Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-15
By Herbert Corey

w Every now and then one meets an officer
W with false light Of happiness shining in
his eye He shakes one by the hand. He says:
well, old horse, I'm off for the states to-
morrow"
E. sand glad of it?'' ,.:.s ...... =
That's the conventional response. The come
back to which-it is regulation as orange bios
SONS at a wedling-is: VI"
"Surest thing you know"
But he isn't AT least, he usually isn't. Many
of the homegoers have been dumped because they
have not measured up. Those who have made
and can help the fellows back home, are as un-
pleasant catfish. They do not want to leave
the big show and go back to the training camps
One man l know had the eagles Of colonel
pinned on his shoulders He wanted to give up
that promotion and stay here as a major He
wanted to stay with the bunch.
1t is a hard job that has been handed to Cen
eral Pershing. He not only has to guide the i'm
mense business of putting army on its feet in
a strange country, three thousand sea miles from
home, but he has to find the men who can help
him. 1t is as though Judge Gary had to turn from
the broader interests of the steel trust every
few minutes to find out why Kansas Mulligan
messed up his last batch Of iron pigs at Smoke
town.
Just as Gary would, General Pershing works
the men when he finds them Once a man has
made good, his reward is in making better for
longer hours each day and more days in the week
No one complains The worthwhile sort did not
come over here for a vacation. Recent military
events have damned it home to every that
America must make good in big way and in
hurry. One does not hear that talk OF blood
THEY MUST MAKE GOOD
When fails to make good and General
Pershing finds it out the ultimate punishment is
what he gets. pronto He has time to fool with
his men or to give them another chance. Every
man starts for average whenever he goes
to bat. The other day certain officer failed to
properly guard certain properties with which ne
"A spy could get at that stuff and blow it to
perdition, ~ he told.
''That will all be attended to in due time"
said the officer
I've seen that officers picture. He certainly is
a sodierly looking soldier when he faces cam
era-stern you know, and hard-faced and grim.
But he doesn't hold the pose when he gets away
from the camera, because a few days atterward
some one at headquarters heard about it
Find out whether that stuff is being properly
guarded now" some one ordered
The stuff was not. The due time had not
arrived. The officer responsible tried to pass the
buck but it was too late He is at home.
Another man was brought over here by General
Pershing himself He did not make good. He went
home Batches of them go home every little while
But the percentage of pep in those that stay is
some of the hardest falls have been those taken
by regular army officers. To be fair to the regu-
lar army, some of those making good in the finest
way also graduated from West Point. II has been
solely matter of the personal equation. The man
who has kept UP with his profession is making
good The man who has been content to live the
sheltered life in an army post is not FROM one
viewpoint the regular is seriously handicapped by
comparison with the officer VINO was drawn from
the civilian ranks eight months ago.
Most regular army colonels-many regular
army coonels-have not had One-half the respOn-
sbiIity that is put the shoulders of a depart
ment head in an average dry goods store. The Of
ficer who is content not to display too much IN
itiative and always to obey orders can get along
in any army in the world He avoids mistakes
by obeying the blue-prints A department head in
a dry goods store must punch ahead all the time.
He must be right a sufficient percentage of the
time to pay the store profit. If his mistake is
a big one he loses his job If his right percentage
is big enough his salary is boosted. He mixes
with other people all the time. Too many Off
GERS mix only with officers
"The first thing you must learn is not to