The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-08


Victories of peace and public serv-
ice are to be entered on the rec
ords of marines alongside the en-
tries for service in war and equal
credit is to be given for each, &C
eording to a new policy outlined
in a recent order of Major General
John A. Lejeune, commandant of
the marine crops.
The order relates to the mem
bers of the marine corps who took
part in the perilous work of res
cuing the imprisoned and injured
at the Knickerbocker theatre dis
aster and directs that a commenda-
tory notation similar to the mark
ing of credit given for participat-
ing in battle be entered in the serv-
ice record book of every marine
who participated in the work of
rescue. Prior to this time such
credit has been given only for
service in battles, skirmishes, cam
paigns and other warlike enter
prises.
The decision of the marine corps
to award credit equal to battle
credit for the hazardous and heroic
took part in the work of rescue at
the Knickerbocker is a continuation
Of the policy of the marine crops
adopted about year ago by which
it was determined that almost as
great service could be rendered to
the American public by marines
during peace times as during war.
According to General LeJeune.
this policy is based on a theory
which has seldom been considered
in connection with the military
service, namely, that the marine
corps exists not only to serve the
nation in war, but to constitute
reserve of educated, trained. tech
nical men ready to come to the aid
of the country in any manner in
which their services may be need
ed in emergencies of peace. At the
same time it is his theory that a
most important factor in the mis-
sion of the corps is to administer
its affairs so efficiently and eco
nomically, that its cost may not be
heavy public burden.
Surprising Results Already.
Since the summer of 1920, when
ting this theory into practice, re-
suits have been obtained which
have surprised and delighted even
its warmest supporters. The prac,
tice of placing the marines in all
localities at the service of the com
munity in every emergency has en-
abled them to be of service in a
multitude of manners and instances
and has built for the corps a repu-
tation for peace-time usefulness
which has rendered it in public
opinion more than ever an indis-
pensable adjunct of the govern
ment During this period, also, eff
ficiencies have been introduced and
economies put into effect which
have cut the cost to the govern
ment of maintaining the marine
corps, per man, to less than half
the sum formerly necessary.
An apt illustration of the man
ner in which the corps new policy
has put all marines "on their toes"
to serve the nation whenever need
ed, is furnished in the happenings
of the collapse of the Knickerbock-
er theatre. The roof of the ill-fat-
O'Clock on the evening of Jan. %.
A few minutes after the disaster, a
private of marines, whose name has
never been ascertained, telephOned
the news to Lieutenant Colonel
Robert Y. Rhea. commanding Off
GER of the marines at the Wash
ington navy yard. Without await
ing authority or orders from any
one, Colonel Rhea sent orderlies
dashing through barracks and
sQuad-rooms with orders to turn
all men out, and telephoned the
news to the nearby marine bar
racks, where the commanding Of
ficer, Major Clayton B. Vogel, took
similar action, with the result that
within a quarter of an hour more
than 200 marines with trucks con-
tanning Jacks, acetylene torches and
other devices were bucking their
way through the heavy snow to
the scene of the accident two miles
away.
Their work on arrival is too we'll
known all over the country to need
retelling. The ejaculation of one
of the survivors,: Thank God for
the marines!" sums up public SEN
timent in a sentence. After work
ing for five hours, cutting steel
beams, lifting concrete blocks and
carrying out crushed and mangled
victims, the marines were relieved
at 2 o'clock Sunday morning by an
army detachment from Fort Myer,
Va, which had been summoned
through the usual military chan
nels.