Evening star., 1931-11-29

1t also required tact, judgment and
good humor. which one is glad to find
in a'trained diplomat and which, when
displayed by a young enlisted man, is
rare compliment to that American
youth from which he is drawn
Fairness Acclaimed.
The Success of the election, the ac-
clamation of its fairness by all Mica.
raguan factions and the well nigh uni
Versal satisfaction with the conduct
of these young &chairmen" was not
only a vital factor in the development
of Nicaragua; it would have been a
very disturbing Influence if it had not
succeeded. The Ntcarag1an election
was held few days before the Hoover
Smith election in the United States. II
there had been mishaps the Marines
would have been called some very harsh
names. 1t is a privilege as we'll as an
act OF common fairness to pay tribute
to their success.
This sketch has sought to give an
idea OF where the Marines are and
what it is they do. The list. however,
is far from complete. The writer has
seen them in different places, and the
sight has never failed to make him
proud OF his country. In the dust and
dirt Of tropical villages one may meet
them-or on the busy streets Of Shang-
hal. Wherever one finds Marines one
sees men OF vne physique who are i'm
bued with an unfailing courtesy. Those
two speak of the usdesirability Of hav-
ing the United States represented by
such men have evidently not taken the
trouble see for themselves. If they
were to do so, they would be hard put
to it to find any other group of men
who would give the United States a
better reputation abroad.
The decision to reduce the size Of
the Marine Corps from a strength Of
$4,000 to 10000 is based on the aSsump-
tion that thereby our three billion dol
lar government will save $750,O00. It
would be interesting to see how such
a saving is justified. The mere value of
the property in the United States is so
vast as to make such a saving seem
positively puny. The cash value of the
foreign interests which are protected by
Marines is also enormous. The value
OF American and foreign lives abroad
which are thus protected is beyond
price. 1t is as impossible to give cash
estimate OF the value of the Marine
Corps as it is to give a cash estimate
OF any governmental activity, be it the
value OF he police force or that of the
existence of the United States Govern
ment. We know them to be great, but
we must also admit them to be i'm
ponderable
Wisdom Is Doubted.
The wisdom of reducing the CORDS
still further at this particular time
seems to call for still further explana-
ion: In a period of depression, one is
told, the Government should not lay
on It's own personnel or reduce the num-
Der which it normally employees In
deed, in these times an increase in the
size OF the corps would be more in keep
ing with approved economic theory.
Moreover, when conditions are bad the
currents OF affairs at home and abroad
become more turbulent, and the exist
ence OF a force like the Marine Corps
IS even more to be priced. If any one
OF dozen conceivable emergencies were
to arise, the estimated saving of $780,
COO would look quite trifing when
Welghty American interests are in
jeopardy. Further whiting would be
well nigh foolhardy.
During the last lis years of our ma
tionai existence, when we we're at all
times more remote from world affairs
than We are now, the armed forces of
the United States have been landed on
foreign soil more than a hundred times.
Surely the extent of our interests today
provides no indication that the need for
carrying out our policies has decreased,
indeed. such considerations seem to in
dlcate that Americans are justly proud
OF the Marine Corps and would with
difhculty see the need of reducing it at
any time. The Justification for cutting
Is strength this rather critical period
seems even harded TO grasp.