i 1 i
! 1
11 upon congress at Its oresent pession -SiWJi "'Sr' , 1 - f C I .t 7-'
19 if 1 t0 Provlle for the retirement and 7S5i "IM - f,Vf,, f SI
V pensioning of employes of the Unit- rSA1 1 Li UK -V "si"-- .i2S2
J ed States Llfe-SavIng Service is dl- J TWJlH V V "si'- -
3 recting public attention to one of "i. V 1 1 J"iT,tifc5l?, .'&&&2$y
! the bravest and most conscientious " -
HE proposition which will be urged
upon congress at Its present session
to provide for the retirement and
pensioning of employes of the Unit
ed States Life-Saving Service is di
recting public attention to one of
the bravest and most conscientious
sML corps of men in the world. The
? Dlan to wnslon the members of
our coast patrol who have been dis
abled In the performance of their
duties or who have grown gray In
rendering such humanitarian service
to their fellow-men has been agitated-
for some years past. Congress at Its last
session was on the point of passing the neces
sary law thus to give recognition to the life-savers
and It is believed that these faithful servants
of the people will not have to wait much longer
now to be accorded their rights for, be it known,
the life-savers only seek such relief from the
conditions of physical disability and old age as Is
freely accorded men in our military and naval
service.
Nor Is it merely that such a plan of retirement
and pensions will do justice to the surfmen who,
it is claimed, run greater risks and endure more
hardships for the wages paid them than do the
men in any other branch of the government
service. Quite aside from this Is the influence
that will be exerted upon prospective recruits
for the service. Indeed, the officials of the Llfe
Saving Service assert that with a satisfactory
retirement and pension plan in operation a supe
rior class of men will be attracted to this voca
tion where so much must needs depend upon
the individual. And, by the way, probably very
few of our readers know that the United States
Life-Saving Sertlce is the largest as well as the
most efficient in the world. Like the firemen
in our cities, they are on duty all the time and
they risk their HveB every time they go to a
wreck. But, for that matetr, If the Burfmen did
no more than discharge the duties of their "night
patrol" on the lonely storm-swept beaches they
would have to their credit more hazardous and
more arduous work than almost any other class
In the community.
The scope of the relief work of the American
Life-Saving Service Is expanding all the while.
During the past year the life-savers rendered aid
In the case of nearly 1,500 wrecks and thanks
: largely to the aid of these brave and experienced
men only seventy-four out of this large number
proved to be a total loss. Measured In dollars
and cents, the service rendered by these fear
less ipen was even greater. . In the wrecks of
the past year there was Involved property, in
cluding vessels and cargoes, to the total value
of $11,880,000, and of this amount the surprising
proportion of $10,057,000 was Isaved. This in it
self makes the two million dollars a year which
Uncle Sam spends on his Life-Saving Service
seem like a pretty good Investment and that Is
without taking Into consideration the lives Im
periled on the shipwrecked vessels. There were
6,661 persons on board the craft that met dis
aster last year and the total loss of life, which
was fifty-five, would have been many times that
number but for the succor afforded by Uncle
Sam's heroes of the beaches.
.... Former Governor William A. Newell of New
Jersey. is generally recognized as the founder of
the Life-Saving Service and he took the initia
tive as the result of a marine disaster which he
happened to witness during the summer of 1839
' when the Australian bark "Count Perasto" was
wrecked on Long Beach, New Jersey. The thir
teen members of the crew, all of whom were
drowned, might readily have been saved had
there been at hand apparatus such as now con
stitutes the regulation equipment of the United
States life-saving crews.
The need thus pointed out made so forceful an
fmpresslon upon the mind of Mr. Newell that he
oon after entered upon experiments with bows
ana arrows, rocaets ana a snonenea Diunderbuss
as a means of throwing lines to ships stranded in
positions inaccessible by small boats.. Eventually
his experiments culminated in complete success
by the use of a mortar or carronade wfth ball and
line. About this time Mr. Newell was elected to
congress and on the first resolution day of the
first session of the thirtieth congress on ' Jan
uary 3, 1848, to be exact he introduced in the
national legislature the measure which laid the
foundation of our Life-Saving Service.
The national government now maintains up
ward of three hundred life-saving stations dis
tributed on the coasts of the Atlantic, the Pa
cific, the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes.
Each of these stations is maned by a crew of
from six to eight surfmen hardy and fearlessi
fellows who are splendid specimens of physical
manhocd and who are skilled in handling boats In
angry seas and in manipulating the various me
chanical appliances which Uncle Sam provides
as aids to the brawn and the quick wits of our
coast patrolmen in the dangerous task of cheat
ing the deep of Hs prey. For devotion to a duty
that necessitates eternal vigilance and the most
fatiguing service the life-savers receive the mod
est wage of $60 per month. Moreover they re
ceive that pay for anly nine months a year, the
crews being laid off during June, July and Au
gust, at which season severe storms and wrecks
are almost unknown. Should a life-saver be in
jured during his summer "lay-off" he not only
cannot get back Into the service but he cannot
under existing conditions draw any pension or
retirement pay, no matter how many years he
has faithfully served the nation.
The vast majority of rescues effected by the
life-saving crews are accomplished by means of
lifeboats or surfboats. These stanch craft, which,
as now manufactured, are almost unsinkable, are
the ideal vehicles for taking considerable num
bers of persons from imperiled vessels In a llm- .
ited space of time. If the patrolman, who in his
vigils on the beach discovers a vessel ashore and
hastens to the life-saving station for assistance,
reports that the use of a boat is practicable eitb
ed the large lifeboat 'is launched from its ways
in the station and proceeds to the wreck by wa
ter, or the lighter surfboat Is hauled overland to
a point opposite the wreck and launched as cir
cumstances may dictate. Formerly all of these
boats were propelled by oars and many of them
yet are,, but latterly there have been introduced
big motor , lifeboats, which are a vast improve
ment in every way over ' their predecessors.
Ofttlmes a ship meets disaster in so dangerous
a position or with such a high sea running that it .
Is manifestly hopeless to attempt to reach the im
periled craft with a small boat. Under such cir
cumstances recourse is - bad to the wreck gun
. and beach apparatus with a view to carrying on
rescue work through the Instrumentality of the
breeches buoy or the life car. First of all a
shot with a line attached is fired across the
stranded vessel by means of a powerful little
mortar or snub-nosed cannon, which will hurl a
line over a wreck 400 yards distant, even in the
teeth of a gale. With this preliminary line in
their possession the crew of a shipwrecked craft
can quickly haul out a larger line and finally a
three-Inch hawser. Attached to the hawser Is a
board which bears in English on one side and in
French on the other instructions as to how to
make the hawser fast to a mast or the best place
that can be found.
When the shipwrecked mariners signal that
they have obeyed instructions as to fastening the
hawser the life-savers on shore haul the hawser
taut and perhaps elevate the shore end by means
of a tripod in order to lift it well clear of the
water, after which there is sent off to the ship
a breeches buoy, suspended from a traveler block,
or a life car depending from rings running on
the hawser. Only one person at a time can be
landed by the breeches buoy, but from four to six
people can be carried ashore at each trip of the
life car. Whichever be the vehicle employed the
trips continue until all the imperiled persons are
safely ashore, after which an ingenious median
. leal device known as the hawser cutter Is drawn
out to the wreck along the cableway and upon
arriving at the terminus of he hawser auto
matically cuts the rope, allowing the life-savers
to haul it ashore and thus preserve Intact a val
uable part of their apparatus.,;' '
Ambitious Inventors are constantly devising
new forms of aparatus for the use of the United
States life-saving crews. Indeed, these Inven
tions are so numerous that the federal govern
ment has felt obliged to create a board of experts
whose special duty It is to test novelties and who
hold such trials several times a year. However,
not many of the new ideas that are advanced
prove practicable, for the exacting conditions of
the rough and ready service Involved and the
above mentioned classes of apparatus continue to
be the standbys on which onr life-savers place
the greatest dependence. However, there, has
latterly been an advance in facilities for signal
; Ing and there Is now In. use a form of beach light
' so powerful as an Illurainant that It enables one
to read the face of a watch at a distance of more
than nine hundred feet
Survival of Beauty
" It Is to be observed that the woman
whose face and figure and hair remain
youthful, while her former; school
11 '.en have joined the double-chinned
I ; le. Is not In all respects In an en-
1. Grow old along wttn
tj of her contemno-
fire prop'"! enraged
'. ac.-. ; r cor.i'al
:e posit;
is the
fill t;
Ing her for this unnatural extension
of youth, and In their whisperings to
gether accuse her of spending a for
tune in the establishments of beauty
specialists, ' ,
Perhaps the duration of troublous
beauty has been made brief because
of all the mischief it can do even in
tbose few years. And yet, after a)
there ar n-omnts when It seems
pity that a woman cannot have ' at
least life Interest In beauty. Instead
of seeing the precious possession de
teriorate from day to day. And as
the beautiful face has more to lose
the ravages of time are more cruelly
written there. Physical mediocrity
often suffers less. Tet there is hard
ly any woman who would hesitate to
accept if the glorious gift were of
fered her. Ehakesreare said that
"beauty Is a witch;" and doubt'fws
every fe'mlnlne creature has dreamed
of what It wiist mean to have power
to ensnare and enslave the hearts of
all men to be the world's deslre, the
world's unrest .
Net to Be Thought Of.
"Look here; you're big and strong.
Why don't you go to work Instead of
keatlng your wayf, .
"I'd like to. bo, but I made a bet
early In life dat I could live to be an
old man wlthwit' ever doln' a stroke
Too wouldn't want me to ruin me c
reer at dis late day,- vmiT'
Judgre. ,
IMNATI0NAL
smsiiooL
Lesson
Br Bv. William gram, IX t).. IHiwfor BlblcConiM
HtMMj Itltla iaaUtaw, UMuafu.
LESSON FOR JANUARY 14
BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
I.KHRO.V TKXT-r.uk 1:67-80.
MEMORY VKRHKfl-CT-M. or 7, 7T.
UOLDKN TliXT-"Meel bo the Lord
Ood of Iirael, for He Imlh ylaltrd and
redeemed lilt people." Luke
Another fulfilled prophecy added to
last week's lesson. "Hath God said,
and shall he not . do it?" Heaven and
earth shall pass way, but one jot or
tittle oshl promises shall never fall.
Strange that God should remember his
promise to a single Individual amidst
the Infinite multitude of the sons of
men! Tet he does. He marks the
fall of a sparrow. And so according to
God's promise, the child was born.
At the proper time, the child was
dedicated to God In the temple. These
righteous parents recognized that the
child was God's gift All Godly parents
should. Do we? Have we presented
our children In dedication to the Lord
in the church? The first place these
parents took their child was to church.
Is this true of us?
The naming of the child Is Interest
ing. John means, "gracious gift of
God." Zacharlas thought of God in
naming the child. What did you think
or when you named your child? Did
you give It a Christian name, or call
ed it after some heathen, godless nov
elist? Does the name stand fur any
thing? Is It an inspiration to the child?
Does It express your hope and faith
in God?
There are times when, in order to
please God, we must differ with our
friends. So it happened in the naming
of John. Out of respect for Zacnarlas,
and because of his advanced age, and
knowing that be had no other child,
bis friends proposed naming the chili
after him, probably to perpetuate the
family name. But already God had
announced the name. The angel said
that the child's name should be John.
These godiy parents stood fast by the
Word of God, irrespective of the opin
ion of even well-meaning friends.
A striking question was asked
"What manner of child shall this be?"
What strange thoughts must have been
passing through the minds of those
parents at this time as they recalled
the angel's message and the predicted
future of this child! As Zazharlas
looked Into the unconscious face of
his child be saw the prophet of the
Most High.
Parents, what possibilities do you
see in your child as you look into its
face? That little life Is for you to
mold. To some extend you can tell
what manner of child he Is to be.
Teacher, what do you see in the child?
Just a bundle of nerves to be kept
quiet, or the possibilities of a great
life?
Zacharlas' song Is full of victorious
and prophetic hope; It Is Itself a ful
fillment of a prophecy; God hath vis
ited his people. For over 2,000 years
the righteous in Israel had looked for
ward to the fulfillment of this proph
ecy.
The advent of this child brought joy,
not only to Zacharlas and his wife,
but to their neighbors. It is a great
gift to be able to rejoice with those
that do rejoice, as did the friends of
Zacharlas and Elizabeth. It is much
harder to rejoice with those who are
successful than to mourn with those
who mourn. Too often the prosperity
of others arouses jealousy, and we
rather rejoice In their failure than in
their success.
The birth of this child brought forth
this hymn of praise to God for his
goodness. Did you ever thank God
for your children? Who gave them to
you? Children are the heritage of
the Lord. How much would you take
for them? AH the wealth in the world
could not buy them. Nor are you ask
ed to sell them; but you are asked to
think of the One who gave them to
you. There are your children: Can
they see, when so many have been
born blind; can they bear, when so
many have been born deaf; can they
romp, when so many have been born
lame; can they speak, when so many
have been born dumb! Oh ye par
ents who have sweet children on earth
and it may' be in heaven does not
their presence cause you to burst out
in praise to God! K
Another ; thing that led to this song
of praise was the fact that Zacharlas
was filled with the Spirit. Joy and
gladness are always associated with
the Spirit: "Be filled with the Spirit;
speaking to yourselves in spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord.". The Spirit
filled man, is the happy man. . Are you
a happy Christian? If no, why not? "
The song of Zacharlas gives us a
model for our hymns and . spiritual
songs.: 't ''-
The most prominent note In this
song is salvation; From our enemies,
that we may be enabled to live In
peace and quietness; from sin, that we
may be able to be constantly well
pleasing to God; from slavish fear In
our service to God, In order that we
may render service as sons, and not
as servants or glares; unto holiness,
that our life may be One that is spent,
not merely In overcoming the sins of
our nature, but also In the cultivation
of Christian graces.
' What a description we have In ' the
song of Zacharlas of the deliverance
which' Christ brings to every soul that
trusts him: Deliverance from Satan,
from death, from sin, from the world,
from every enemy; a protection and
covering from the righteous vengeance
of, God; freedom from the conse-
qneases of sin; the wonderful promise
that some day even now In a measure)
we shall serve God with true holi
ness and righteousness In joy and
buesslng for evermore.; .
11 V
IS PROMINENT IN CONGRESS
John Sharp Williams, senator frera
Isslssippl, Is one of the picturesque
ures In congress. Two things make
hbn so. One Is his deafness, which Is
considerable, and which they say la
growing on nlm. As a result of It he
continually keeps his hand hollowed
to hbt ear and frequently has to ask to
haveuhe question repeated to him. The
other is his ' habit a result prob- j
ably i bis doafness of moving about,
the striate during debate. He does
not lik to sit still. He walks softly
and gratefully from his chair toward
the man whom he Is talking at, with
bis right forefinger extended and ac
cusing his opponent and with his left
hand helping bim to hear. Apparently
he never for a moment thinks that
he is conspicuous or pictaresque.
Williams is attractive In speech as
well as picturesque In garb, and man-,
ner. The press gallery, that collection
of cynics and expert listeners, usually
fills up when the rumor passes around
that Williams Is on his feet. Williams, knows how to debate. With him de
bate Is not merely contradicting what some other fellow has said, or else ap
pealing to the constitution of the United States as the Bible of all political and
economic philosophy. He debates with dertness ana styie. ne uses eis
tongue and his mind as a fencing wcaijpn, and the man who Is off his
guard is sure to get spiked.
He speaks with vigor, humor and sense, three qualities not always found
In working harmony. His style Is a running one it carries jrou and his Ideas
swiftly and pleasantly along on Its current. . .
NEW LEADER OF THE REDS
Living the Full. . - . .
What men need most of all Is power
to live 'their Uvea fully. Not soma
men, but all. Man must learn not to
be afraid before he can live the full
est life of which he Is capable. Bish
op Lloyd. Episcopalian, Boston.
The job of handling the Cincinnati
team has fallen to Hank O'Day, for ,
many years a well-known National
league umpire. A number of the best
known players In the country were
mentioned for the position of maanger,
but the selection of O'Day was In the
nature of a big surprise. O'Day was
a pitcher before he joined the ranks of
umpires 12 years ago. He twirled for
the New York plants and other of the
big league teams and was accounted
one of the best box artists on the dia
mond. He has never been tried In a
managerial position and there will, be
much Interest manifested In the man
ner In which he will succeed In Cin
cinnati, where so many good baseball
pilots have made failures In building
up a strong team.
O'Day is a man of excellent Judg
ment and tact and has the necessary
amount of nerve to back up his opin
ions. When brought up against a
ticklish proposition he has never been
found wanting., The best evidence of the fairness and courage which are
notable portions, of his character was furnished in that September game In
New York in 1908, 'when he made a decision against Merkel which cost the
Giants the pennant, and which he could have sidestepped, If he had been that
kind of a man. The decision cost the Giants the pennant, and O'Day was
roundly criticised by the partisan fans of the Giants, but he cared nothing
for that.
By baseball men familiar with the rules he was warmly applauded for his
action, which was simply in line with the spirit which bas prompted his work
as an umpire all through his career. With these qualities at bis disposal he
should succeed as a manager and he will command the respect of the players
and the fans alike. .
I I
v S jj
MODERN ORIENTAL PRINCE
The Gaekwar of Baroda is essential
ly a modern monarch. His palace if
furnished in many respects quite like a
New York mansion, he has a big
bank in the capital of his state, which
was organized by an American, hii
son Is being educated in an 'American
college, his wife is encouraged to go
In for the "fripperies" beloved, ol
American women and now the Gaek
war has been named co-respondent in
a suit for divorce!
Some unhappy Englishman, not
Identified as yet, who wishes to be
freed from his wife, claims the fas
cinating Gaekwar is to blame for his
domestic troubles. Through his attor
ney, the latter, although he doesn't
bother to deny his connection with the
case, claims loftily that being a prince
of India, he is outside the jurisdiction
of the court. ' This, Idea the opposing
counsel turns' down flatly and the
point is being argued at great length.
The Gaekwar, who Is well . kn wn .
and very popular In London, visited the United States last year accompanied
by his wife to get Ideas on the development of manufacturing in his state,
one of the smallest, but one of the most Important In India, As one of the ,
three Indian rulers entitled to a salute of 21 guns the Gaekwar Is held In ven
eration by his people. The other two are the Nizam of Hyderbad and the Ma
haraja of Mysore. ' , ' '. ' ' - ,
'FIGHTING DICK' IS OUT
The official life of "one of the great
est fighters, best fellows and most be
loved officers the service afloat has
ever had" expired the other day, when
Rear Admiral Richard Walnwright re
tired from active service, owing to the
age limit.'. . . . S ,
No officer in the United States navy
was better known or better liked than
Fighting Dick" Walnwright. His
record of service la long and efficient.
He graduated from the Naval Academy
In 1868, but It was not until the early
90's that his name began to be heard
outside the service. He was executive
officer of the Battleship Maine when
she was blown up In Havana harbor.
When war was declared with Spain ;
Capt Walnwright' was among the first
to apply for active service. He was
delighted when he was placed In com
mand of J. Pierpont Morgan's trans
formed pleasure yacht, the Corsair.
The little , vessel was renamed the
Gloucester, in honor of the Massachu
setts city where Walnwright was born. The Gloucester lost no time In Join
ing the blockading -fleet at Santiago. When the Spanish fleet attempted to
escape the Gloucester pounded and destroyed the two torpedoboat destroyers,
Pluton and Furor, ere they scarcely had begun their reckless, dash from the
harbor: For the "eminent and conspicuous conduct" displayed at Santiago
Capt Walnwright was advanced ten numbers. -
The retiring officer Is a son of Commodore Walnwright who was killed In
battle on the Mississippi In 1862. , t
i' Presence of Mind. ".
.Watching her house burn down, the
woman suddenly bethought her that
she had written out a check and left
it lying on her desk. - Fortunately she
eould remember the number of it
581. . With rare presence of mind she
at once called up the bank. "Please
stop payment on . check numbered
$81!" she directed, with the crisp brev
ity characteristic of those balanced
souls who know exactly ' what the
want. Puck. '
Realism In Babylon. ' ,
"A great deal of fun has bees .
poked at the realistic school of art,
says a New York artist "and II '
must be confessed that some ground
has been given to- the enemy. Why,
there recently came to my notice a
picture of an Assyrian bath, done by
a Chicago man. and so careful was he
of all the details that the towels bang
Ing up were all marked "Nebuchad
nezzar' In the corner. In cunelfornf
characters." Llpplncu's Magazln.