Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-22
HAIn BORES BUTLER;
lS SERVICE ABROAD
Tropics Not Hot Enough for
Island Governor, "Hell
Devil" of Marines
EAGER FOR FRANCE
Lieutenant Colonel, Home. Wants
Transfer to Real Fighting.
W Record of Bravery

The land of the palmettos and the
afternoon siestas is too tame" for Lieu
tenant Colonel Smedley Darlington
Butler, Hell pevir OF the marine corps.
Even the post OF Governor Of the ISLAND
OF Haiti cannot tempt him to remain
away from the fight on the other side
Consequently, he wants TO he relieved
Of his post, and Is now on furlough,
visiting at the home of his father. Con-
kressman Thomas $. Butler, In west
Chester. He wants to go to France in
active service
His many feats OF bravery have won
for Colonel Butler the admiration OF the
entire personnel OF the navy and marine
corps. He Is known among enlisted men
and officers alike as one of the most
daring men In the service. who Is not
content unless facing danger
.Gimlet Eye" "Hell Devid" and
Fighting Quaker are some of the titles
he has gained--each the result of some
experience when he fiaunted death.
Colonel Butler has been with the
marines In every corner OF the earth.
Forty-five times he has been under fire.
few days prior to the American attack
on Vera Cruz in 1914 he played the
dangerous yet important role of a spy
,malking his way through the Mexican
lines and preparing a map of roads TO be
used by the American force In reaching
Mexico City.
Re has been cited for bravery on many
occasions and has been especially
honored by Congress. For his daring
work In leading the attack on Fort
Riyiere, Haiti, he was awarded medal
of honor.
His Mexican exploit. which gained
for him the sobriquet of "Hell devil OF
the Marine Corps" is one of the most
daring in the hostory of tine corps. Dis
guised as an English idler. he trlveled
through the bandit-infested regions OF
the troublous State, explaining that he
was searching for thief who had
robbed him of valuable jewelry. lie
took so many chances TO obtain the
information he was after that the re-
ports OF his trip announced III he had
been even slightly suspected his life
would not have been worth twenty cents
Mexican money"
The entire life of Colonel Butler. IL
fact. is a record of bravery. At the
outbreak of the Spanish War, wher
less than seventeen years old. he en-
listed in the marines. He 1T the Hav
erford Grammar School. and, agains
the will Of his parents. took a competi
tive examination for lieutenants in thu
marine service ana passed second II
a class of more thin 200 As a secont
lieutenant. he served during the wa
on board Admiral SIMPSONS flag ship
the New York.
After the war he was assigned t,
duty in the Philippines. and during th'
Boxer troubles in China he was ordered
to join the Pekin relief column.
There. not yet twenty years old. But
Ter distinguished himself SO remarkably
particularly In the attack on Tien Tsin
In which he was wounded, that he wa
promoted for "emiuer. and conspicuou
conduct TO a captaipcy. With anothe
officer. Captain Harding. he clrried a
injured marine seven miles. being force
to drop the unconscious man occasion
ally to defend themselves from China
men
Butler is said 10 be the only America
soldier upon whom the English sough
to confer the Victoria Cross for bravery
While fighting with forces of Englan,
and Japin, he rescued an enlisted maj
under a rain of fire. This Government
however. would not permit him to ac
cept the decoration.
After the Boxer uprising he command
ed the marines in Nicaragua and latue
at the PanIIna Canal Colonel Roose
Welt once characterized him as "th
ideal American soldier"