d
happen to be accepted as a mascot, there would be some wonderful story
to explain why it was the most remarkable monkey, goat, or lion cub
that ever lived.

A large and hideous snake, a young kangaroo, or an anteater are mascots
more to the liking of the marines. They must have something like
themselves, exclusive and distinguished. The anteater that one body of
marines adopted when they were landed at Vera Cruz proved a very
interesting and original mascot, and also that anteaters were not
always exactly as they are described in school textbooks, for this
anteater disdained to eat ants and greedily devoured anything from the
food of the marines that they would give him, or that he could
steal--bread, meat, pie, doughnuts, or eggs.

A writer telling about this anteater mascot says he was taught several
tricks, one of which was to put out with his forepaws every lighted
cigarette dropped near him and then to tear it into little pieces.
Heywood Broun, the writer, goes on to say, "The marine who dropped a
hundred franc note by mistake just in front of Jimmy says that teaching
tricks to anteaters is all foolishness."

And how do they sustain the reputation of their branch in the great
things? Here is where soldier, sailor, or marine must prove his
superiority, for excelling here means greater service to his country.
It would be difficult indeed to give the palm to any branch of the
service. They have all endured hardship and met wounds and death with
equal gallantry, each striving to outdo the other in devotion and
sacrifice.

Secretary Daniels has told the inspiring heroic story of the fighting
of the eight thousand marines who in June, 1918, were thrown into the
open gap between the advancing Germans and Paris.

Although they were without proper artillery support and too small in
numbers for the task, General Pershing in those dark days offered their
services to Marshal Foch, saying, "If you have no other troops to use
and the gap must be closed and the Germans stopped, they will do it."
And they did! But out of the eight thousand, four thousand were
missing, wounded, or killed. Read Secretary Daniels' story of this
fight, called the battle of Belleau Wood, and be proud that you are an
American.

This efficient fighting, building, and landing force of the navy has
won imperishable glory in the fulfillment of its latest duties upon the
battlefields of France, where the marines, fighting for the time under