Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-18
WILL BE FIRST TO LAND IN CASE
UNITED STATES INTERVIEWS
IN MEXICO.
WILL BE FIRST TO FALL
IF HosTlLITi6s BEGIN
Once Despised Branch Of Military Of
Nation Now Honored and Popular
First in Many Scraps Of Last Quar-
ter Of century-DiseipIins Strict
and Marines Make Good Fight.
Especial Correspondence


is the marines who promise 10 be in the
van of the fighting and cover them
selves with glory in advance of every
body else.
AS things look now, II this country
sends forces into Mexico. it will be the
marines who go first. They will be
the first to land at Tampico. If there is
landing and so It will be at other Mex
lean seaports. If anybody gets killed on
the American side. and there probably
will be in plenty unless Huerta salutes
the flag, it will be the marines who are
the first to fall.
1t used to be fashionable to despise
the marines but in recent years that
is true no longer. The American marine,
officer and man. has done too much
hard and valiant service for that. 1t
was the marines who leaped ashore
first in Cuba. back in '9s and got the
first engagement. In the Philippines
they did good service. They were In
the foremost when the trouble began
at Tfentsin at the time Of the Boxer
uprising.
AS for Central America and Latin
America, they have made record that
will stand up with the best traditions
of the American military service.
Work Under Strict Discipline.
The reasons why the marines al
ways do the service expected Of them
are numerous. from a military stand
point In the first place, the marine
corps.I additionally, has the strictest
Kind of discipline. 1t is stricter than
the discipline of the army or Of the
navy. The esprit de corps OF the ma
vine service is high and these things
count for much as we'll In a fight as
on the parade ground
Another fact about the marines is
that as rule the officers and men who
are in the service are there for the
love of it. II is not a case Of enforced
service. In the marines are large num-
bers Of men who have got a taste Of
military life in one way or another.
some times in the regular army. some
times in the volunteers or the national
guard, and who like 1t. Many OF the
marine officers have had army or navy
experience. Some of them are former
army or navy officers. The marine
personnel, generally speaking is made
up of men fond of the military life and
fond Of the rowing over the globe, which
is one of the Accomplishments Of the
service in this corps.
The dress of the marines, always
spick and span and immaculate, is an
index to the service. 1t discloses at
once the fact that there Is no ordinary
discipline and no ordinary pride Of the
corps among them.
Involved in Much Scrappins.
The marines have been involved in
so much scrapping IN the Latin Ameri-
can countries in recent years that they
will feel quite at home II they get
orders to seize Tampico or other Mexi-
can ports. One of their latest adven-
lures was In Nicaragua. There. all
though comparatively little was ever
told about 1t, the marines and jackies
got into some still fighting. In the
course Of opening up the railroad in
that country there was a curious illus
| tration Of the fact the marine can turn
| his hand to almost anything, whether
on land or water. 1t became neces-
isary for somebody to run locomotive
and Lieutenant Roy Conger. an old
Fifty first Iowa volunteer in the Philip
/ pine campaign. who had learned to run
an engine on the Rock Island railroad
undertook the job. He ran 1t, too. while
! helping command marines ana seameh
! in some lively fighting.
Lieut.. Col. John Archer LeJeune
graduate of the naval academy at An
napolis. and trained and experienced
marine officer. will be in command OF
| the marines II they land at Tampico
He is from Louisiana and has gone tc
Tampico from New Orleans on tht
Hancock. BY this time. he could have
at his disposal about 2.400 marines, II
he had to seize the port. He has the
REPUTATION Of being fine officer, "a
| the result OF his naval training and hi'
1 experience in the marine service. And
| IL the opinion of the marines is o.
value, 2,40O Of them could go most any
where in Mexico IL ordered to do so
They are hankering for the chance
lust a.s much as the army or navy.