The Spectator., 1916-03-31
GEN. PERSHING IS
 SkILLFUL FIGHTER
Well Fitted by Experience to Run Down Villa and His Band
 of Desperadoes.
FINE RECORD IN THE ORIENT
He Subdued Moro Tribes and Later Received Honors From Them Be. cause They Respected Ills
 Falr Dealing.

There are few officers in the army who possess so distinguished a record for bravery and efficient service as Brig. Gen. John ). Pershing. who has been assigned the task of rounding up Francisco Villa and exterminating his band of outlaws. and there Is. perhaps, no man 50 skillful In guerrilla warfare and Indian fighting.
 With a brilliant record in the Philip pines behind nina record that gained for him . promotion from cap tain to brigadier general over the heads of S62 officers of higher rank and the memory of . great tragedy still fresh in his mind-the death of his wife and three children in a fire at the Presidio in San Francisco last August-General Pershing may be ex- pected to give a swift and sure ac- count of his command in the Mexican expedition.
 Honored by Moros.
 He has the distinction of being the only white man honored by a datto-a judge, counselor and chieftain-by the Moro tribes in the Philippines. an honor he gained by being able to gov ern the tribes through their own laws and beliefs as translated from the Ko- ran.
 He knows every foot of the country men. He covered 1t all years ago in the memorable pursuit of Geronimo. Sent to West Point From Missouri.
 General Pershing was born in Linn county. Missouri. on October 13. 1860. and was appointed to West Point from that state. His career there was an honor both to himself and to that ia nous institution. and he rose to the rank of senior cadet captain He left the academy to become second lieu tenant of the Sixth cavalry, then pur- suing Geronimo across the arid plains and hills of northern Mexico. Once his troop established a record of l30 miles in 47 hours.
 In April. 1889. when in command of Troop A. at Fort Wingate. Pershing set out with ten men to rescue some horse thieves and cowboys from 100 armed and maddened Zuni Indians. Through a strategic maneuver he ob- tained the release of the prisoners. rounded up the Indians. and marched every last one of them captive into Fort Wingate. It was years before army men ceased to talk of this ex- ploit.
 Takes Part ln Sioux War. Later Pershing was transferred to the northwest, where he took part in the Sioux campaigns of 1S90-lS9l. Later he commanded the Sioux scouts until detailed as military instructor at the University of Nebraska.
 The declaration of war with Spain found him an instructor in tactics at West Point. He immediately asked to be sent to the front, and was as signed to the Tenth cavalry. which did distinguished service at Santiago. After the war with Spain he was made . major and assistant adtutant gen eral in the volunteer service. and was sent to the Philippines, where he com. manded an expeditionary force into the island of Mindanao. to restore or. der and subdue the Moros
 One of his most stubborn fights was In the capture of Bacolod. after his force had been surprised by . large band of Moros. One hundred Moros were killed and many wounded. Per shing's loss was three wounded.
 Telis of eacoiod Battle.
 At another place in the island sev. eral thousand Moros manned . chain of six forts. upon which several brass cannon had been mounted. Pershing reduced them all.
 After that the MOros had respect for Pershing. They found he was . very different typo of man to deal with than the vacillating Spaniards they had been used to. He was appointed military governor of the district around Iiigan and soon won the conf. dence of the natives through a knowl- edge of the Koran which he had stud fed.
 The sultan of Sulu appointed him datto an ofYice almost as supreme in power as that of the sultan himself and he came to be hailed as ''proph ct" and . priest The natives brought their troubles to him and he acted as judge.
 Moros Respect film.
 An early evidence of the faith re posed in him vas when three children made orphans by the war were brought to him for disposition, although t had been the rule to sell such children into slavery. Pershing adopted the three children. . girl and two boys Later the girl married at the age of twelve one of the boys died. and the other proved an tncOrrigible.
 Mrs. Pershins and three of their four children were sunocated last Au gust In a fire at the Presidio. At that time 1t was said they might have been rescued had not the red tape of the ~rov eun ho ao rliar srrivaf cf