Great Falls tribune., 1922-03-13
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tories Of peace and public service arc
to be entered on the records OF marines
alongside the entries for service in war
and equal credit is to be given for each
according to a new policy outlined in q
recent order of Major General John A.
Lejeune, commandant Of the marine
corps.
The order relates to the members
| OF the marine corps who took part in
the perilous work of rescuing the i'm
prisoned and injured at the Knicker-
booker theater disaster and directs that
commendatory notation similar to the
marking of credit given for participat-
ing in battle be entered in the service
record book of every marine who par
ticipated in the work of rescue. Prior
to this time such credit has been given
| only for service in battles, skirmishes,
campaigns and other warike enter
prises.
The decision of the marine corps to
award credit equal to battle credit for
the hazardous and heroic service In
peace of the men who took part in the
work Of rescue at the Knickerbocker is
a continuation Of the policy Of the ma
| rine corps adopted about year ago by
which it was determined that almost as
great service could be rendered to the
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peace time 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 consti-
tute a reserve of educated, trained,
technical men ready to come to the aid
of the country in any manner in which
their services may be needed in emer-
gencies of peace. At the same time it
is his theory that a most important
factor in the mission of the corps is to
administer its affairs SO efficiently and
economically that its cost may not be
heavy public burden.
Surprising Results Already
Since the summer Of 1920, when a
beginning was made toward putting this
theory into practice. results have been
obtained which have surprised and de-
lighted even it's warmest supporters.
The practice 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 null
titude Of manners and instances and
has built for the corps reputation
for peace time usefulness which has
rendered it in public opinion more than
ever an indispensable adjunct Of the
government. During this period, also.
efficiencies have been introduced and
economies put into effect which have
cut the cost to the government of main
tanning the marine corps, per man, to
less than half the sum formerly neces-
sary.
An apt illustration of the manner in
which the corps new policy has put all
marines ION their toes" to serve the
nation whenever needed, is furnished in
the happenings Of the collapse Of the
knickerbocker theater. The roof Of
the ill-fated building fell shortly after
s o'clock on the evening of January
%. A few minutes after the disaster
private of marines, whose name has
never been ascertained, telephoned the
news to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Y.
Rhea. commanding officer of the ma
rines at the Washington navy yard
Without awaiting authority or orders
from anyone, Colonel Rhea sent order
lies dashing through barracks and
squadrooms with orders to turn all
men out. and telephoned the news. to;
the nearby marine barracks, where the
commanding officer, Major Clayton B.
Vogel. took similar action, with the re-
suit that within 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.
"Thank God for the Marines"
Their work on arrival is too well
known all over the country to need
retclling. The ejaculation Of one of
the survivors: Thank God for the
marines" sums up public sentiment in
sentence. After working for five
hours, cutting steel beams, lifting con-
crete blocks and carrying out crushed
and mangled victims. the marines were
relieved at 2 o'clock Sunday morning
by as army detachment from Fort
Meyer. Va, which had been summoned
through the usual military channels.
Work of less sensational char
acter in the public behalf was done