Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-10-23

with the Second NatlOnal Assembly
OF Inc Marine Corps league November III, and the
sixth anniversary of the signing of the Armistice,
November H. There will be considerable at
tendance in addition to the delegates, Maj. Gen.
John A. Lejeune, national commandant of the
league and commandant of the Marine Corps, has
extended in his official call an invitation to those
who at some time may have the Globe,
Anchor and Eagle" The sArmistce day program
includes parade ana Welt to the national shrine
where lies the Unknown Soldier in the National
cemetery at Arlington.
The history of the United States Marine Corps
is briefly this: November TO- IT'S, the Second Con-
tinental congress- actual hostilites of the Revolu-
tion having been begun, called for good seamen
so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able
to serve to advantage by sea when required" The
Marine Corps formally establishedS June 25,
1776, with a major, Samuel Nichols, in command.
1t served through the Revolution and then disap-
peared, together with the navy In 1898, when the
navy was recognized, the Marine Corps was re-
established with 881 officers and men. That was
also the year the War department was organized.
SO the Marine Corps is older than either the army
navy.
And the Marine Band is Of course national In
stitution. 1t began with the Marine Corps-as
drum and fife corps In 1906 the Marines a
United States frigate kidnapped some Italian musi-
clans from port near Naples. Sharp diplomatic
correspondence resulted in order for the return
OF the Italians, but they chose to stay with the
the official band of the American government
and world famous.
The Marine Corps grew in Importance and
strength as the years went by. In 1902, for ex-
ample, the Corps numbered 1919 officers and 5000
enlisted men, with brigadier general in COM
mand When we entered the World war the
strength was 3T7 officers and 9947 men. BY 1918
the Marines had been increased to 3,017 officers
and $4,000 men. The Corps has 1O93 officers
and 81 400 enlisted men.
The Marines are of the ordinary in many
ways For one thing, they don't really belong to
either the army the navy. They are practically
an independent defense unit though they are I'M
der the nominal direction of the secretary of the
navy IN time of peace and of the secretary of war
in time of war. "Send for the Marines! is cry
thGe often goes up from Americans endangered by
hostilities in some foreign land. And the Marines
land and do their protection act without their
presence being tantamount to declaration OF war
against that nation Usually they manage to get
along without a fight, for they have established
a reputation for diplomacy in difficult situations
almost equal to their efficiency in actual hostties
Anyway, the stereotyped message that quickly
gets back to washington is the world-famous, THE
Marines have landed and have the situation well
in hand"
The Marine Corps, as whole, may be SAID to
be Uncle Sans Handy Man" in times of peace.
There seems to be nothing it cannot do and it
appears to be doing little of everything Right
now, for example, there are Marines in China and
in Honduras for the protection of Americans and
American interests. They are about finishing their
withdrawal from Santo Domingo, after rehabili-
tating that republic, and still in Haiti on the
same kind Of job. In Philadelphia, which borrowed
him for the purpose, is Brig Gen. Smedley D.
Butler Of the Marines, trying to "Butlerlze' the
CITY of Brotherly Love, which nowadays is in sad
need of rehabilitation. And what do you suppose
the Marines are doing in Guam-why, nothing less
than leading parties of natives IN determined at