Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-24
Marines Still Busy
Despite Wars End
BY Frederic j. Ha.kin

Washington. D. e., Dec 2l-FT'he
close Of the war Is bringing TO the United
States Marines a bigger, Job than the
war itself brought Them saws Colonel
A. :. McLemore, Commandant of the
/ Marine Corps Headquarters at Wash
ington. Chaos and uncertainty IN Ger
many and Russia, and possibly AZ the
naval bases Of defeated countries will,
!. the Marine Corps officers believe, require
the attention Of our international police
Tor some time
Besides, adds Colonel McLemore,
"some people say that the Marines viii
have the JOB rolling up all the barbed
WIRE on the western front
This is a cheerful way Of saying that
they may he requested TO assume the
part Of whitevIngs as well a. that Of
traffic cops.
The Marines are ready for anything
A. present. those N this country have
one grievance. They are grlmhling be-
cause the excitement Is over, and unless
something Is gong 70 be started for their
benefit pretty soon, they want 10 be
discharged.
MAY 90 OVER YET.
There is still the possibility that some
of the Marines and soldiers who took the
full course ID Fighting Tp-to-Date, 4
gwen by the L. :. Government. and werc
about 10 be sent across for a post graduate
course when fighting stopped, may I've
sent over anyway, and Others who have
seen service returned Thss would give
the men IN this country 4 chance 10 mt
some OF their military training 10 use,
whilc those who have taken part 10 the
fighting would be sent home much sooner.
Authority 70 do this would rest with the
Secretary Of Var, who has charge OF the
affairs of those Marines who had been
bugaoed With L. : soldiers Tor and
service abroad As vet, Colonel Nc
Lemore says he has had no instructions
70 prepare for this step.
he Secretary of the Nays estimate
Tor the Marine Corps on q permanent
peace basis Is 26300 men But while
Europe IS IN lis present unsettled con
dltion, extensive policing IS lncvitabie
II IS also inevitable that = large share
Of this garrison duty should fall 10 The
Names. who have always considered
pohcing their special work.
For this reason there will be no general
Decentralization Of the Marine Corps.
Secretary Daniels has recomnepded that
4 be kept at almost full strength during
the coming wear. and that provision ne
made for 10000 men, which is approx
nately the number nov IA service. At
the same time orders nave occn, gwen
10 gram discharges to moi more than
20 per cent Of the men. on presentation
Of sufficient reason for de.lrng release
The loss Of men By individual discharge
will be made up ny enlistment. About
twenty men are nov being enlisted
day, ana later recruiting campaign will
hs started. Ii Is worthy Of note that
he corps expects TO drop its war time
policy OF attracting recruits BY posters
and notices spread broadcast, and viii
return to what 1t terms more dignihed
methods, which means two-lnch an
nounccment IN the newspapers and
modest sign outside the recruiting tent
Favor ENLISTED MEN.
Enlisted men will still be favored AS
applicants for commissions. -Four hun
drcd and thirty Marines have uSt been
graduated at the Marine officers training
school AZ Quantieo, Virginia, and new
class will be admitted IN January,
he $50 women marines now on the
payroll Will DC retained in service 81 long /
a. needed. The Marine Corps has proved I
itself the most democratic branch OF nur
lighting service by enlisting girls on an !
equal status with men, without reserNa-
NFph hdb ios ttttN Nt'it tftlfSttu iDf 8NA 3
duty they might be called upou 10 per |
form. So far, none have baked ~ ap, |
orders OF their commanding officers
The term 'naarnette, describing the /
marines girl clerks, has been gwen . /
death blow by Colonel McLenore. who /
declared himself in favor OF the nane
We omen marines Women marines
they are therefore called especially in
the Colonel's vicinity
The war career Of the 1000 U. :.
MARINES sent overscas is we'll known
The casualties are estimated by General !,
Barnett at 10000, which Is the most
significant fact as to the pAyt the ma
rines played in actual lighting. NoveS her
10, the last day Of the war, ioaaa' the