The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-01-23

than $4,000 Then he can retire with all this
money to his credit and with pension In addition
of from $3.50 to s67. month, according to the
rank he held at the time OF retirement During
the % years more than 500 marines nave peen
placed the retired list
There is not single vacancy in the marine
corps It's quota of 10000 men and 1874 officers
is kept filed re-enlistments recruits taking up
all the vacancies fast as they occur.
In spite OF the attractions which are held out
for enlistment in the marine corps, foreign travel
great variety of service, comparatively light work
most of the time and so on, 1t Is not mere mat
ter OF application followed by perfunctory exam
nation which will land a man in this service
The examination is severe. This applies especi-
ally to physical fitness, although mental and moral
qualifications considered also and rank high
in the mind of the recruiting officers.
Applicants at recruiting stations are rejected
for many reasons. Men are not wanted who are
morally unfit any more than are those who can
not meet the desired physical requirements. The
marine corps desires to maintain high standard
and will not accept men who in the opinion of the
officers in charge, likely to prove deserters.
towards or weakngs in any way, or who may have
q bad influence on the other men.
Recruiting officers alert in efforts to prevent
the enlistment of any who try to get into the
service means of escaping from The results OF
misdoing. Such men, it is always feared, will try
DESERVING when opportunity offers When man
is recruited his Bertillon record is promptly for
ed to see if he has ever before been enlisted in
any branch of the service and discharged for
cause. AS the recruits arc not cwoTn in for four
or five days, this gives time to catch them If they
have tried 10 get in wrongfully. Criminals are
sometimes caught in this way trying to escape the
clutches of the law by enlisting in the government
service. Washington has other Bertillon records
besides those made in the recruiting Offices
Enlistment In the marine corps is for four years.
Last year those who had been in the service liked
1t well that 40 per cent. of those whose terms
expired. re-enlisted for another four-year period.
The training is systematic and careful developing
the best that Is in man. There special
ercises for strengthening weak parts of the body,
which enable the marines to stand the rgo.s of
the hardest campaign with minimum OF physical
fatigue. The pay for the newly enlisted is Sic
month and keep, which includes food, allow
ances for clothing and forth. In addition there
Is extra pay 'or men who win workmanship med
ais. who receive good-conduct medals and who are
proficient in various lines of work It has been
shown that marine. after allowing himself a fair
amourt each month for extras. can retire after so
years service with more than $4,000 In bank
drawing interest at per cent.
KiplinG sings of him:
An after met i'm all over the world a-doin' all
kinds of things
Like landin ITSELF with a Gatn gun to talk to
them 'eathen kings:
e sleeps In ammck instead of a cot an e
drills with the deck a slew;
There isn't job on top of the earth the beggar
don't know to do.
You can leave i'm at night on o bald mans cad
to paddle lis own canoe
Els sort of boomin cosmopoous- soldier and
sailor, too"
The American marine, Soldier Of the Sea-"
known all over the world from Gibraltar to Yoke
hama, he's been a strong factor in helping to main
tain the prestige of the United States to fight it's
battles and stand guard en- many foreign shores
This influence is not likely to be lessened with tho
passing years. The marines have landed and have
the situation well in hand" will continue to be TIE
report heard from them.
HIS WAY OF THINKING.