The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-17

IN foreign lands keep stil and remain
in the United States
This, in my opinion, is the great virtue
of the marine corps: Each man is an
individual There are no companies no
regiments aud no man is attached IN
any way whatsoever. Individual orders
are issued for each man. A marine might
be stationed at Philadelphia, be ordered
to Peking and all connection with the
Philadelphia post would cease Instantly.
OF course, where convenient companies
are formed but they are not cohesive
Our recruit upon being turned o,cr
for duty applied for foreign duty and
within two weeks orders came direct
ing him to join the cruiser Des Moines.
say and proceed to the Philippines. The
duties of marine on shipboard are as
sentinels to watch over the gangway,
boats alongside. approaching or passing,
and to give the alarm In case of fire.
TO preserve order and to allow no Samb:-
ling, swearing or immoral practices: to
prevent injury or theft to government 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
maintain discipline and good order. In
port they constitute the deck guard for
purposes of rendering honors.
Expert in Gun Work
Marines are detailed as gun crews IN
the secondary batteries consisting of the
smaller calibre machine and rapid fire
guns. Every possible opportunity for
drill and target practice is taken adj
vantage of, and the men become very
expert in working these guns which rem
der invaluable service during battle. In
case of fire or wreck they guard the
small boats and prevent panic or pill
lage.
"A frequent duty for marines in foreign
countries is TO guard American legations
and consulates and the interests of Amei-
can citizens in the time of revolution,
riot or disorder
I'm time of peace therefore the regu-
lar routine duties of the marine corps.
IN comparison with the various civil life
employments, are light, and the hours OF
actual occupation are short. But the
men should not enlist with the expec-
tation of finding a life of perpetual
ease and comfort
Now just word in closing In dis
cussion of the prevalency of desertions
in the service much attention has been
paid to the menial duties required of
the enlisted men, In the marine corps
II is not SO. No man is required to
perform menial duties, such as cooking,
painting, waiting on table, etc. All those
who do this kind of work are volunteers
and are paid extra for it besides being
excused from drill and other duties
In the marine corps chances for pro-
motion are excellent and about 60 en-
listed men have been granted eommis-
sions since the war with Spain l do not
wish to give the idea that 1t is easy
to obtain commission in the corps for
this is not true-it takes long and
arduous work to pass the examination
for a commission. But the fact that
men are often promoted from the ranks
for signal service or on merit brings
the officer and men closer together
there is less snobbishness and life is
made better.
About this Mexican business? Oh. l
wish we'd get a chance to go down there
and show those greasers that an Ameri-
can really can fight. We have taken so
much from them that Americans are
actually passing as English and Ger
man because they get better protection
! think we could do a nice ship-shape
job in little of no time"
And there was hearty assent frow
Corporal BulIard