The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-08-22
PERSH|Ne's INFERENCE
AMONG THE SOLDIERS
PERSONAL VIEW OF HEAD OF
AMERICAN FORCES ON
FRENCH FRONT.


of the New York Times with the Am
erican army In France. gives an in
teresting insight to the personality
OF General Pershing and the tremen-
dous influence his high ideals exert
upon the soldiers Of every grade and
| branch OF the service. He says in
part:
American ideals, and the defense Of
| which threw the country into the
world war, are the backbone Of the
American fighting men in France. De-
Tending these ideals at any sacrifice
explains why the American soldier,
without regard to rank or class in
| civil life. becomes q crusader. This
Is the substance Of General Per-
shings estimate Of the doughboys 1t
was expressed since the present Of
fensive was launched and after he
had in person paid his tribute on be-
half of the country to many of the
wounded heroes as they were shunt-
ed back from the battle fields.
The world knows Pershing, the
soldier. Pershing, the man. is ex-
ceedingly interesting. The affection
his troops have for him is more than
the thrill born of the battlefield or
mere hero worship. 1t is personal
To the doughboys of all ranks. the
N, os,Aio,, ~ thu uxu a v>o po ,,or,o a,,ol,c.
expressions OF warm affection. Men
who never saw him remark what a
fine man their general Is.
Great Influence.
His influence throughout all
branches Of the army is tremendous
Just as men in civil life admire a
man they never saw for what they
believe him to be. 80 the American
soldiers who have not seen him face
to face have deep affection for the
| chief. Those who know him person
ally love him. 1t Is very devoted
| army the commander In chief Is lead
ing up the hill of world democracy.
Every doughboy feels that the gen.
eral is for him, Whenever Pershing
| arrives at a place where there are
American wounded. he pays the hos
pital VISIT though II must be brief
He Is man of few words-yery few
but they mean great deal when
| spoken by the chief to sick Yank
These visits in many cases are
wonderful help to surgeons and
nurses. Faces brighten up and eyes
have a new CLEAN. A handclasp
and word Of commentator cause
many severe hurts to mend rapidly.
He tells them how proud their coun-
try Is of them.
Hsroism.
Deeds Of unparalleled heroism are
common in this tremendous clash OF
blood and iron. and back in the hos
pitfalls one sees the fine. naked souls
appraised with ever increasing
amazement The folks back home,
as whole, have a 4000-mile view of
inferno and can not vision the super
human grit required. But they would
understand what stun their sons,
from all parts of America, are made
\ Of II they could talk to them in the
hospitals.
No matter how severe their hurts.
! all express the hope that they may
get back to the front The old adage
that burnt child doesn't thrust Its
hand into the same fire does not hold
good here. The uppermost thought
still is Of service for their country to
the last spark that ia in them. The
ideal burns brightly in these racked
bodies. II is this spirit that General
| Pershing has observed in hundreds
of visits to the wounded It must
encourage him greatly.
saw him one night as ne made
| one OF these visits. He was deeply
impressed. He had just time for
handclasp. smile and a word of
hope as he passed from cot to cot.
The Y. NJ. c. A.
There was little time left before
leaving this town and the general
hunted up the Y. M. C. A. Some 200
doughboys were in the hut An Am
erican made plano was doing its bit
splendidly as an American ragtime
expert was hurting himself back and
forth over the keyboard and about
200 pairs Of hobnailed shoes were
beating time. They didn't know
Pershing was In town. A yell went
up near the door Looking around to
see what the trouble was all about,
the other 100 Jumped to their feet
and stood at attention and then let
loose a cheer that made things rat
tie. The general was among his boys
and the smile above the protruding
chin was like greeting from home
He told them he had just dropped in
to see how they were getting along
and was glad to observe that every
thing seemed to be In apple pie order.
He spoke a few words OF commenda-
ton and told them they were doing
their part we'll. and expressed the ma
tion's pride in them.
There hung on the wall of this hut
as there does In each Y. M. C. A. hut
In France. a picture of Pershing, and
underneath the picture these words
over the generals signature: