Evening star., 1940-07-28
from this hemisphere if we can do

from this hemisphere if we can do
so.
In connection with possible con-
ditions requiring us to move quick
ly to positions which we must not
allow to fall into the wrong hands.
1t is interesting and heartening to
note the practical and Workmanlike
steps which are being taken by the
United States Marine Corps to fulfill
its responsibilities in this Gonnec-
tion, whatever they may be. 1t may
justly be charged that in some de-
partments and branches of our Gov
ernment, at the moment, there is
confusion, uncertainty and division
of counsel; not so with the marines.
They are practical people. and they
have dealt with emergency sltua-
tions before They are creating units
known as defense battalions of
which there will be six when all
are ready-and these are as remark
able for their organization as their
armament. With only a little over
700 men each, each defense bat
talion-organized on the principle
OF a ships company, with every man
a combatant-poSSeSSes the aston
lShlng armament of six Navy 5-inch
guns on pedestal mounts, twelve g.
inch anti-aircraft guns. five search
lights, forty-eight 50-caliber ma
chine guns and forty eight 30-cal-
iber machine guns.
Destroyers Converted.
Some of our wartime destroyers
are being converted into fast trans
ports which will be able TO convey
these battalions, at 80 knots an hour.
to any place they may be needed.
and to provide fire power to cover
their landing if opposed. Once one
of these battalions has settled down
in any island or other base position,
it will take major expedition Of
all arms to drive it out and its driv-
ing out will be accomplished only
at the cost of casualties out of all
proportion TO the battallOnS
strength; nor can it be done SO
quickly that the battalion cannot
be reinforced before it is defeated
Behind these defense battalions are
the reinforcing units, the two
mixed brigades' of the Marine
Corps, comprising infantry, field az
tlllery, engineers. tanks and avia-
ton. There will be two such
brigades when the corps reaches its
present authorized strength of 34,-
600 enlisted men, and it is to be
hoped that we may have a further
increase which will permit the or
ganlzation of a third
In other words. the marines have
come to the conclusion that the way
to deal with blitzkrieg is to out
blitz' it, and they are getting ready
to do just that in manner we'll
worthy of the traditions of a corps
which has prided itself on being
always ready for any emergency.
The Marine Corps and our other
armed services, however, remain the
servants of the people of the United
States. upon whom. in the last analy-
sis, rests the responsibility for the
safety of the Nation. 1t is we-all
of us-Who must think clearly and
boldly in such times as these. I'm
less we face unpleasant facts in
stead of denying their existence;
unless we prepare not only our arms,
but our minds, for vigorous action
in defense of our vital interests, we
shall go the way that others have
gone who tried so hard to make
themselves believe that security in
this world rests on some otner basis
than that of force-and the will to
employ force.
Copyright, 1910, by New York Tribune Inc.