The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-06-08
Marines SUCCEED
ON French FRONT
BY RIFLE SKILL
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
fcontinued from First Pare.l


ranges in this country. $50 qualified
and 95 failed to qualify. This is a
percentage Of o0.S, and OF that $3.50,
there were 1.125 expert marksmen,
1,0s1 sharpshooters, and $50 marks
men, as they are technically describ-
ed.
To stimulate the men, the word Is
spread that only those who qualify
with the rifle will get into the front
line fighting. Furthermore, extra
pay is given for the better marks
men.
There Is another reason why the ma
mines have been 50 effective In France
They are versatile. Every company has
a certain number Of men especially train
ed as snipers, machine gunners, and
bombefs. Most Of the marines have
seen active service in Haiti or Vera
Cruz or China or Nicaragua and are
cool under fire. But whether they have
experience or not in actual lighting, thIlr
work on the range undoubtedly has been
responsible for their excellent showing.
For the unframed rihemen will be-
come panieky and shoot directly into
the mass OF oncoming infantry. while
the expert will pick the men oppo-
site him and salkhly fell wave after
wave. The officers know what their
men can do, and the men have con-
fidence in themselves. They let the
enemy come on and they cody FIRE on
no matter how near their opponents
get, They prefer to use the rife for
its original purpose than as a club.
Serve Under PershInE.
The marines are today operating
under General Pershing, having been
temporarily detached from the navy
by order of the President. They sent
regiment in the first transports
conveyed across the Atlantic. and
their brigade has been in training for
nearly a year with the French. A
secaond brigade has been authorized
for overseas service. The marines
have shown themselves apt pupils in
the tricks Of European warfare, but
in the business OF sniping and picking
of enemy scouts and patrols they
needed little instruction.
Officers Of the Marine Corps. Incl
dentally, are not selected as for the
army and navy. There are no train
ing camps to which candidates for
commissions are taken from the out
side. Every marine officer Is pro-
NOTED from the ranks. Whenever an
officers training camp Is established,
a board OF Ofncers from edCh pOSts
selects from the non-commissioned Of
hcerse or privates the very best quota
| and those men are permitted to try
for commissions.
So II results that an officer doesn't
grow up with his troops as in the ex-
banded army today, but that he Is
veteran himself and can speed the
training OF recruits. or course, the
army has done as much OF this as
possible, but on account OF its great
size has had to take. officers from
/ civilian life. II is fortunate however,
/ that the marine corps can keep on
selecting its officers in the same way
and when the authorized strength OF
/ $4,000 is recruited, America Will have
force OF well trained and mobile
| fighting men who can shoot straight
and who can be depended upon for
| special service in any part OF the
/ globe It will be in a short time
larger than the regular army in CON
| tinentaI United States before the out
/ break Of the European war.
The growth OF the marine corps Is
/ historically interesting. II was Gre
ated in 1898 with thirty-three onicers