Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-05
TOUCH Of LIVE Wire
TOARMY IN FRANCE
Gen. Pershing's Thorough In
spection of the Pioneer
| Regiments in Camp.
Fits THROUGH ARMY ZONE
BY JUNIUs B. WOOD.

BY JUNIUS B. WOOD.
Especial Cablexram to Tho Star and
Chicago Daily News)
lCopyright. 1917. by the Chicago Daily News
Company
AMERICAN FIELD HEADoUAE-
TIERS IN FRANCE. August (delAyed).
The American lighting force In
today. MAJ. Gen. Pershing took his
Arst flying trip to inspect the pioneer
regiments Of his command and Sc the
country which soon win be his home
the American nations greatest army
IN the world struggle. His thousands
of boys. most OF them now recruits
from city streets and country neldA
receivsd the greater part Of nis IL 81.
hre Of questions. comments and criti-
cismnI outspoksn, direct and emphatic
the same to the high ranking onioer ~
to the private. and as quick a. the
means . victorious nnish-this was
the idea impressed upon all The gen
erals flying trip left the mon more
than ever charged with pep and gin
ger and hlled with enthusiasm and
which they are to carry the nations
hope
Trip Through o. & "Army Zone"
The trip was through what - to be
known In the United States a. the
army sone." Soldiers in American
brown and French blue standing at at
tention. bare-legged French children
wearing funny blue caps, standing erect
and giving childish salutes: aged peas
ants waving their hands and shouting.
evlvsl' az me car flying the Stars and
generals guidon. with two white stars
on . red field. on the other. sped
through the rambling villages-al
these things made the event the most
France. In each Of the score Of VII
lagos in which our troops are bil1eted
the general left the car to talk per-
oonally with the officers and men.
He did not stop there He tramped
mp hfllsides where cars could not go,
Jumped the practice trenches, saw the
Intensive training under the French
soldiers. watched long lines of Ameri-
cans learning the overland, windmill
style Of throwing hand grenades and
saw platoons charging straw-stufed
dummy enemies. first hurdling the
trench and jabbing with the butt of
the gun a PROSTATE figure on the other
side. and then continuing at top speed
tmpaiins a swinging stuffed man
Axteen yards further on.
Charging with the bayonet must be
vigorous. lunging, plunging and
vicious" said the general grimiy. Il
believe we should send the men to see
how our allies make them"
Soldier cat Attention" Is Reproved.
II see a man in that line turning his
head" he continued, as he walked
pany was standing at attention. He
has something in his hat cord. That is
also against the regulations. The first
duty of q soldier is to learn to stand
1t attention. eyes straight ahead. erect
and immovable."
In the villages he went at the inspec-
item with a thoroughness that opened
the eyes of those not familiar with his
methods. He seemed to notice every
characterization, quarters, food and
the morale of the men.
How many men are bflleted here?"
he asked as he came to a barn having
eight or ten cots In the h4yloft. Let
rs see how they are fixed" he contin-
ned. as he rapidly mounted the crude
homemade ladder. THAT is clean and
ought to be comfortable this winter"
was his verdict to the officers ascend
ing at a slower pace
Nearly every billet in each village
was gone over in the same way. He
found rows of frame barracks, each
ohe1tering cots for eighty men. More
time was given to them. as many such
are to be erected before the cold winter
weather sets in. The company kitch-
cooks being questioned minutely. How
- the meat? Where does 1t come
from? Have you any white -four? Do
the men like the French war bread?
Do you get vegetables? Do you get
onions? Get beans? Get bacon? Do
the men complain about the food? Does
Il work all right? Where do you get
woodf How does 1t burnt Can you
bake biscuits?"
One cook proudly showed the way
through the door Of q room where two
dozen Juicy pies Of mountaineering odor
rested on the clean boards fresh from
the oven. Others were emptying big
tins Of hot biscuits. lighter than many
housewives make, into big boxes to be
1erved hot to the soldiers At the evening
meal
Partakes Of Soldiers Fare.
Gen. Pershing at noon ate common
soldiers fare. Dinner time came when
he was on one of the training fields and
the army, telephone carried word to the
headquarters that he would not be pres
pent for the midday meal. He hurried to
colonePs mess nearby. There were
thirteen in the party at the time and
one superstitious officer quietly disap-
peared, leaving twelve to sit down at
the plain board table. The plates Were
the only chinaware. Everything else
NJ thA In,