Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-22

REIMBURSEMENT Of the command Of
the United States Marine Corps by Maj
Gen. John Archer Lejeune, "in order
that others might gain promotion" is
viewed by the country with regret, and
with expressions of admiration for the
record of q brave soldier and popular
commander. His successor, Maj. Gen
Wendell @. Neville. Is appraised in much
the same vein in comments on the
change.
Observing that Gen. Lejeune will have
% months more Of active duty, the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette assures him
that "the country will wish him content
ment on the last stage of his long voy-
age, on land and sea, under the colors
= Even II the enemy called his
men Devil Dogs" continues that pa
per. land must have thought of him as
Satan's own mastiff,' Gen. Lejeune in
person is free from buster and marked
by modesty and kindness. Yet he
was never out of character as the hard
bitten chief Of hard-bitten men. He is
q Leatherneck' himself. No other
could be fitted to command the soldiers
Of the sea who have won the designa-
ton in many climates. Gen. Lejeune
will leave to his successor an organiZa-
ton high in morale and worthy Of its
traditions. His part in maintaining the
corps on its basis of efficiency will be
appreciated by his country"
** ~
Neville will succeed highly beloved
and able man In Gen. Lejeune, his life
time friend" says the New York Her
aid Tribune, with an ACCOMPANYING
story to illustrate the character of the
new commander: I'm December, lust
after the end Of the war, in which he
had been conSpicuously gallant figure,
Gen. Neville was found in little G.. H.
@. across the Rhine from Coblenz, sur
rounded by q great pile of freshly writ
ten letters. Asked about this great mass
of correspondence, he said: oh, they
are letters to the parents Of the boys
who were killed while serving under me.
thought 1t might not do any harm to
write Them"
OF the retiring chief, the Kansas CITY
Journal-Post states: Whatever work he
may be assigned to, 1t will be as Lejeune
OF the United States Marine Corps that
this Louisiana lad Of French ancestry
VIII be known in the proud pages of our
eountrys history" The Journal-PoSt
also feels that this remarkable oficer.
who can put buck private at ease in
q chat just as he himself Is at ease in
any presence, would never quit the Ma
rines when his inspiring tyne of lead
ership was needed" The Tulsa World
describes him as one who has had "a
colorful and most useful military career.
the born qualities OF leadership being
attested by the loyalty and affection of
his men,
"The romantic type OF fighting man
nnds nothing so hard to bear as re-
t1rement," declares the New York
Evening Post. with the statement as to
the career OF Gen. Lejeune: He typi-
mes In himself all the qualities that the
public associates with an American
Marine" The San Antonio Express re-
views h6 career, remarking: His
greatest work IN France was with the
I'd Division, that embraced a Marine
Corps brigade. He took over that di-
vision on July %, 1918, and was with
it at the battles Of St. Mihiel and
Blanc Mont and in the Meuse-Argonne
offensive. He was awarded
the Army and Navy Distinguished
Service Medals. and he gained the ad-
miration and liking Of all who followed
him to victory in France"
tnSAulAA PAluc III tnC ScleCLlOu OF
Gen. Neville Is expressed by the
Roanoke Times. which states that he
served CALAMITY in Cuba during che
Spanish-American War, and also saw
service in China during the Boxer
trouble" and finds satisfaction In the
fact that he succeeds another dis
tinguished son of the South, Gen. Ie-
jeune being native of Louisiana and
the son of Confederate veteran" The
New Orleans Tribune offers the tribute:
Those who have noted the participa-
ton of the Marines in the World War
know how greatly Gems. Lejeune and
Neville added to the record"
- y y
'Leieune Is the senior by three years."
the New York Times "As
commandant Of Marines FOX two terms