Academy
at New London, Conn; 81 temporary
commissioned officers and 333 regularly
commissioned officers.
The Coast Guard Fleet.
There were IL cruising cutters, first
class, having from 1,400 to 1000 tons
displacement; Is Second-class cutters,
Is destroyers turned over by the Navy.
80 tugs and launches. miscellaneous
foot patrol boats. thirteen 100-footers
and thirty-three 125-foot patrol boats.
There also were IL patrol boats ac-
quired by seizure and forfeit. The
Guard also has 5 Seaplanes, at
Gloucester, Mass, and 2 at Cape May.
These men and equipment operate
out Of 277 hfe-saving stations from
Maine around the coast to the tip Of
the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. There
are 81 bases similar to that at Cape
May.
What type men does the Coast Guard
attract?
The age limits are Is to SO, with the
Of men apparently under rs.
The pay Is the same as In the Navy:
promotion Is according to merits and
ambition Of the individual. A large
Of the men are married,
their families living at the bases.
Its better than the Navy. because
we're not being shipped around con-
stantly. and for those who want to