Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-12-05
PROBLEM OF MARINES
How They Regard Their Change
In Service.
FEEL THE REMOVAL KEENLY.

| Warship Soldiers Think Plan Of Put
ting Them In the Army Is Illegal.
Some Notable Exploits by Them In
| American Wars.
/ From the halls OF Montezuma
! To the shores Of TripolI
| We fight our country's battles
BY land as well as sea
From the Temple Of the Dragon
/ TO the sunny Philippine.
/ Though our lot be sometimes hardish.
] Who wouldn't be "a mariner
a !. Song y; Of the ... Marines.
| Shall the United States marines, now
! that President Roosevelt has deprived
| them of their place on board the bat
| tleships and cruisers OF the American
| feet, be transferred In a body to the
United States regular army and there
assigned to the infantry arm of that
| branch of the united service3 is one of
many absorbing questions engaging
| the officers and men Of Uncle Sans
service.
Congressman Hull OF Iowa, chairman
of the house committee on military af-
fairs. has offered this suggestion as a
solution Of the present controversy
relative to the future of marines, but
whether 1t can be done Is the question.
The marines. those most concerned,
are doubtful Ii 1t can be done legally.
Big posters are still displayed In front
Of the recruiting offices for the enlist
ment of marines, and they are being
enlisted, says the New York Times.
Some of the inducements held out to
them by the government is 'chance
to see the world"
That the officers and men of this his
toric branch of the service adoat feel
very keenly the action of the presi-
dent In ordering their service aboard
ship dispensed with there Is not the
least doubt, but they are powerless In
ly the final outcome. Taking over the
marines by the army and then form
ing them into ten new regiments of
infantry would certainly go great
way toward solving the present short
age in that the most important, arm
Of the mobile service, and 1t would also
add to the commissioned personnel
bOUlC Vi tut DtSt ttdlhtn OlhSCAS III thC
world AS for the enlisted men, their
records in three wars, not counting the
Boxer outbreak as such, aud the fact
that their rifle teams are among the
very best in the world speak for Them
selves.
Nearly 100 years ago the marines
were fighting indians down in Georgia.
To them the credit Is given of opening
the way for the scientific exploration
of the Fiji islands. When California
was territory the marines went there
and stopped all kinds of troubles, their
use of horses in the expeditions giving
to the world the name OF the horse
marines, since perpetuated in song,
story and play.
Their part In the battles of the war
of 1912, the war with Mexico, the con-
fiict between the states, the war with
Spain and the Boxer troubles In China
are told in history. 1t was the marines
who made the first landing In Cuba in
the late war. and 1t is to the marines
more than to any other force under the
control of the United States that piracy
was stamped out In Porto Rico over
eighty years ago, and later they de-
stroyed the piratical villages on the
island af Sumatra. And it must not
be forgotten that 1t was Captain
O'Bannon, a marine officer, who hoist
ed for the first time In the history or
the world the stars and stripes In the
old world. This was 103 years ago, and
the place was Fort Derne, in Iripoli
"Our organization is ITO years DID,
said Maine officer when his atten-
ton was called to Congressman HulPs
suggestion, land 1t would seem pretty
hard to destroy our identity now and
transfer us, lock, stock and barrel, into
the land service. However, the army
is fine organization, and maybe, after
all, our lot would be pleasanter In
service where the chances of the man
appointed from civilian life for adj
vancement are about ten times as good
as In the navy"
The transfer of the marines to shore
duty begins early In December, when
the marines on the battleship New
Hampshire and the armored cruisers
North Carolina and the Montana are
ordered ashore. Dec. 3 the marines
on the battleships Idaho and Missis-
sippi 60 ashore. The transfers from
the battleships of the Atlantic feet will
take place as soon as those vessels ar
rive in home waters.