Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-06-15

every war mas made president
OF the United States, writes Damon
Runyon in the Denver Post.
Mai. Gen. John ]. Pershing, COM
mander Of the expeditionary army in
France, is a natural-born soldier,
though a political favorite.
Anyone who imagines that he is
not ambitious, capable of seizing ev-
cry opportunity and of even making
opportunities, does not know him
The revolutionary war made the
first Washington.
The next war, 1912, made Andrew
Jackson president.
The next war, with Mexico, in
ls46, made Zachary Taylor presi-
dent.
The next war, the Civil var, and
1t made Ulysses s. Grant president.
Next came the war with Spain, in
1898, and, little as that war was. it
made Theodore Roosevelt president.
II this war does not make a presi-
dent, it will break national tradi
tion. A successful soldier ever makes
the most irresistible appeal to the
American imagination.
While Pershing is at the moment
the foremost soldier, in reputation at
least, in the United States, the shin
ing hero Of this war-reading tht
future by the lamps Of experience
is at this hour some obscure man in
some remote military niche where tho
land OF opportunity has not knocked
Roosevelt was the last of the sol
dier presidents. He was looked up
on as a sort OF political Joke when
he went out as lieutenant colonel of
the Rough Riders.
General Nelson A. Miles, then a
popular hero and ranking major gen.
eral in the army, was sent by Presi-
dent Mckinley to Porto Rico, where
he could win no glory.
When Roosevelt became president
his enemies charged that his great
personal friendship for General Leon
ard Wood was responsible for Wood 8
elevation over several hundred SEN
ior officers. And when Pershing was
dumped over $50 officers from q
captaincy to a generalship, Roose-
velt's enemies made pointed refer
ence to the fact that Pershing had
married the daughter of United
States Senator Warren OF Wyoming
chairman of the committee on mill
tary affairs.
But time has amply vindicated
Roosevelt's judgment as to the merit
of both officers and incidentally
proved that selective promotion IL
right.
Pershing was the logical selection
to lead the first expeditionary forces
to Europe; he was the logical mar
to quiet the clamor for Roosevelt
himself. Pershing's name was {
sedative, and was perhaps the onl!
name that would have served.
He first furnished a mighty gooc
background for himself among tn,
exalted by his deeds in the Philip
pines.
Now there are . great many othe
officers In our army with record
that are az brilliant as Pershing's :
There are other men who are proba
bly, just as capable. II Is not likel
that military men will agree tha
Pershing Is by any means our great
est soldier, but the fact remains tina
he stands foremost in the publ
eye.
Had Frederick Funston lived ii
conceivable that he would have bee
sent to France. He was regarded q
the ideal soldier. Maybe he was n
greater, II as great, miIitarywise. q
Pershing or ]. Franklin Bell. c
Leonard Wood, or some Of our othe
generals. bue he was better known
the people.
And probably IL will not be denie
at washington that PeFshing's repV
tation had something to do with h
selection: IL will probably not
claimed that he was chosen after
close analysis OF the records Of 9
our fighting men had been made Al
his found to assay best.
He was chosen because the peop
have confidence IN him. which Is
pretty good basis on which 70 ch0o
men. s his case II probably viii
found that the confidence is ful
SumafffaA