Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-18
|NSPECTS
MEN ON FIRING LINE
Questions Them as to Food, Liv-
ing Conditions and Their
Comfort.
BY Associated Press to Every Evening

With the American Army in France,
Sunday. Feb. 17.~-CDelaycd1
Gen. Pcrshing hys completed a two
day inspection of <thc American sector
northwest OF Toul. In "tin hat" with
a gas mask swung over bis chest at the
alert positions the American commander
n-chief walked through all the first line
trenches. splashing through the mud and
slipping on the ice. He dropped down
into the dugouts and visited batteries
busy hurling iron rations'' at the enemy.
In all places tho general asked inr
Vulnerable questions, especially of the
men with regard to food. how they were
and how they liked conditions All ex-
cept one cook agreed that they WIRE per-
fcctly satisfied with everything To the
cook Gen. Pershing said:
"You are getting enough To oat9'
"No, sir" the cook replied.
what" said the general "You the
cook and do not get sufficient food. |
never heard OF a cook IN such a condition
| before"
"Wcll, sir, | did not mean that exactly
! mean not enough variety
Cen pershlng asked what he had had
| fo~dinner today. The cook replied that
he had roast beef, potatoes, onion, white
| bread, coffee N,d rico pudding.
| ''rhat sccrns like considerable va
| riety,' remarked the eeneraI. what
| else do YOU want?'
We'll, | would have to have some green
stuff, sir.
Cen pershng then turned to long
| line of soldiers with mess kits in their
| hands and asked:
"Do you men get enough to eat out
here?''
The line saluted briskly and almost in
chorus came the rply:
Yes, sir"
/ EXAMINES ALI. TRENCH ORDERS.
The general next appeared in regi-
mental headquarters in dugout in q
| town which has been riddled by shells.
| The colonel was not there at the time
| and the conrnander-in-chicf called for
| all trench and other orders and all papers.
lie sat down and read through every one
of them.
In the dugouts. Gen Pershing sug-
| gested some few changes here and there
and IN the trenches he also directed that
some small changes be made.
From well situated point through
glasses, Gen. Pershing inspected Mont
| Sec and the German observation posts cil
| top Of 1T, from which the enemy has the
| American lines under observation for
20 miles when the visibility is good.
| Because OF the haze the general was un-
| able to see the spires OF Metz which are
| visible on clear days from certain place
Many soldiers In line recognized the
| commander-ln-chef AS he passed them
| or stopped to question them, but Others
! did not One young infantryInan, after
Gen. Pershing and the general in com
mand of that particular brigade had
passed asked:
%''who il that with the four stars on
cOmrade informed him, whereupon
| the inquIsitlve one replied:
is that so Whoever saw a com
| mander-in-chief of an army walking
| around In trench asking some private
| whether he had enough to eat or his
feet were dry? Ii is not being done
1t took "a lieutenant To convince the
| doubtful soldier that it was Gen. Pershin z
| he had seen.
SLIGHTLY sPRAINs HIS ANKLE.
/ Throughout the inspection tour Gen
| Pershing hmped a little his ankle havinl
| been slightly injured few days ago. At
| the batteries, the general asked the
| artiilerymen the same questions as he
| put to the lnfantrymen, making SURF
| that they all were contented and had
no cause for complaint
Similar inspection trips will be made
| from time TO time by Gen. Pershing
as the general is determined that the
| American soldiers at all times shall havt
l. the maximum OF protection under the
! best conditions possible.