The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-01
GIVE BOYS BACK
TO MOTHERS AS
SOUND MEN, is
PERSHING'S PLAN
In Prime Himself, He Feels
Responsible For His
Charges Welfare
"WIN THE WAR"
THEIR SLOGAN
Implicit Confidence In
Leader Is Reflected
From ALI Sides
(By RHETA cHlLDE DooR.)


If you talk with the American SOL
diers, as I did both in their rest bill
let's and their camps, you will find
they have the clearest and most def
mite understanding as to their bust
ness in Europe. It Is to win the
war. never met a men who had
the slightest doubt or hesitation about
it. They know it will happen. They
say to you: 'Why, the general him
self says SO. Germany can and must
be beaten The general himself said
that"
THE general himself" Of course,
means Gen. Pershing. He is to the
American soldier what Foch Is to the
French poilu, the supreme authority
who cannot be mistaken. And to
the French poiIu, and to the French
public at large Gen. Pershing, per-
haps next to Gen. Foch, is the COM
manding figure Of the war. This in
spite Of the fact that they know
nothing whatever of him as a fight
ing man. They believe in him, and in
my opinion their faith is going to be
! justified.
Character" said Gen. Pershing,
Other things being equal, will decide
the last battle.
The basis Of my confidence in Gen
Pershing is that he has character,
strong, original, dynamic. Every
word and gesture reveals personality.
He is absolutely straightforward and
sincere, and his manner is simple and
natural. Yet underneath that quiet
simplicity you can easily perceive a
will of steel and a capacity for great
sternness. His first appearance won
Paris completely, and before he has
had time to fight a battle he has
become a military hero in the eyes
Of the French.
saw Gen. Pershing first in the re-
ception room of the beautiful Louis
XVI. mansion in the Rue de Warren
mes which has been loaned him for a
town house when he goes to Paris.
That is seldom. Most Of the time he
lives In a picturesque town in eastern
France, which is the general head
quarters OF our army. The name Of
the town is almost never spoken. It
Is simply alluded to as G. III. @. (Gen-
eral headquarters.)
Type Of American Army.
Since the advent Of the American
forces In France there has been a
much closer cooperation among the
allies, g. cooperation which reached
its natural climax in the appoint
ment OF Gen. Foch as generaIissimo
of the allied armies. Franco has long
desired this arrangement, President
Wilson desired it and so did Premier
Lloyd George. Gen. Pershing, in his
swift, clear minded Judgment, de-
clared it inevitable. But difficulties
stood in the way Of its accomplish
ment, and 1t was not until after sew
eral meetings Of the allied war coun-
Gil at Versailles that the thing began
to seem remotely possible.
In the interest Of stronger co-op-
Grafton and as COMMUNICATIVE hief Of
the American army, Gen. Pershing
has been a constant attendant OF the
allied war councils. In a ten-minute
interval between luncheon and de-
parture for an afternoon session of
the council. had my first converse
ton with him AS he came into the
room it occurred to me instantly that
here was the very embodiment Of the
American army. The composite, the
perfect type. No wonder the French
like him. He looks right.
No Greek OF old Sparta was ever
more perfect physical speciman. AT
fifty-four, Gen. Pershing Is as
straight and slender Of waist as
when he left West Point. He Is tall
powerful OF frame, without an ounce
Of fat anywhere on his body, and as
hard as bronze. His eyes are keen
and young, although his hair Is gray
Els face ~ marked with few deep
scar-liI56 lines, for tragedy has en-
tered his life, as all the world knows
The lines do not suggest age, how
ever. Gen. Pershing looks younger
than his years, much younger than
most Of his published paotogra phs
Continued on Page Twelve