Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-09

washington, March s.-Victorles OF
peace and public service are TO be
entered on tho records Of marines
alongside the entries for service In
war and equal credit IL TO be given
outlined In recent order of MAjor
General John A. Lejeunc, Comman-
dant OF the Marine Corps
The order relates TO the members OF
the Marine Corps who took part In the
perllous work OF rescuing the Inn
prisonod and injured at the Knicker-
booker Theatre disaster and directs
that n cofnmendatory notation similar
10 the marking Of credit given for
participating in battle be entered In
tbe seryice-record book OF every
marine who participated in the work
Of rescue. Prior to this time such
credit has been given only for service
I'm battles, skirrnishes. campaigns ana
other warlike enterprises.
The decision OF the Marine Corps 70
award credit equal 20 battle credit Tor
the hazardous and heroic service IN
peace OF the men who took part IN
the work OF rescue ut the knicker-
booker IL q continuation OF the policy
Of the Marine Corps adopted about Q
year ago by which 1t was determined
that almost AS great service could DC
rendered to the American public by
marines during peace time as during
war.
According TO General Lejeune TINS
policy IL based on theory which na'
) seldom been considered In connection
with the military service, namely, ina
the Marine Corps exists not only Z
= serve the nation In war, but TO consl
tute n reserve of educated, trained
technical men ready to come to tn
aid Of the country In any maner II
which their services may be needed II
emergencies OF peace. At the sam
time It IL his theory that most i'm
portant factor In the mission OF tn
! Corps 10 to administer its affairs =
. efficiently and economically that II
cost may not be heavy publ
! burden.
q Surprising Results Already.
since the summer OF 1920. when
u beginning was made toward putin
this theory into practice, results nav
u been obtained which have surprise
and delighted oven it's warrnest sup
porters. The practice OF placing IN
/, marines in all localities at the ser
= vice OF the community in ever
!. emergency has enabled them 70 be
= service in a multitude Of manners an
instances and has built for the Corr
( a reputation for peace-tirne usefu
a ness which has rendered IL In pubf
I. opinion more than ever an indisDen'
le able adjunct OF the Government. Dul
ing this period also, efficiencies ha'
Al been introduced and economies p'
into effect which have cut the co
he 10 the Government Of maintaining u
II Marine Corps. per man, to less tina
d. half the sum formerly necessary.
3: An apt illustration Of the manner
is which the Corps new policy has y
lg all marines con their toes" TO SER
Ut the nation whenever needed, Is fu
st nished IN the happenings Of the CO
H. lapse OF the Knickerbocker Theatf
The roof OF the Inflated building Il
ss shortly after eight o'clock on the ev
y" ming of January 2Sth. A few minut
after the disaster, a private OF M
=, rines. whose name has never be-
20 ascertained, telephoned the news
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Y. Rhe
- commanding officer of the marines
the Washington Navy Yard. Wit
h. out awaiting authority or orders fro
anyone, Colonel Rhea sent orderl
90 dashing through barracks and squa
rooms with orders TO turn all men o
de and telephoned the news to the ne;
at by Marine Barracks, where the co
ng manding officer. Major Clayton
as Vogel, took similar action, with
ey result that within quarter Of
ne hour, more than 200 marines W
trucks containing Jacks. acetyle
torches and other devices were bu'
en- ing their way through the hea
he snow to the scene Of the accident t
ne miles away.
~ "Thank God For the Marines.
Their work on arrival is too y
IN? known all over the country to m
retelling. The ejaculation Of one
las the survivors: Thank God for
it'll marines!" sums up public sentim
in sentence. After working for I
led hours. cutting steel beams. lifting c.
crete blocks and carrying out cru
on ed and mangled victims, the mari
sad were relieved at two o'clock Sun,
-er. morning by an Army detachment fr
rst Fort Meyer, Va. which had b,
summoned through the usual milit
the channels.
hes Work of less sensatio
wn character in the public behalf '
IRA. done during the blizzard which vi
nat ed Washington during the last W
A'y In January. Owing to snow and C
railroad traffic was at a stands
tracks We're blocked, switches in
- Wa