The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-19

eAxs HE . 01l1Ar MN


BY Damon Runyon.
With the American Army OF Occu-
patton, Coblenz, Jan. 13.--Soon After
the United States entered the world
conflict the writer pounded out q two
column article, specializing on whether
this war, like all other wars In which
America had engaged. would produce
q man who might later become tow
ering figure in the political affairs OF
the nation Washington. jackson,
! Taylor. Grant, Roosevelt. were born OF
battle, as It were. Would the war
against the boche bring forth another
sucA man?
the result suggested was highly prob
able. Furthermore, 1t was our deduc-
zion that tho man fppJt likely to attain
70 tho gigantic proportions outlined
was John j: Pershing? 80
Thus we were. In q manner OF speak
ing, the original "Pershing for Presi-
.@siaent' fellow. Not tb-t we have any
great personal liking for Pershing. We
have tremendous admiration for him
but no liking. We don't like generals
as class, in fact. However, we ad-
nire a lot of people we don't like.
And we argued naively that he rode
like n man of destiny. IL x
to ride; we are a firm believer In des-
tiny. We hold that the very stars in.
their courses seem to move for the big
Missouri cavalryman who led the
, American army to France. For to-
day we were reading dispatches from
:, America in the London papers which
drift into Cobienz that since the death
'of Theodore Roosevelt, Pershins's
name is being mentioned in connection
. with the Republican nomination. for
!. the highest office In the land.
Over eighteen months ago when we
: were attempting to trace the PERISH
1ng destiny we pointed out certain
!. obvious facts.
The country was manifesting sighs
of clamoring for Roosevelt to take
eour army overseas. To still this ris,
ing ella NOR and to take the linclight
OF yesterday II seemed necessary Tor
the administration to find some man
who doomed impressively in the public
eve as u soldier man I'M whom the
nation would have confidence, and. at
the same time. man who was not
ROOSEVELT or even Leonard Wood.
Funston Was Man.
SC, Ma.g believe lianeral. Funston,
would have been tho man. The wri-
ter so believes Funston was es-
feemed by Americans as their great
est soldier. But Funston dropped
punitive expedition out of Mexico
: after long chase after, the bandit.
Tina, expedition was sioo. 900. GOO
failure, but so far from bringing the
alightest criticism to Pershing for that
8 failure. 1t brought him into public re-
gard as one Of the nations big hght-
ing chiefs. In passing let II he safd
that Pershiug couldn't justly have
been responsible for the Mexico fail
ure 1t went back beyond him
- When Funston died PeFshing auto
snaticaily moved sttll further forward
In public regard when herwas-nanede
as leader OF the expedtticnary forces,
America felt that our military fortunes
were In good hands. The Missourian
came to France In the position OF
honor and mee with honcrs such ar
mo American had ever before known.
Many another general started out
in this war during the past four years
isasss ID RrssAs stas M ssui ~ ass. e
n long time. and many y general fell
by the waysidc. ~
There were pisstrnists who predict
ed a similar end for Pershing. They
: saii II would happen not necessarily
, because of any SHORTCOMINGS on his
part. but because our countrtcs. IKE
other countries. would wax Querulous
= II he failed TO accomplish rnarvels.
IL TAefe are Stttf fVule VINO no0tA I'VE
that had the war continued their pre-
: ACTIONS would have been fulfiied---ff
only by the workings OF the law OF
But the war did not continue I,
- full Of the glory OF military. success
- and no matter what anybody says
pershing made, that army. And no
matter what anybody says that army
won 1ho war. Why supprssa tho
"a v1asa charlie now?
Fervninr NSssevelt Legney. a
~ The man who made Pershinx has
.xaied. They say Theodore Roosevelt was
: playing politics when he singled out
~ct our army humble captain OF cav cav
airy and Jumped him over mgny dtes
to : briSadisr- Eenerslship. Maybe ne
was. but Psrahing IL one Of hts lcxacies
to the nation History shall estimate
M value
- -whsn.- long after the army u occu-
!. PATTON had settled down on the Rhine
and long before We had read the po-
: llxIcai gossip from America. We can
vassed our ideas Of the Pershins, des-
tiny to some extent among the col
! dtefs.
!. we found. and sim ana. surprising
- the statement may seem. that his
:, same carries no magic appeAl to rnen
: wAo sousht In the war. A. far ~
ity has bsen lmpf1essd on them. Some
s0iyiaacns havs their own Individual.
heroes, ~ In the case suf Douglas Mac
Arthur, with the Forty-sAcond d1vis-
sion. but no great. Dominating indi-
viduaiity stands out, In thsir min0A
= Generals In this war did met come
aseo ysrS sls:s eSH ~. Win r sss'r sn
MsralL Big lack Hines, J0e DiCkman.
Preston Brown ana o0ss6 otAsfs nssaH
it0ther than the nav and brilliant bat