Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-31
PERSHlNC LEADS
SIMPLE LIFE AT
HEADQUARTERS
There is Little Ceremony
When American General
Goes About Work.

Chaumont. Haute Marine. France,
Nov. Observation-Disclosures of the As
sociated PreSS)-When he is here al
General Headquarters General Perish
ing leads a very busy but very simple
life. There is little ceremony of an
o~stentatious kind either at his chateau
or around his Offices. There is moth
ing to distinguish his Office rooms in
IA" building of the headquarters
group from those of any other officer.
One orderly sits at his door. there
is no sentry and the visitor walks un-
announced into the adjoining recep-
ton room to be received by one of his
staff.
General Pershing's trips to and
from his chateau in the country are
made in his motor car. distinguished
only by it's red four starred insignia
on the windshield and where would be
the number plate, which slips unno-
noticed along the road and through
the city. Ordinarily he is accompan-
led only by his personal aide, his
staff following at a distance great
enough not to mark the big cars as
one squadron.
In fine weather he sometimes
walked the two or three miles from
the outskirts of Chaumont to ,his
country home, and that. with quiet
horseback rides through the beautiful
country hereabouts, gave him his
needed exercise.
Much of his time since last spring
when the American forces began real
participation in strength in the fight
ing, has been spent at Advanced
Army Headquarters. These have been
ut various places, sometimes at a dis
lance to entail long, hard automo-
bile rides from them to Chaumont
when circumstances demanded his
presence here. Often after a lard
day at Advanced Headquarters the
general has made the three or four
hour drive late at night, only to de-
part early the next day. His power
full closed car with double rear wheels
usually travels at high speed and in
it's comfortable cushions he obtains
the rest denied him in bed.
Life at General Pershing's chateau
is plain to the point of simplicity. Ex-
cept for the beautiful old castle and
of the Marine, it might be the home
life of any fairly we'll to do American
business mar. Only uniforms of his
military household set it apart. His
personal staff lives with him and his
servants are negro soldiers detailed.
And they are good cooks as his few
guests can testify, placing on his table
simple, we'll cooked American dishes,
usually three or at most -four courses,
including coffee and cheese and served
American style.
No sentries are in evidence; Moth
ing to mark the chateau as the resi-
dence of the commander-in-chief.
The visitors car drives through a
plain u~nguarded gateway in a closely
set grove, along a curving roadway
for a few hundred yards, and then
only is had the first glimpse of the old
castle, lying in its parks and lawns
bordered on one side by "a long,
sweeping curve of the River Marine
and it's canal. lined on either bank
with tall poplars set equidistant and
lending an added touch of Formally
to the always formal French land
scape.
Often General Pershing, himself,
rises from a seat on the terrace to
greet a guest and. if not. one of his
staff. The meal is very informal, con-
versation being general and the COM
mander-in-chief apparently does not