Evening star., 1946-05-10

head, but it won't succeed. 1t
hasn't a prayer. The War Depart
ment might just as well try to put
over a program that calls for the
filling-in of the Grand Canyon, the
refusal to allow citizens to look at
Niagara Falls, or something else
that would spoil one of our natural
wonders
The Marine Corps, General, is one
of our natural wonders. How well
you know that. How well every
citizen of the United States knows
that. There is nothing more mag
nificent than courage, and the
Marine Corps has courage in
abundance. There is nothing more
stirring than the sight of man
ready to give his all for his country,
and the Marine Corps is made up of
such men.
Real Morale Builder.
Speaking as an infantryman,
nothing was more inspirational to
the fighting men of this country in
their battle against Japan and Ger
many than the record, past and
present, of the United States Marine
Corps. All of us who didn't belong
to the Observation-Disclosures, engi-
neers, sailors, seabees and what not
drew strength and willingness to
do a little better than our best from
the men who are called Leather
necks. We wanted to make our
selves just as tough, just as capable,
as the Marines.
That builds morale, Gen. Vande-
grift. 1t builds it more than all the
moving pictures ever shown, all the
USO shows that ever danced and
pranced, all the shaving cream and
razor blades passed out for free.
What War Department-and you
can name your land-would by any
action reduce the Marine song from
a song of fighting men to a waltz
that was played on juke boxes, and
danced to by flighty bobby-soxers
and their hubba a-hubba escorts?
Can you imagine the Marine Corps
reduced to such a state that when
an American heard From the Halls
of Montezuma to the Shores OF
Tripoli," he thought Of dance
hall? Damn it, those are the words
of fighting men. Those are WORDS
that raise the hackles, and have
nothing to do with matters OF cere-
monies, soft lights and gentle, love-
making speeches.
Coney Island at Tarawa.
General. if the War Department
should happen to 60 completely
crazy-and, judging by past per-
formances, it is possible want to
ask the men who make up the War
Department to build several monu-
ments which will make their shame
last through the ages. I want to
ask them to go to Tarawa-on a free
air junket, of course. with steward
to serve them wine and food IN
Highland make it sort OF Coney
Island. 1 want ferris wheels pro-
vided for the fathers and mothers
and sweethearts of the Marines who
came in through the surf, and over
the coral, with nothing but mortars
and machine guns to welcome them.
I want the War Department to fly
on down to Guadalcanal-still being
taken care of by the steward and
lounging in soft. reclining seats
and build a boardwalk where some
of the gamest guys who ever lived
hung on by their fingernails, and
held an island that enabled us to
start the march to Japan.
Finally, I want them to 60 to Two
Jima, and, as they fly over the now
placid beach, look down and see If
they can imagine what it was like
when the Marines went in.
1t is mighty easy to sit behind a
desk in Washington, with nothing
to do but push few buttons and
ball out few subordinates. 1t is
so easy, in fact, that a Marine
wouldn't have the job.
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