Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-10-11
IPERSHING PICTURE OF
HEALTH At THE FRONT
(By George T. Bye)

WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
IN THE FIELD IN FRANCE (via
London), October s. - Moving pic
lures give you an erroneous idea that
General Pershing is csreworn with
his great responsibilities. His face
on the screen cons shadowy with line
Of WEAKNESS. The truth is that our
Commander ia France hasn't a good
camera"
I have never seen q healthier,
brighter, fresher executive than Gen.
eral Pershing, whom / have just left,
after a first visit to American Gen.
eral Headquarters. There are TO
hollows in mis- cheeks, nor depressions
about his eyes. His color is that Of
a boy in a swimming pool. He rises
briskly as he shakes hands, giving
YOU a fine smile, then seats himself
in a comfortable way, certainly NOT
the demeanor Of an exhausted or wor-
ried man.
When / told him | had heard frem
the English drill sergeants that our
men are catching on to European
trench warfare with amazing quick
ness, he laughed in top humor. He
knows, as l suspected, that the army
Of America is going to give the Al
lies battle line more than hoped for
strength, in MASKING out the heath
inishness Of their enemies. While |
was at headquarters, a private rail-
way car was delivered to General
Pershing for use in inspecting his
scattered units, and for occasional
trips to the front. The car has
sleeping, dining and office compart-
ments.
There was no traditional army red
tape or European ceremony about my
seeing the General. One sentry ex-
amined my pass and then / was fires
to stroll at viii. An aide told me
someone was seeing the General ana
would be out in a minute. When the
someone came out, / walked in. After
my talk, / rambled about the bus
headquarters stopping in several Of
fees, all of which have signs on tn:
doors. l was refused information
: at no place, and there was only one
: room where l was politely told
should not enter.
The men in the training schools re
4. fleet the health and bouyancy of theil
| popular leader. We probably hav,
never had an army with so low a sicl
rate. Led by magically agile Brit
, ish Sergeants, our infantrymen ar,
romping through their trench warfarl
training. None of our regulars werI
, tender young men when they lande'
in France. Their tutors are making
them as hard as manganese steel ant
as quick as cats.
Il never saw such willing workers
would you listen to 'em sing" on
Z professor in ~bayonetting said to me
q 1.-THE singing was the wild cry of tn
, charge and came from expose
a teeth. } "A healthy lot. 'Twould b
a pity to overdo it and give 'em a.
n they want. When l tell 'em to &
a over the top and rip up the Germa
swine, they carry OF like old TIC
ers, In all the months ! have give
to bayonet training / have never see
the stuffed dummies of German
A gouged to pieces SO quickly
Grisly as this may sound in sof'
= hearted American homes, the ma
spirit Of "go-after- he-brutes" in
%pregnates the air at our varior
n American schools and camps and it
the only way to fight.
when will they be ready for Il
'front.'" l asked several times. II
answer always was, GAS soon as tn
haven't anything more to learn. Wht
they are good enough to be teacher
themselves. Then they're going in