Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-07
sMEDLEY DARLINGTON BUTLER
Major-General, u 9. NJ. C.

i SMEDLEY DARLINGTON BUTLER
Major General, U. 8. NJ. C.
Written, Exclusively for The star and the
North American Newspaper Alliance.
We of the United States Marines de-
clined to fortify and man our lines IN
Tientsin, which had the effect OF quiet
ing the other allies, who had determined
to man their lines.
Furthermore, in order to avoid un-
necessary excitement on the part OF all,
foreigners and Chinese alike, We did
not string our position with barbeu
wire.
To be prepared for emergency. how
ever, We built wire entanglements on
sled runners which could readily be
dragged by the men as they rushed to
their assigned positions Of defense.
These entanglements. which would have
been in place as soon as the men. were
kept out of sight in the various billets,
thus not offending the Chinese.
Also, instead of building field works,
each man carried empty sand bags and
small shovel, so that within a few
minutes of his arrival in designated
position he would have the advantage
of wire and trench protection.
One position, however. was wired and
manned by us, and that was the plant
of the Standard Oil Company, which
was within our defense area in the ex-
Russian concession in TientSin. and
which contained many hundreds of
thousands of gallons of gasoline and
fuel. We had good reason to man that
plant.
A frantic telephone message informed
me at headquarters one afternoon that
the huge Standard Oil establishment
was in flames and that the blaze was
spreading so rapidly the entire $1,000
600 plant was endangered, as was the
whole community.
I Immediately ordered out 1000 Ma
rines to fight the fire. One tin storage
house was in flames and the heat was
terrific. On one side, sixteen feet away.
was a similar warehouse of tin con-
struction and filled with thousands OF
cans of gasoline. On another side was
a similar structure filled with innum-
cradle thousands of cans OF kerosene:
on a third side, twenty feet from the
inferno, was still another kerosene
warehouse, while on the fourth side
were six tanks each holding $4,000
barrels Of oil.
At a glance we saw that the burning
warehouse was doomed, and we feared
that the other structures would soon go
up in smoke. The Marines immediately
began to cart away the cans OF OH ana
kerosene in the three other warehouses.
Lessons Learned in Philadelphia.
recalled then that Ross Davis, chief
engineer of Philadelphia's Fire Depart
ment, had told me when I was director
Of public safety there that the way TO
stop a fire from spreading was to build
fire walls between the burning building
and those endangered.
Half of the Marines were thereupon
set to gathering up tin, earth and other
non-inflammable materials and building
a wall about the burning building. The
other half of the detail continued the
task of taking to safe place the kero-
sene and gas containers.
/ entered one of the endangered
warehouses and stood in the narrow
space separating the slight tin walls
from the piled cans OF combustible oils
Soon the roSin started to drip down
the walls, indicating that the heat had
become sufficiently great to melt 1t. and
I feared that shortly the kerosene would
explode. The Marines we're immedi-
ately ordered from the scene, but when
the officers were not looking the men
would steal in to rescue an extra can
or two Of Standard Oil product.
On the second day the Chinese gen.
eral in charge of the troops in the area
volunteered to send $500 Chinese SOL
diers to help us in the battle against
the oil fire, provided We fed them. We
agreed and they came.
They didn't know much about fight
ing a fire, but neither did the Marines.
At any, rate they copied our efforts,
aided in the building Of the FIRE walls,
which soon stood Is feet about the
burning building, and in carrying to
safety cans of gasoline and kerosene.
They ate with our men, slept with
them and became their good friends.
We managed to subdue the fire after
for the oil company.
In appreciation Of the efforts of the
Marines the company sent $1,000 for
their entertainment fund, while the
United States Government authorized
the Marine Corps to replace $4,000
worth Of clothing the boys ruined In
their efforts.
Meantime our relations with the Chi
nese we're getting more friendly. After
Rear Admiral Williams went back home
we had another great commander, Ad-
icy of consideration for the Chinese was
continued. Admiral Bristol had been
high commissioner. to Turkey and he
had a good many IDEAS Of his own. He,
too, was very friendly with the Chinese
In our Minister, Mr.. MacMurray, We
had one of the highest grade public ofYi-
Gals I have ever met. / had never
known any one who took his job more
seriously and who worked harder to
bring about good relations.
Helpful Interpreter.
Though we thought of many unusual
things to do to bring about this friendly