The sun., 1918-08-17
MARINE CORPS TAKES
A WIFE AND 2 MAIDS
"What Arc We to Wear9"
First Official Query Of First
Three Marinettcs.
ALLOTMENT TO HUSBAND
Women Soldiers of Sea Will
tank as Privates and Act
as Stcnographcrs.

There arc any number or Things
which one would never think of telling
TO three o. the marines who were sworn
into service at the marine recruiting
headquarters. "a East TwentJ-third
street. yesterday morning. Even the
di,fident young recruiting ofilcer who
Indicted them into the service found II
extremely d!nlcult to impart some
highly essential information to tho
rockies. but ho found II even more diff
.jcuI, 10 ask them certain personal
questions It was hard enough for MIN
10 ask them point blank what there
ares we're, but tho climax of his en-
barrussment came when he stalnmered
forth the following query:
Has any one Of you ter. ah. eh-
husband who ic totally dependent on
you for support
one Of tho rookie trio admitted the
possession OF a husband. but insisted
that the latter was perfectly able to
,aEe care OF himself and had always
done SO in the past. She was told
nevertheless that she would have 70
get his consent before enlis1ing ana
that. furthermore. she would have TO
agree to allot to him OF least $40 OUT
of her monthly wages
But he doesn't need it, replied the
recruit with the wedding ring.
That doesn't mako any d!fference,
replied the vermilion faced recruiting
sergeant This thing has got to be
done strictly according to regulations
and the regulations require that ma
rine has to pay his wife at least $40
n month out Of his wages. 1t stands
. reason that II a marine happens to
have A husband instead of wife that
husband is entitled to the same amount
Of compensation for having sacrificed
his wife to his country
Recruits Take Oath.
That settled the matter and the de-
tail was arranged without further par
ley Then the recruiting sergeant or
dered the three recruits to raise their
hands and to take the necessary oath.
Immediately three we'll manicured
hands shot into the air and remained
there while the sergeant mumbled:
And 1 do solemnly swear that l Will
bear true faith and allegiance to the
United States of America: that I will
serve them honestly and faithfully
against all their enemies whomsoever'
and that l will obey the orders OF the
President OF the United States and the
officers appointed over me, according to
the rules and articles for the govern
nent Of the Army. Navy and Marine
Corps of the United States during my
term Of active service. And I do further
swear that all statements made by me
as now given in this record are correct"
Then what do We say" chorused the
rocky trio.
The sergeant seemed to be stumped
for a second by this unusual query but
quickly regained his composure and re-
piled:
You say. 4 do of course. No, not
1 do of course Just I 90"
"Oh. heavens" said the rocky with
the wedding ring, II said that once be-
fore and it makes me feel terribly polyg-
amous to say 1t again. But. after all.
suppose I'm being married to the SER
vice. SO here goes"
"Now ladies'" concluded the recruiting
sergeant. you are duly installed pri-
Yates in the United States Marine Corps
and you are ordered to report for duty
at \. NJ. August 26 without fail. Fall
ure to report win be regarded as deser-
ton"
Thereupon' the three rockies about
faced as snappily as French heels and
lack OF military training permitted and
made for the door. At the exit one Of
them turned and sang out:
"Oh. sergeant, do tell us what we are
TO wear when we report
L. s. Supplies Uniform.
"oh. anything that isn't too fancy will
do" replied the sergeant. 1.-THE Govern
ment will give you uniforms before
long"
This promise brought forth a gurgle
Of delight from the rockies, who wanted
TO know just what the uniforms would
look like.
Well" said the sergeant, II don't
know as yet, but l guess they will be
something like the regular marine dress
uniform--light blue pants. or / beg
your pardon, skirts, dark blue coats with
yellow chevrons il you win 'em and
white caps with the bronze world above
the visor"
This concluded the swearing in of the
first three women members OF the United
States Marine Corps. The marinettes
are Miss Martha Lois Wilchinski of 944
Ligget avenue. The Bronx; Mrs. Mabel
Cochrane Owen of 1888 Davis avenue
Staten Island. whose husband, Sergeant
Emerson owen. an ex-newspaper man
is now in France, and Miss Mary Cartin
Kelly OF 435 Central avenue. Newark
y. J. They and nine more marinettes
TO be selected in the future are to be
sent to Washington to serve as
stenographers in the office of the Marine
Corps AdJutant. Their presence there
will release twelve male marines fol
duty overseas. They will receive Sic
per month and will be entitled to "aI
the privileges of the Marine Corps
They will even be eligible to promotion
to the rank of top sergeant.
In selecting the three marinettes sworn
into service yesterday the recruiting
officers had plenty of opportunity fol-
careful choice, for at least 1000 appli.
cants presented themselves. The ma.
iorlty of these melted away, however
when Lieut. George Miller explained
that they would have to qualify as OK,
pert stenographers capable OF takins
dictation at the rate of 1875 words ne,
minute. Those who remained wer,
given a physical examination by womei
nurses and were then turned over Il
Col. A. S. McLemore OF Washington
d. c., for a rigorous mental test.
Scores Wear Service Pins.
Many of the applicants had husband.
In the service. and most OF them wor,
service pins One wore a French wal
cross which she declared had been giver
70 her by her cousin. Sergeant Jerome +
O'Neill. a member Of Company III, 1851
Infantry. O'Neill lived formerly at 81.
East Thirtieth street.
Mrs. Helena Dupont. wife of Alder
Greer Dupont of the Dupont Studios
now student in an officers trainin,
camp in France. was one of the appi
ANTS. Albert Dupont graduated from
Harvard in 1918. and was one of tn,
four men Of that class who hoboed thei
way around the world after their grad