The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-01-20

A meeting was held in Manteo
Wednesday, January IL to hear
reasons why the Mays Head Life
Boat station among others, should
not be discontinued. God and ma
ture have provided an argument
that is unanswerable last week
in the winds and tides which have
battered our beaches, and proved
again conclusively that there can
be no substitute for the hand and
brain of man in groups to accom-
plish some of the most difficult
of tasks.
Last week, when life and
probably both had long been at
stake, and great assistance
was rendered by our Life
Boat crews, what could have
been done along this coast with a
helicopter? What could have been
done with one of the handsome new
ships of the Coast Guard command
ed by smart looking officers in so
much handsome and high priced
blue and gold braid?
Doesn't it look like we are
spending far more for officers
with high rank who can do but
little more than toll in steam
heated office and make out reports,
than it would cost to maintain a
few lifeboat stations which have
never lost their usefulness?
The policeman may go for
months without an emergency on
his beat, but when one arises, there
is nothing else to take his place.
We do not do away with policemen
because they only stand by during
long periods of inactivity.
The value of many services rem
dered by our Government is not
so much the magnitude of service
nor the value of property protect
ed, but it is the readiness and dis
patch with which this aid is made
available in time of emergency.
The shore service of the Coast
Guard has become a mere shadow
of it's former self, yet it's few and
infrequent units along our coast
are indispensable, and never has
this been more forcibly illustrated
than during the past six months,
when hurricane after hurricane,
followed by this weeks disastrous
seas, have given these men so
long faithfully standing by an op-
portunity to endear themselves fur
Their in the hearts of our people.
They used to tell US "There will
always be Coast Guard" as time
after time when storms harassed
US hearts would be warmed and
assurance given to uneasy minds
because of the presence and the
activity of these men. Yet how can
there be a~Coast Guard when you
strip it of it's heart and soul?
The dominant arm of the Coast
Guard is now the sea branch of
the service. The lifeboat stations
are practically gone. Yet this
strong arm of the service, which
has helped to cause the other arm
to wither away never grew and
thrived on great and noble tradi-
tons, comparable with those of the
old Life Saving men.
The sea arm of the service is
the outgrowth of the Revenue Cut
ter Service designed for the war
like purpose of battling semi
pirates and collecting duties from
smugglers out to beat our govern
ment.
And this service now, which has
gained ascendancy because of SUI
perior officers in so much brass
and gold braid, apparently having
more influential connections, ap-
pears to try to funnel all the fl
nances of the service into fine
ships and nicely dressed men. 1t
would finally disband and demolish
the last of the Life Boat stations
which came of such fine origin.
The Lifeboat Stations are rooted
in spirit of mercy. Their call to
duty has ever been a sign or a
word of distress. Throughout their
career they have endeavored to
alleviate human misery, to save
life and property at the mercy of
the tempest. No wonder a calling
of this kind has bred such fine
men. No wonder such men have
been good citizens, good servants
of their communities; good home
makers and good parents.
For many years these men have
been the backbone of numerous
small, but happy communities of
our coastland. They have been the
leaders for better churches and
schools. They have been generous
in supporting all community af-
fairs and in sharing their small
resources with the unfortunate
about them. Their patronage has
been the mainstay of the small
businesses which served their
neighborhoods.
Time after time, when Lifeboat