Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-08-24
MARINES |WAYs
FIRST FIGHT
They Go EVERY b by Land or
Sea in De! u Of the
Ams''s 's'.
MOTTO: "ALWk Faithful" !"
The Recruit EnterI1o eerviee Today Is
Paid $50 q Month and the opportu.
mites for Advancement Are
Numerous.
BY EbWAR6 3: CLARK:

BY EDWARD B.cLARK.
Observation-Disclosures in the Fight" is
the wartime slogan Of the United
States marines, while "Semper FL
delis," always Faithful" is their
motto in peace and war.
So it would seem that if good works,
coupled with faith, secure a mans SAL
walton, there must be some reason as
well as rhyme in the last four lines of
the Marine corps hymn:
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heavens scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded by
The United States Marines.
Recently Uncle Sam has ordered an
increase in the number of his marines
to a war strength Of 10000 men,
which numerically means 1000 more
men than there are in a division Of
troops of the United States army.
There is room In the marines, there
fore, for any stalwart young Ameri-
can between the ages Of eighteen and
thirty-fve who wishes to be a soldier
and a sailor in one, to be first in the
is always faithful to the ideals Of hu-
manity and the ideals Of his country.
In the present war the American be-
lief is that the two are one.
When congress recently increased
the pay of the army it also increased
the pay Of the navy and Of the Ma
rine corps. The recruit today who en-
ters the Marine corps will receive $50
month pay, an increase Of SIS over
the pay in the more or less piping
times of peace. More than this, If he
goes to sea, which unqr estionably will
be his lot, he will receive 20 per cent
additional, and it is generally account
ed that In this war time the 20 per
cent increase will be continued while
the marine is on land In a foreign
country holding up his end for the
United States. sAs'. So -
What is the marine? This is one Of
the questions in little catechism is
sued by the officials Of the corps. The
answer is that the marine Is soldier
Of the sea.
A Two-Fisted Fighter.
The marine is soldier and sailor,
and yet he is neither. He is sort Of
a two-fisted fighting rover. He goes
everywhere by land or by sea to the
last outpost of civilization and beyond
If it is necessary for the service Of
protection Of the American flag and of
the upholding of the rights Of American
people.
The Marine corps Is curious In way
In its formation. 1t has more men in
Its ranks than an army division, and
yet in way its organization is that
of a regiment, although it has ma
jor general commandant and several
brigadier generals. Then. like the
army, it has its colonels, its lieutenant
colonels, its majors, and its captains.
The Marine corps, big as 1t is, with
Its 10000 men in war time, keeps Pc
culiar organization, because Its fight
ers necessarily are divided into COM
paratively small detachments.
Under the command Of Colonel Doy.
en- Of the Marine corps 1000 soldiers
Of the sea soon will be in the trenches
In France. These men, 1t has been
announced, were added to the prelim-
mary force which it is intended to
send into France because the govern
ment recognized the right Of marines
to live up to the meaning Of their war.
time slogan, "First In the Fight"
Men Needed for Marines.
The United States government wants
men for Its Marine corps. 1t hopes that
it will not be necessary to draw from
the ranks Of the selective service
army the men needed to complete the
complement of the soldier-sailor organ
ization. 1t wants volunteers. The at
fractions of service in the marines are
many. There are chances, and good
ones, for the enlisted men to be rec
commended for student course at An
napolis, there to be educated and
trained and upon graduation to re-
ceive a commission either In the Ma
rine corps or In the navy. The law
also provides for the promotion Of
noncommissioned officers to warrant
rank in the grades Of marine gunners
and quartermaster's clerk. Such off,
GERS receive from SLIPS to $500 a
year, and are entitled to the same
privileges Of retirement as warrant
officers In the navy.
There is a chance for marines to
make money in addition to their pay.
Mess stewards, mess sergeants, mess
meI1, clerks, and men assigned to avia-
tio1 duty receive amounts varying
frcNn $3.50 to $15 per month in addi-
ton to their base pay. There are pro-
visions for increased pay for men who
qualify as expert riflemen, as marks
men and as sharpshooters.
The Marine corps is the oldest army
service of the United States, having
been organized before the army and
the navy. Every man who enters it is
given his food, his clothing. his lodg-
ing, and his medical attendance.
The country needs volunteer ma
rines for q service that IL First at
the Front and Always Faithful