Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
Lament of the Marines.


While recruiting officers of the army
and the navy report a brisk enlistment
all over the country, different state of
affairs is being felt in the Marine Corps.
There they are trying to figure out ex-
actly what they are in the service, af1oat
and ashore. The marines feel keenly the
position they are in as result or the
presidential order that ruled them off the
ships, and they are wondering what fate
the future has In store for them after
century of service to the nation. 1t
is common talk in the recruiting service
that drearier outlook never before faced
the marine recruiting officers
Under the former regime service in the
Marine Corps was made attractive by a
neatly gotten up book, the cover of which
showed a marine in full uniform standing
at present arms. while the inside was
full of explanations of the good things
and fine times that once upon d time came
the way of the marine. Now this is al
gone and new set of books has been
sent out. in which everything that per-
tains to the sea has been blue-pencied by
orders from the White House.
Before the Roosevelt order was issued
this paragraph was one of the principal
arguments advanced when a young man
appeared at a marine recruiting office:
Marines are required to enlist for four
years. The term of enlistment is di-
vided as nearly as may be practicable
between duty on board Il sea going ship
of the navy and service on land. This
is intended to give the men the neceS-
sary diversified training to qualify them
both as land and sea fighters
In the old unpenciled version this was
a fine picture that the recruiting officers
made use of:
1.-The particular duties of marines aboard
ship are as sentine1S to watch over the
gangways, boats alongside, approaching
or passing. and to give the alarm in case
of fire, to preserve order. and to allow
no gambling. swearing or immoral prac-
tice: to prevent injury or theft of govern
ment or private property: to allow no
smoking or washing of clothes except at
the prescribed hours; to allow no enlisted
man or boat to leave the ship without
the authority Of the officer of the deck; to
guard prisoners, and at all times to sus-
tain discipline and good order. In port
they also constitute the deck guard to
render honorS."
This is what they tell the prospective
recruit now:
"A. frequent duty for marines, in for
eign countries, is to guard the American
legations and consuates. and the inter-
ests of American citizens in time Of rev.
olution, riot or disorder. aud to protect
surveying and astronomical parties. The
duties OF marines when stationed on
shore at the navy yards and naval sta
lions are TO protect government prop
erty from theft injury and fire and to
prevent disorder of any kind
In other parts of the book the words
sea" and aboard ship are crossed out
wherever they occur.
Civilizing the Moros.
Brig Gen. Bliss. commanding the De-
partment of Mndanao believes that
constant display of force is necessary to
keep the Moros within bounds. IT is no.
ticeable during the last year, he says.
that there have been many outbreaks,
some due TO attempts to check the spread
of cholera. but others undoubtedly due to
the withdrawal of certain coast guard
cutters and small gunboats, which were