The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-09-17
Lyon. Daily Tribune's Staff Cor
respondent With American
Troops, Reports on Three Out
standing Features Noticeable as
Troops Complete Their Third
Months Training.
By c. c. LYON.


With the American Troops in
France VontrOle Americain), Sept. II.
The American troops have now had
three months training in France.
What are the big outstanding fea'
lures?
!. General Pershing is fast devel-
Oping his forces into real fighting
machine
2 Young officers from the Ameri-
can training camp schools are max
ing good with a whOop.
3. The enlisted men are showing
wonderful aptitude in learning trench
warfare methods from their French in
structOrs.
Ideal Combination.
In developing the American troops
into high speech, enthusiastic war
machine, Gen. Pershing and Gen.
Sincrt make an ideal combination.
Sihert is field commander of the
first expedition.
Pershing has furnished the iron
discipline that was needed by the new
army.
Sibert, now affectionately called
"Papa" Sibcrt by his men, has fur
nished the pats on the back.
Pershing recently visited his troops.
Since he went back to Paris there
has been general clicking of heels;
officers give their commands with
more pep and the men go through
their work with more energy and earn
estncss: there has been noticeable
perking up in personal appearances;
and the whole military works have
moved more swiftly and smoothly.
Pershing is a commander with big
punch. Nothing escapes his eagle
eye lie knows exactly what is need
ed to put the American army on a
par with the French and English.
His methods Of illustrating his
points are direct and forceful
In one inspection he espied pri- !
vate slouching in line, looking at the
far-off scenery totally uninterestcd
in the business at hand.
Pershing brought him up with a
jerk.
give PAGES to the 'front.'" he CON-
Hundreds of pairs of eyes were riv- :
tied on the private
"Now,' continued Pershing You'd
enough for all to hear. "The first re-
quisite of n good soldier i strict at
tcntion and a soldierly appearance.
"Face your company. Stand erect
like a real soldier for five minutes;
eyes to the front"
In other pares of the camp, Per-
shing repeated the lesson.
You can now bet your last centime
that the next time the general comes
around there won't he ANYBODY look
ing at the far-off scenery! :,
Officers who needed j, "o"'" IN for
similar attention from Pershing, !
At one place the ....-nder
thought the captain wasn't showing
enough pep in leading his men
through bayonet exercises.
Here, give me gun and let mo
show you how an officer should LEAD
this drill" Pershing exclaimed.
And for the next ten minutes on
lockers saw something they'll never
forget; the chief commander of the
American expeditionary forces stand
ing out in afield, lunging and thrust
ing and countering with gun and bay
onet, leading the company through the
exercises with all the energy and en-
thusiasm of an officer 80 years his
junior.
The men responded in manner
that pleased the general
"That's it" he complimented. "Put
everything you have into it. Pep and
more pep"
He turned to the captain.
"YOu can't epect your men to aECW
class unless you show it yourself.
Papa Sibert is of different tenn
permanent from Pershing but he also
is getting fine results,
When Sibert goes on an inspection
he's always on the lookout Tor a
chance to praise those men who de-
serve praise.
"Your men make fine appearance.
captain, he said one day to company
commander whose men were lined up
for inspection. These are the klnd
of soldiers like to see.
Since that time the company has
entered title to being the crack com
pany of the regiment and every 9th
err company has perked up and Is
working its head off to get similar
compliment from Papa" Sibert.
CONTINUED on PAGE Three,)