The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-01

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His voice is that Of a young man,
and he speaks crisply, without ever
hesitating for word.
There is not a particle Of pose
about Pershing. He has been called
cold, but 1 did not find him so. When
told him that l had a son in the
army he became decidedly cordial.
What was the boys name? His regi-
ment? When did he reach France
Had I seen him? The commander
n-chief Of the American army, on his
way to an allied council with men
who have the fate of civilization in
their hands, had time to ask ques-
lions about an enlisted man. LINCOLN
used to do things like that.
Weeks later I was the guest, with
several other correspondents, Of the
intelligence department Of the army
in a motor journey into the war zone.
Cur passes were for three days only
and three districts were to be visit
ed. One stopping place was the town
alluded to as G. H. O., the heart OF
the American expeditionary force in
France. We were to meet the COM
mander- in chief informally, but
there was to be no interview. The
prospect was pleasing, but not par
ticularly exciting and in that 1t
matched up pretty well with the rest
of the trip. When the intelligence de-
partment invites correspondents, es-
pecially women correspondents, to a
party you can be sure that it Is a
very staid and conservative affair.
He's a Reasonable Man.
We Travelled by train from Paris
to our first point, a big camp where
our engineers had done some won
ders of construction, and which was
now a completely equipped school,
where thousands of soldiers were be-
ing trained in bombing, trench NOR
tar work and other skilled branches.
At the station we were met by a
handsome and diplomatic young in
telligence officer in a big limousine.
Under his chaperonage we were to
see as much Of the war zone as was
considered good for is. The second
day brought us to G. H. @. and Gen.
Pershing.
Then was glad had seen him
in the palace in the Rue de Varennes.
Because now I knew something about
him. I knew he liked candor and
straight talk. I knew also that with
an inflexible will he possessed a rea-
sonable mind. You can argue with a
man like that. did argue with Gen.
Pershing, on the subject of what
women correspondents ought to be
permitted to see and to know. / told
him what wanted to take back to
the mothers of American soldiers,
I cannot repeat our conversation,
because is was confidential. will
simply say that Gen, Pershing proved
the reasonableness Of his mind by
greatly extending our facilities on
that trip, and turning our prim little
while from the reporters point Of
view. Later / shall go into details
about that trip up the line. This ar
ticle is concerned with Gen. Per-
shing.
In the plain, bare room, which lis
the commanders private headuuar-
ters, and in which the great cam
paigns which our men will fight are
being planned, Gen. Pershing appears
even more dynamic and forcefUI than
in his luxurious Partisan home. I
have seen generals who wore their
uniforms as If they were business
clothes, but not to with Gen. Per-
shing IL he wore business clothes
he would contrive 10 make them look
like a uniform His khaki lis the
most immaculate, the most correct.
the most military thing in the way
OF garments that have ever beheld.
His boots look ais though he never
wore the same pair a second time.
Yet there Is nothing stiff or rigid in
his appearance. He oplIts his clothes
on a perfect masculine deure. that is