Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-02-05

than $4,000 Then he can retire Win al tn'
money to his credit and with pension IN auution
of from $S450 to $3.50 MONTH accoiue n ~
rank he held at the time of retirement Durins
the % wears more than 500 marines have peen
placed on the retired list
There is not single vacancy In the marine
CORDS It's quota of 10000 men and 5S4 omcers
is kept filed re-enlistments or recruits TAKING up
all the vacancies fast as they occur.
In spte 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 it is not mere mat
ter of application followed by perfunctory exam
ination which will land man In TINS service
The examination is severe. This applies especl-
ally to physical fitness, although mental and moral
qualifications are considered also and rank hlgn
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. Inc
marine corps desires to maintain high standard
and will not accept who, in the opinion OF the
officers in charge, are likely to prove deserters'
towards or weaklings in any way, or who may nave
a bad influence on the other men.
Recruiting officers are alert in efforts to prevent
the enlistment of any men who try to get into the
service as means of escaping from the results or
misdoing. Such men, it is always feared, Will try
deserving when opportunity offers. When man
is recruited his Bertillon record Is promptly for
warded to Washington, where records are search
ed to see If he has ever before been enlisted in
any branch of the service and discharged for
cause AS the recruits not sworn in for four
or five days, this gives time to catch them If they
have tried to get In wrongfully. Criminals are
sometimes caught in this way trying to escape the
clutches of the law by enlistng 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
it so we'll 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 a man. There are special ex-
ercises for strengthening weak parts OF the BODY,
which enable the marines to stand the rgors OF
the hardest campaign with minimum of physical
fatigue. The pay for the newly enlisted man is SIS
a month and keep, which includes food, allow
ances for clothing and SO forth. In addition there
is extra pay for men who win Workmanship med
ais who receive good-conduct medals and who are
proficient in various lines of work. 1t has been
shown that marine, after allowing himself fair
amount each month for extras, can retire after 30
years service with more than $4,000 in banh
drawing interest at per cent.
Kipling sings of him:
ar after met i'm all over the world adoin' all
kinds of things
Like landn' ITSELF with Gatlin gun to talk to
them 'eathen kings;
e sleeps In an a'mmick instead of cot, an e
drills with the deck slew
There isn't job top of the earth the beggar
don't know to do.
You can leave i'm at night on bald mans cad
to paddle is own canoe;
Els sort of boomin cosmopolous-soldier and
sailor, too
The American marine, Soldier of, the Sea- -
known all over the world from Gibraltar to YNko-
hama has been strong factor in helping to main
tain the prestige of the United States, to fight its
battles and stand guard many foreign shores.
This influence is not likely to be essened with the
passing years. THE marines have landed and have
the situation well in hand will continue to be the
report heard from them.