The Benson signal., 1917-09-08
REAL SOLDIERS TO LEAD new ARMY

pertS admit that in recent wars many
elders Of the services have made ever
lastingly good.
Selected on Their Records.
The 81 major generals of the new
National army nominated by the presi-
dent were all selected on the basis OF
their records Of service. On going
through this list find that out of the
81, % were cadets at the United
States Military academy at the time
that I attended that institution. Some
of them I knew well when 1 was a
cadet. Others 1 did not know well be-
cause they were upper classmen when
I was Junior classman, but with the
plebe and the yearling's interest in the
older fellows I learned lot about
them while they hardly knew that l
was in existence. This is the way of
things at the military academy.
Seven of the new major generals
were my classmates and it ought to go
without saying that these men | know
well, but at present shall write moth
ing of them except to say that every
one of them has a good military record.
1t happens, however, that with some
Of the upper classmen Of that day
have had more or less intimate ac-
Quaintance in recent years and in some
cases strong friendships have devel-
oped.
Frederick S. Strong is one Of the
new major generals. Strong, l think,
will look after the men lucky enough
to be in his division as father looks
after his children, but when it comes
to case of fighting he will display
the Roman fathers fortitude and will
lead his children to the front with no
thought of sparing them if sacrifice is
necessary to win the battle.
Strong's just but kindly disposition
led the military academy to put him in
charge of the incoming plebe class in
the year 1870. Those were the days
of hazing and hadeS at West Point.
Strong guarded the peace of the new
cadets. Made major generals with
him are half a dozen men who re-
ceived their first soldier instruction as
plebes at West Point from Frederick
S. Strong.
Are Real Leaders.
Maj. Gen. Edwin st. John Greble,
who either will lead a National Guard
or new army division to the front, is
a son of the first officer of the regular
army to be killed in the Civil war. The
elder Greble fell at Big Bethel This
newly appointed major general was
godson of the late Gen. o. o. Howard,
sometimes known as the Christian
soldier" When Howard went to West
Point to become the academy's super
intendent, Greble, his godson, was a
first classman and the cadet adjutant.
Greble cut up some dido or other and
Howard promptly reduced him to the
ranks.
The relationships of father and SOD
and godfather and gOdsOn do not make
for leniency in the army when regula-
tiOns have been violated. Greble's Of
fense would not have amounted to q
hill of beans at college, but at West
PO10C 1t was Inauo TO appear a noun.
tain. Major General Greble's record
of service is one of the finest that ap.
pears in the pages of the Army Regis,
ter.
1t was predicted six weeks ago that
Joseph 7. Dickman of the Second cav
airy, who then was promoted to a
brigadier generalship from the rank of
colonel, would on the next promotion
occasion be made major general. The
prediction hit the mark.
The regiments that go to the front
with Dickman can be sure that they
are following a soldier. Dickman is
hard~isted fighter, much more ready
to spare his men than to spare himself,
but he will spare neither unless the
occasion requires sparing. He has
fought everywhere that there has been
a chance to fight since the year of his
graduation.