The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-01-16


S~ANlM 1t may be a call from almost any
NXN part Of the world, summons to turn
NSSS out for almost any kind OF military
hNAR0 duty.
&YMAB Whether 1t be to take part In a
SNaL(<S Boxer uprising in China in Mica
SA W raguan revolution. to guard the polls
during election In Panama to
guard the American consulate at Valparaiso, Chile
1t is the American marine, the first aid man OF
the country's 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 its early stages will be readily extingushed,
the United States marine corps Is organized to
respond to any call at a moments notice and
smother the incipent blaze. In fact their hurried
appearance the 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
have made known in every part of the world.
"The halls OF Montezuma" Yes the marines
have service in Mexico. II back in the
days Of 1S47 when they were present at the storm
ing OF Chapulepec, the strong castle the forti-
fed hill near Mexico City where the ancient Aztec
rulers held sway.
ITO the shores Of Tripo?" Yes, II was back In
1903 that American marines marched across the
desert of northern Africa for 900 miles, and after
capturing the Tripolits1 flag hoisted that of the
the country fortress OF the Old World
China, Japan, Corea. Egypt, Algers. Tripo
Chile, Mexico, Cuba Sumatra, Formosa, Hawaii
Santo Domingo, Porto Rico. Ncaragua-no. this
is more than a 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
or Marines-that's what we are:
We're the watch dog of pile OF COAL
Or dig a magazine,
Though job-lots they are manifold.
Who would not be Mariner?
are their duties Amphibious creatures also they
are fighting by land They called
"soldiers of the sea-" Ready for fun or frolic,
they serve on war vessels and land both in times
pf peace and war.
when fighting on the battleships or cruisers to
which they are assigned they man the sixinch
hve-inch and three-inch guns and the sx-pounders
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 II needed ship guns OF three five and
sixinch caliber. 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 10 be done, they are
generally the men who start H. They Open the
way for bigger fighting. II such should be neces-
sary. They are the forerunners Of both the army
and navy. They the hurry up. clean em MP
quick and eat 'em 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 II could
not fight a war but for the dozens Of smaller calls
for military aid It is all sufficient II either the
army or navy or both TO come into action
later on. II Is usually the marines who have taken
The first step against the enemy.