Happy 100th Anniversary to the Coast Guard act of 1915!
In case you missed my interview about Sky Pilot of the Great Lakes with Michigan Public Radio’s “Stateside with Cynthia Canty” program yesterday and would like to hear it, there is a podcast available on their website through this link.
The interview begins at about the 20 minute mark.
On this day, January 28th, 1915 – President Woodrow Wilson put pen to paper and signed in to law the Coast Guard act of 1915, thereby combining the Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Coast Guard into a single service, The United States Coast Guard.
This marked a victory in a long-fought battle by the Sky Pilot of the Great Lakes, Rev. William H. Law, who since 1900 had been lobbying the government of the United States to provide better pay and pensions for members of the United States Life-Saving Service. The new act provided pay increases and pensions to those serving in the newly formed Coast Guard.
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LIFE SAVERS’ PENSION BILL PASSED; LAW HAPPY
Duluth News Tribune – January 29 1915
“Sky Pilot of Inland Seas” Worked on Measure for Years
W. H. Law, the “Sky pilot of the Inland Seas,” is the happiest man between Duluth and Pawtucket Light these days. He has been working for years to obtain the passage of the bill which puts life savers on a par with Navy men and naval reservists and – this is the big feature of it – pension them on retirement.
The bill passed the senate last week, and Mr. Law, writing from Detroit to W. H. Cook of this city says: “I regard the passage of the bill as a birthday present, as the news ca me to me on my sixty-second birthday. I am delighted over the victory for it means so much to the brave men who have long deserved this recognition on the part of the government.
The bill provides a 10 per cent increase in pay at the end of every five years of service and after 20 years the chance to retire with 75 percent of the salary and allowances as a pension, It also places the life saving service and the revenue cutter service in a new department, the Unites States coast guards subject to orders from the treasury department.
The Bill will affect 2,000 men, 576 in 64 stations on the Great Lakes, the rest in 224 ocean stations.
For 24 years W. H. Law has been known as the “sky pilot” of the Great Lakes. His parish extends from the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River to Duluth. His parishioners number into the tens of thousands, Each year, be pays several visits to every life-saving and light station on the Great Lakes bringing books, delicacies, mail and good cheer to the men.
Each year he addresses a personal letter to every man in every life-saving and Light station in American waters. His lecture text is laughter and optimism: His gospel optimism, laughter and happiness: his sermon. happiness, optimism, good cheer and laughter, He preaches the doctrine of “fellowship of humanity.”
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Happy 100th Anniversary to the Coast Guard act of 1915!
John
His passion for the Great Lakes and its history grew from the stories handed down through both sides of his family about Rev. Law’s travels and relatives lost in the sinking of the S.S. Carl D. Bradley.
He currently resides with his wife, Kimberly, in Brooklyn, MI.
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