The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-10
MARINES ARE OLDEST BODY
 IN SERVICE OF UNCLE SAM

In connection with the propaganda l for a larger army and bigger navy for the protection of the United States, there has been a disposition in some quarters to criicise the existing mili- tary and naval establishments of the repu blic. While it may be true that Uncle SamuePs little army is not as efficient as the forces of Germany or France, and the navy not so far ad- vanced toward perfection as Britain's great ea41ghting machine, thcre is one branch of the service which gives Uncle considerable ground for boast ing. When the Marine Corps is in question, Uncle Sam doesn't doff his l ''lid' to any body There may be a better body of picked fighting men in the world than is to be found in the United States Marine Corps, but as Mtssourian. and demands to be shown
 The United States Marine Corps is; the first-born of Uncle Sams military. progeny As a matter of fact, it is scarcely proper to refer to the corps as the offspring of the old gentleman win the variegated habiliment, for in this case the child is older than the l father The Marine Corps will cele- brate it's 10th birthday today, for a l resolution providing for two battaIions of marines was passed 5y the Contin- ental Congress on Nov. 10. 1775, some 1 months before the birth of the re- I public. The Marine Corps is thus the oldest branch of the service
 At Vera Cruz and in Nicaragua. Haiti, and the Philippines the Marines l have within the last few years fully lived up to the traditions of the corps, In the Boxer rebellion in China. and in the Spanish h-American l war. the Marines established a rec for GIx as an inspiration to the men who now wear the uniform and insignia I which, quite appropriately, is a globe i--in all parts of the world The l British marines have had an equally I brilliant history, and they have given I an excellent account Of themselves in the present war, but no other nation has attached so much importance. to the Marines the United States. The sailor may snfn at the Hsea soldier ,, but down in his heart the tar knows that the Marine tfhas it on him, when 1 it comes to efficiency in lighting. Moi I that the Marine is necessarily any I bravsr than the sailor or soldier. but he has had the advantage of a n11cl, more thorough training and SC. Zoo ! has the officer who leads llira. For l the officer of the United States Mar inc Corps the full course at the An napolis Naval School, which is ol,ite iraI ie. T only the beginning. After that ba
 must spend two years in rigorous study and drill at theS Norfolk school for Marine Corps officers On1v tI1 . flttest survive that thorough course
 of training. When he gets tT,ro,1eb
 the officer knows great deal of ev- erything connected with the science
 of war, and there is very little abo,,t
 either sea or land fighting. fnfant,-y
 cavalry or artillery. that he doesn't know As for cavalry-welI +be
 horse marines have always baen considered a joke, but on more than
 one occasion the Marines of both Tn
 e1e Sam and John Bull have fo,,eb+
 on horseback--and, what's more. fought we'll
 ines operated the smaller guns on +ba American fleet, and some of inc s-,e,. ish officers have testified that +Ta fire from the secondary batteries wa .
 more accurate and deadly than +bo+
 of the big guns. On shore the NFa~- ines were just as efficient and orc small body of Marines defeated a 4as+ 1y larger force of Spanish regulars Tn
 the defense of the legations in cs,ira
 the United States Marines had ++a most difficult and dangerous 1+.s1 Take him as soldier, sailor. e7,nnar stoker. guard, or even as caxalrvnoan
 and the Marine is hard man to
 beat.
 Attorney-GeneraI Richard s1i1b,,rn died at Indianapolis He was 5o years old
 The South Australian 5 per cant
 loan of $2,000,000 offered at e9 uoe