The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-11
Born in Missouri.

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"It seems to me the best way to be-
gin an article with General Perish
ling" is to see first what sort of man
has been placed at the head of our
great American army. John Jacob
Pershing, Missourian Of humble
BIRTH received his preliminary edu-
cation at Kirksyille, later receiving an
appointment to West Point and finally
took his degree from the University
of Nebraska. One Of his class mates
at West Point writing Of him said:
Except that his hair today is tinged
with gray and he wears short mus
tache, General Pershing hasn't chang
ed much in all these years. When he
entered West Point he stood six feet.
weighed about 100 pounds. Today he
weighs only 1873, so you see he has
kept himself physically TRIM Now,
as then, his shoulders are broad, his
chest deep, while he is slender from
the waist down. At West Point the
entering class men spent the first few
weeks sizing one another up and
forming friendships. Then comes the
big event of, electing the class presf-
dent. The average age Of our class
was about nineteen, but Pershing was
twenty-one. To the rest Of us he ap-
peared a mature man. who had had
lot more experience in the world, so
from the first day we looked up to
him. There was nothing of the roll
licking, happy-go-lucky about Perish
ing. He was serious minded and about
the least laxative men in the class.
He was always cordial and friendly
but there was a certain dignity about
him that impressed US younger fell
lows. The day came for the election
OF class president. When the temper
ary' chairman said Whom will you
have for PRESIDENT one Of the cadets
rose and said, L think you'll all agree
with me that we've got in this class
only one man who is qualified in every
way for president. nominate Clark
Pershing.' He was elected by accla-
nation and has been president of his
class ever since. In his four years at
the academy, Cadet Pershing was
picked as the best soldier in his class
and at the end of the fourth year was
first cadet captain of the entire acad-
envy. While he was the best soldier
in the class, he was not the highest in
his studies at graduation, in point of
grades in recitation and examinations
be stood twenty-seventh in class Of
His first military ex
perience was gained in 1886, fighting
Indians In 1889 he demonstrated his
tact and unwillingness to shed blood
by rescuing desperadoes
and COW boys, who were beseiged by
The Zuni Indians, accomplishing it all
without the firing of a single shot. He
held the rank of lieutenant and later
captain in the Spanish-American war;
was in the battles at Santiago and at
San Juan 1t was in the Philippines,
however that he demonstrated his ex- !
,eptional ability as a soldier, which |
resulted in his promotion from captain |
% brigadier general. After two years
II swamp and jungle fighting In the |
Stands. Pershing was a sick man and |
vas urged to return to America to re-
over his health. but he said I'm not .
,oinr back home I've learned this ,
game. | know this Mindanao country
md if they'll just leave me alone, I'll
make record And he did It was !
big job to clean out the savages. in .
he back Districts who pillaged the vii +
ages and murdered the inhabitants.
lie tried always to attain the ends of
,eace without blood shed if possible,
tut he never hesitated to use plenty
# three inch guns if necessary. Fin
lily the savages came to see that he
vas man of iron and the native
hiefs one by one surrendered to him.
lie treated them with so much kind
less and Justice, cleaned up their vii
ages and made way for schools and
aw and order. that they elected him
heir chief, the highest honor they
ould pay a foreigner. For this serv-
ce President Roosevelt promoted
'ershing to brigadier general; a
mighty howl went up that he should
ave been given such great jump in |
ank, but Roosevelt knew what he was
loing and stood pat on the appoint l