Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-01-15

than $4,000 Then he can retire with all TINS
money to his credit and with pension in addition
of from $3.50 to $3.50 month, according to the
rank he held at the time of retirement During
the % years more man 500 marines have been
placed on the retired list.
There is not a eingle vacancy in the marine
corps It's quota Ok 10000 men and 334 officers
is kept filed, re-enlistments or recruits taking up
all the vacancies as fast as they occur
In spite of the attractions which are held out
for enlistment in th 1harine corps foreign travel,
great variety ofseeT7fe comparatively light work
most of thu toihe and SO on, it is not mere mat
ter of application followed by aperfunctory exam
nation which will land 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 Yeruiting officers
Applicants at recAAaing stationsaaaSe reiesAaa
for manylraasansaa sSv.s-san'Sc wafit9d who are
\ marine 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 are likely to prove deserters
towards or weaklings in any way or who may have
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 OF
misdoing. Such men, it is always feared, will try
deserving when opportunity offers When a man
is recruited his Bertillon record is promptly for
warded to Washington, where records search
ed to see If he has before been enlisted in
any branch of the service and discharged for
cause AS the recruits are not sworn in for four
or five days, this gives time to catch them if they
have tried to get in wrongfuy. Criminals are
sometimes caught in this way trying to escape the
clutches of the law by ensting in the government
service Washington has other Bertlon records
besides those made in the recruiting Offices.
Enlistment in the marine corps is for four years.
1t so well that 40 per cent of those whose terms
expired reenlisted for another four-year period
The training is systematic and careful developing
the best that is in man. There are special ex- |
ercises for strengthening weak parts of the body, |
which enable the marines to stand the rigors 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 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 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' sself with Gatlin' gun to talk TO
them 'eathen kings;
E sleeps in an a'mmick instead of a cot, an e
drills with the deck on 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 bald mans cad 1
to paddle is own canoe:
Es sort of bloomin' csmopolous--soldier and
sailor, too"
The American marine, Soldier of the Sea-
nown all over the world from Gibraltar to Yoke
ama, has been strong factor in helping to main
ain the prestige of the United States to fight its
attles and stand guard many foreign shores
his influence is not likely to be lessened with the
assing years. THE marines have landed and have
he situation we'll in hand" will continue to be the
eport heard from them