Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-04-27
Page Three
A First Glass Fighting Man

colonecy of the Twentieth he really expected to be
detailed for service with the army Of occupation in
Cuba and perhaps it was luck that took him to the
Philippines He second in command at San
Francisco when the cataclysm came, and perhaps it
was luck that called his SUPERIOR Major General Gree
ley to Chicago to attend the wedding of his daughter
and thus gave Funston the opportunity to show that
he could meet and master great emergency In
time of peace.
But 1t was not luck that took him to Vera Cruz
for it is well understood that President Wilson per
sonay selected him for the command of that expedi-
ton because after critically reviewing the records
and characteristics of all the officers who might be
considered for such duty he reached the conclusion
that Funston was more likely than any other one to
measure up to the responsibility 1t was not luck
that enabled him so to conduct himself and so to
control his soldiers that after seven months of oc
cupation he could leave Vera Cruz taking with him
not only the respect but the genuine liking of the peo
pie whose affairs during that time he had admins
tered and over whom he had held practically the
power of life and death. And it was not luck that
found him in command of the troops along the Dor
der when the Villa raid made it necessary for the
United States to organize what this writing call
ed punitive expedition but which by the time this
appears IN print may have grown into the Second
War with Mexico. Frederick Funston is a Major
General in the United States Army by divine right
the ulVlne right OF long and loyal and efficient
ice
Generally think of a successful soldier particu-
larry of one whose has been as sensational and
spectacular as that of General Funston as a big
noisy, aggressive, domineering arrogant sort of a
parsonage with more less of the air and manner
of braggart and a swashbuckler 1t would be hard
to imagine man who fits less into that sort of pic
ture than Frederick Funston In the first place he
is not bighat is to say, the outside of him is not
big. He has to stand very straight to measure his
five feet three or four inches But do not make the
mistake of imagining that he looks insignificant be-
cause he is little He has big head and big chest
and square jaw and there is look on his face and
out OF his eyes that makes one forget his stature
AS to the other qualities of typical military hero
the loud voice, the arrogance the braggadocio and
all that they are foreign to Funston as if he didn't
know the meaning of the words Anything that
smacks f front" of trying to appear to be what
one is not, is utterly repugnant to him He never
so much a uniform except when the army
regulations require it. In a word he is modest His
old friends have been able to detect the slight
est difference in his manner toward them between
these days when he is entitled to wear two stare
his shoulder straps and the old days when he was
at work upon the farm, teaching school in "Stony
Lonesome, answering to the affeetionate name of
'Timmie among his mates at the Uni
versity. The officers of the regular army A
who have in the regular CEyW