Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-11

wv tories or peace and public service are
W 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 a re-
cent 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 imprisoned and injured
at the Knickerbocker theater disaster and
directs that a commendatory notation similar
to the marking of credit given for participa-
ton in battle be entered in the service 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, campaigns and other warlike
enterprises
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 Knick-
erbocker is a continuation of the policy
Of the Marine corps adopted about a year
ago by which it was determined that almost
as great service could be rendered to the
American public by marines during 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 ex-
lists not only to serve the nation in war, but
to constitute reserve of educated, trained,
technical men ready to come to the aid of
services may be needed in emergencies of
peace. At the same time it is his theory
that most important factor in the mission
of the corps is to administer it's affairs so
efficiently and economically that it's cost may
not be heavy public burden.
i Surprising Results Already
Since the summer of 1920, when begin
ming was made toward putting this theory in
to practice, results have been obtained which
have surprised and delighted even it's warm
est supporters. The practice Of placing the
marines in all localities at the service of the
community in every emergency has enabled
them to be OF service in a multitude OF man
ners and instances and has built for the corps
a reputation for peace-time usefulness which
has rendered it in public opinion more than
ever an indispensable adjunct Of the govern
1 ment. During this period, also, ef1ciencies
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 manner in which
the corps new policy has put all marines ON
their toes" to serve the nation whenever
needed, is furnished in the happenings of
the collapse of the Knickerbocker theater.
The roof of the Inflated building fell shortly
after eight o'clock on the evening Of January
28tn. 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, COM
handing officer Of the marines at the Wash
ington navy yard. Without awaiting author
| ity or orders from anyone, Colonel Rhea sent
| orderlies dashing through barracks and
| squadrooms with orders to turn all men out,
| and telephoned the news to the nearby
marine barracks, 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 containing 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 n arrival is too well known all
over the country to need retelling. The
| ejaculation of one of the survivors THANK
| God for the marines!" sums up public senti-
ment in a sentence. After working for five
hours, cutting steel beams, lifting concrete
blocks and carrying out crushed and mangled
| victims, the marines were relieved at two
o'clock Sunday morning by an army detach-
| ment from Fort Meyer, Va, which had been
summoned through the usual military chan
| nels.
| Work of less sensational character in the
public behalf was done during the blizzard
which visited Washington during the last
| week in January. Owing to snow and cold,
railroad traffic was at standstill, tracks
were blocked, switches in the Washington
| yards were frozen and no trains had moved
| for three days Washington's food supply
was running low and the city was threatened
with shortage as railroad officials feared it
would be many days before traffic could be
resumed. Calls for labor were sent from Bos-
! ton to Richmond, but it was impossible to
secure enough men to make Roadway