The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-01
General Pershing Lost VIE
and Children in Fire.
Pursuer of villa Is Relentless
Warrior and Diplomat.
SUBDUED M0ROS WITH KORAN
Chased Geronimo and Waged
War Against Sioux.
In Service Along Mexican BOr-
der for Four Years.

washington. April IA fighting
soldier who wins battles by diplomacy
is a rarity. But that is the DISTINCTION
accorded Brigadier General John D.
Pershing, the man of sorrow OF the
army. whose beautiful wife and three
baby girls were burned to death In
a fire that destroyed their home IN
San Francisco. August q, 1915.
MANY and picturesque are the tales
VOID of this Beau Brummel of the
army; a handsome. dashlhg soiulei
brilliant and bloody in battle, equally
brilliant in bloodless conquests; nero
of romance and strife; lingulst' dlp-
lomat, scholar; a man who won ms
rank as much through peaceful con-
ouering of his enemies as through
daring leadership in military cam
uaigns against them.
Subducd Fanatical MorOs.
Pershing and the philippines are
SYNONYMOUS. 1t was Pershlng, then
Captain Pershing of the First Iater
the Fifteenth, cavalry-who drew the
task Of subduing the fanaucal Moros
an Nindanao and Jolo. He was given
1900 mcn-and free rein. NOT one OF
those men was sacrificed IN battle
Instead of beginning a war of eXter-
Pershing began a study of their IAN
e,1age. He soon mastered their tongue.
He assembled the MOros, fanatical
Muhammedans, on fridays, NlheT
Sundays). and taking texts from the
Koran talked to them on Teconcllla-
tion with the United States govern
ment In this way, without hghung
a single battle. he won all but two
of the mountain tribes, and was con-
secrated a Datto by the Sultans OF the
tribes
But with the two tribes who spurned
his efforts at peaceful conquest, he
showed relentless and crushing power
Their strong mountain forts fell before
his onslaught until forty had been
CAPTURED and their last stronghold
taken one hundred and seventy-five
Moros paid the extreme penalty in
battle for their folly. only 3 Amer
lean soldiers were wounded, none
killed
Promoted Over Heads of S62.
His conquest in Mindanao resulted
in Pershing's appointment as adJutant
general Of that island and JolO, and
Colonel Roosevelt. then president, sur
prised the entire army organization
by promoting him over the heads of
$50 ranking officers to be brigadier
general.
But this promotion came only after
a bitter struggle that threatened for
a time to blacken him forever. He
had married the daughter of Senator
Warren OF Wyoming, a year before
promotion, in January, 1905. The
wedding was one of the most brilliant
social affairs in the history of the
capital. Angry criticism arose, some
charging that the promotion was due
to favoritism. Roosevelt asserted
that he did not recall at ali the fact
that General Pershing was q son-in-
law of Senator Warren when he pro-
NOTED him.
OF his three little baby daughters
who were burned to death when his
wife lost her life, one was born in
Tokyo, Japan, in 1906. while the then
Captain Pershing was military attache
at the Japanese embassy: one was
born in Baguio, Philippines, in 1908,
and the youngest was born in Fam
boango, Philippines, in 1912.
Fought Sioux Indians.
General Pershing's first fighting
experience was against the Indian out
law Geronimo on punitive expedition
into Mexico in the late eighties. He
later fought against the Sioux Indians
in the Dakotas, served as military in
structor of cadets at the University
of Nebraska, and as administrator of
affairs in the provinces of Mindanao
and Jolo, Philippine Islands He
speaks almost every modern language,
as well as the tongues of many In
dian and Philippine tribes General
Pershing was sent to the Mexican Dor
der in 1912, and served continuously
there.