Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-12
the evER.ReApv MARINES.
Always the First to b Called Upon
In the Time Of Trouble.

Ii the Time Of Trouble.
Whenever trouble breaks out in any
quarter Of the world, in Honolulu or
Timbuctoo. there is q call for marines.
And they are generally ON the spot,
ready for business. When the Chinese
boxers rise, the Moroccan brigands
break loose or the South American
revolutionists start to pick q city Or
two to pieces-in any quarter where
American lives or property are threat
ened-we are relieved when We read,
Just after the news of the riot and
carnage, the American commander
landed a detachment of Marines"
Though they are few in numbers, this
corps Of fighters brings comfort and
protection to threatened Americans
in every quarter of the globe.
At home, alike, on the sea or ON
the land. they are the most amphib-
ious and ubiquitous of all Uncle Sans
fighting men. There must be q high
standard of bravery and efficiency In
the personnel Of the corps to have
set down to its credit.
Not long ago former officer In the
corps listened with not very much
patience to q recital of the march Of
the allied armies from Tientsin to
Picking, when they succeeded in
achieveing such wOndrous victory over
the Chinese and rescued the foreign.
ers held prisoners In the legations. 1t
did not impress him any more than
the Johnstown mans account of the
Pennsylvania food impressed Noah.
THAT march of the allied armies
IN
much" the veteran remarked, "be-
cause many years ago took the same
trip myself. The American minister,
his family and staff were imprisoned
in the legation at Picking. The Chinese
insurgents were threatening their
lives and the lives Of all the foreigners
in that section of China. But the
United States didn't send for any
army. Though the road to Picking was
harder road to travel than In later
years and the difficulties were tremen'
dous, the United States government
calmly ordered detachment of some
twenty-seven marines to 60 to Picking
and rescue the American minister and
his staff. We set out from Tientsin,
marched through that strange and hos
tile country, reached Picking and got
the Americans safely out of the city
and on board the United States war.
ships. But We were not acclaimed he
roes because we were merely Marines
The people at Washington seem to
think that the marines can do almost
anything, as q matter of course. It's
wonder to me they didn't send q
few of them down to Havana and
Santiago to take Cuba, instead OF
going to the expense of sending the
army and navy and fighting war
with Spain"
The general public probably knows
less about the marine corps than II
does about any other branch of the
United States service. They are not
quite certain whether 1t Is composed
of sailors or soldiers, and generally
conclude that the men are q cOmbina
ton of the two. Until recently the Of
ficers of the regular navy did not re
| gard marine corps officers of the same
grade as their equals In rank. But q
recent decision of the attorney general
accOrds the marine officers the same
standing as those Of officers Of the
same grade in the regular navy.
| Veterans of the corps have seer
service in every quarter Of the world
and they have generally acquitted
themselves with credit to their corp
and country.
At present the total strength Of thu
corps in officers and enlisted men Ii
7,448. although the full strength fixe,
by law is 5000. It is proposed to as
semble at convenient points 1000 o
these for service in Cuba, II they arr
needed either to preserve order or II
case the United States decides to In
tervene. AS usual, they are the frs
troops on the scene, ready for actor
whenever the orders are flashed from
i Washington.
4 When trouble breaks out Uncl'
Sans emergency corps will general!
be found there or Whereabouts. -