Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-01-16


guard the American consulate at Valparaiso, Chile,
it is the American marine, the first aid" man OF
the countrys armed service. who rushes to the
front.
And "rushes" is the word. For speed is the ele-
ment which above all others is drilled, hammered
and pounded night and day into the constitution
of the marine. On the principle that fire caught
in it's early stages will be readily extingushed,
the United States marine corps is organized to
respond to any call at moments notice and
smother the incipient blaze. In fact their hurried
appearance tho scene has often prevented the
outbreak of threatened confagration.
From the halls Of Montezuma to the shores OF
Tripoli' is the way the song starts which they
nave made known in every part of the world
"The halls of Montezuma?" Yes, the marines
have seen service in Mexico. 1t was back in the
days of 1847 when they were present at the storm
ing of Chaputepec, the strong castle on the fortl-
fed hill near Mexico City, where the ancient Aztec
rulers held sway.
ITO the shores Of Tripoli?' Yes, it was back in
1903 that American marines marched across the
desert of northern Africa for 500 miles and after
capturing the Tripotan flag hoisted that of the
United States for the first time in the history of
the country on fortress of the Old World.
China Japan Corea Egypt, Algiers, Tripoli,
hile Mexico, Cuba, Sumatra, Formosa, Hawaii,
Santo Domingo Porto Rico, Nicaragua-no, this
is more than mere geographical list of countries,
it is a roster Of some of the countries in which
the American marines have been called on for
service And they sing:
From the He'll Hole of Cavite
To the Ditch at Panama,
You will find them very needy
Of Marines-that's what
We're the watch dog Of pile of coal
Or we dig magazine,
Though our job-lots they manifold,
Who would not be a Mariner"
Ubiquitous they are in field of action. Manifold
are their duties Amphibious creatures also they
are fighting by land sea. They are called
soldiers of the sea-" Ready for fun or frolic
they serve on war vessels and land Dotn IN times
of peace and war.
when fighting on the battleships or cruisers to
which they are assigned they man the six-inch,
fiye-inch and threeinch guns. and the sHpounders
of the intermediate and secondary batteries They
are trained and fully equipped for instant service
as landing parties When they land they take
with them if needed ship guns of tnree, i've and
sixinch calber Part of their training is to mount
these pieces in suitable shore positions They are
taught the various methods of singing and trans
porting ordnance.
Ashore in foreign countries they fight or per
form peaceful duties, according to need. And
when there is any fighting to be done, they are
generally the men who start it. They open the
way for bigger fighting if such should be neces-
sary. They are the forerunners of both the army
and navy. They are the hurry up, clean EN- up
quick and eat EN- alive boys. Except in case of
big and important fighting, the marines usually
finish the job alone. AS the marine corps all told
comprises only 10000 men and 334 officers, it could
not fight war but for the dozens of smaller calls
for military aid it is all sufficient If either the
army navy both are to into action
later it is usually the marines who have taken
tho ArEt step against the enemy