The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-30
U. s. Bluejeckets, Ranging
in Age From ID to %,
Shot Down by Con-
cealed Foes.
ny DUDLEY HARMON.

N"'N HPiii hC NVi I"
knows now that the United States
holds Vera Cruz. Admiral Badgers
forces his tackles and his marines.
have landed, have fought step by step
along the waterfront, up narrow, to-
tuous streets. into plazas and avenues,
FROM the ground and from housetop>,
night. morning. noon. for two days
without cessation. At this writing
they arr sin shooting. but peace is In
sight
The marines are spreading out as
outposts and The whereabouts Of Gen.
Mass, the Federal commander. are not
known. Out in the harbor beyond the
long brea kwater, the ships Of Great
Britain, Germany and Spain lie, and
from them in three languages come
cheers and approving words.
splendid ~ comes from the officers;
"bully." or Its equivalent, comes from
the men.
Yet all this work has been done by
American sailors and marines, the
average age Of whom Is just %. Look
around you as you go home tonight
and see the "kids." as you call them.
the youngsters just of age, and then re-
member that the United States forces
which went in Tuesday were of their
age. looked and acted very much like
them until they came face to face with
out faltering upon the big thing they
were sent to do. Then they became
strong. mature. deliberate men In a
twinkling; smiled at the death which,
hidden everywhere. sprang out to meet
them. and made good.
Ninety per cent. of the men who went
ashore Tuesday had never heard a
hostile bullet sing before. yet 100 per
cent. Of them were brave clean through.
They had been trained by their officers
into the usages and practices Of civil
lied warfare and their first experience
was Of the warfare known in the old
Indian days Of the United States
known also to the soldiers in the Phil.
iypines, but not to the sailors: yet they
rheerfully adapted themselves and fol
lowed their officers. While you are
tnlkin: about the men remember the
officer a little. or course he does not
deserve extraordinary praise: he has
always been willing and able tn go In
anywhere.
snipers' Battle From the start.
Almost from the very start II has
been Il "snipers'" battle. y sniper Is
man who hides himself behind the
parapet found on every Mexican roof
or under window in his house and
tries to pick of the enemy one 10y one
II Is the most aggravating and eXas
perating form of combat which can bt
devised and after two days Of it the
American forces ashore are no Longer
in the humor tn be tolerant of those
caught shipping.
The entire city of Vera Cruz is il
the hands Of the Americans, yet eve
since the fighting started right M Il
the present moment Of writing snip
ing has continued. One hears thu
pop of rife in every part of tow
every few minutes and the emergenc!
hospital established at the Hotel Ter
mipal Is CHASTITY evidence of its dead.
effect
These sinners are not Mexican sol
diers They are citizens who are no
willing to accept the fact that the cit!
has been taken. but persist in trying t.
kill as many Americans as they cal
without any danger to themselves
They do not hope to accomplish any
thing except to take life. they know
we'll 1t will make no difference how
many they kill in this manner. Ger
tainly there must he a deep seate,
hatred in the man who will confirm
to STAY after the fighting is over. Tn
sailor points to this and the fact tina
these are not soldiers. but simply tn
run of the Vera Cruz citizenry an
wonders how 1t bears out the attitud
Of President Wilson that the quarre
Is not with the Mexican Government
nor the Mexican people, but with MI
IIuerta.
The boys ashore. who have seen score
of their comrades shot up by thes
deadly unseen foes, have rather pos
tive opinions on that subject. Neithe
does il auyllr well for the future move
ments and operations of the America
forces in Mexico. for there is no rcaso
for assuming that Vera Cruz pcopl
are different from other MeXican
And It also makes them sceptlcal of
policy Of letting neghboring countr
which one may have to invade get $
filed up with arms and ammunitiO
vTTTT ivory -T7TrizT111T 1Iifif IT nrS-r0us
rifles revol,ers and ammunition fo
them
The landing place for all the Amer
cans is the Ward Line dock. near tn
Hotel Terminal and the railroad ST;
tlon \ few administrative building
are near by. hut for the most part III
scene is quite open and unprotecte,
Though this spot has been held h
Americans for two days. at mdnigf
last night. when / left the dock for IL
Arkansas, the snipers were still
work, trying to pick OF the boat of
cers and seamen engaged In peacefl
work there. Every boat that com,
ashore Is target for those who h
using smokeless powder render then
selves almost immune from danger.