Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-14
LMorine TroqedY

ViUIIHS tIU9Gu/
Wisely. The Star counSels
Withholding judgment until
we learn all the facts about the
accidental death march of the
young Marine recruits. Their
untimely deaths must give all
of us an uneasy conscience. In
their way they symbolic the
price we must pay for trying to
serve two masters. AS Chris
tians We believe: Thou shalt
rot kill. Yet these young men
died because We commanded
them to learn the profession of
killing. And we also COM
manded veteran Marine Staff
Sergeant Matthew McKeon TO
make them tough, unbeatable.
ruthless experts in dealing
death to our Nations enemies.
But by misadventure they we're
expended by the natural haz-
ards Of training for the ulti-
mate in danger, instead of on
the battlefield.
Are we to blame the sergeant
for too much zeal in obeying
what he thought were our in
tended commands? Or are we
to blame ourselves for confus-
ing our youth with double
standards? In war, we who be-
lieve in the Christian ethic.
command our sons to kill and
destroy. II they die IN peace,
learning 10 be experts in the
trade Of war. We have only our
selves TO blame. And in that
conflict between the ideals of
The Christian ethic and our
present means Of survival lies
the roots of juvenile delin-
quency. Killing and violence in
time of war can never become
love and healing Just because
it is time of peace.
Thomas +. Mattingly, MD.
Goaded by a Marine SER
geants lamentable error. de-
tractors of the Marine Corps,
professional bleeding hearts,
sob sisters of every persuasion.
and in general all voluble civil
ianS who consider themselves
experts on military affairs
have descended on the Ma
rine Corps with all four feet.
1t IS time, think they. to rem
edy the brutal training Of
Marines.
Self-styled critics are over
looking a few important facts.
or they would keep silence.
United States Marines are re-
quired TO be in a constant
state Of readiness. They are
the shock troops of the Amer
lean armed services. and when
need be. the strong right
arm OF the State Department.
While other services may re-
lax and adopt a training
schedule which is geared to
peacetime situation. the Ma
rineS must constantly train as
If for war All Marine training
is for combat.
When raggedy Marines ad-
vanced through murderous fire
in Belleau Wood, the public
reaction was. "ThoSe are our
Marines When later day
brothers Of those same Ma
rines hoped from island to
island in the South Pacific,
boiling out of their little boats
the best of the imperial
forces ahead Of them and the
cold sea behind them-the
American public had another
cup of coffee. and felt good
about the whole situation.
When things looked blacklist
IN Korea. a group of Marines
clambered up scaling ladders
at the port of Inchon, and
gave the North Korean Peo-
pies army something to think
about.
So 1t has been from l775 TO
the present. II has been the
duty and sacred trust of the
United States Marine Corps to
be constantly ready to meet
any situation which might
challenge the American way
of life.
How is this state Of readi-
ness achieved? BY gentle slaps
on the wrist? BY tactfully
phraSed reprimands to those
who are guilty OF infractions
OF discipline? DO not suppose
so! Boot training" Is made
as rough as possible, short OF
brutality and maltreatment. II
is the purpose of this training
to strip young men of soft
civilian concepts, to teach
them to take care of them
selves, to teach them pride in
themselves and their organiza-
ton, TO teach them self-re-
lance and discipline.
With the foundation of boot
training, . the officers and
NCOS of the regular Marine
Corps 20 on to shape the finest
fighting force the world has
seen.