The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-07-02
PERSHINC AT ODDS
WITH GEN. MARCH
Chief Of Staff D1snRed way He was
Ignored Abroad.

WASHINGTON. July l.--Although
Secretary Of War lak"r refuses point
blank 10 make any comment on Inc pos
sihihty 81 General Pcrshing being made
Chief Of staff or on reports OF friction
between General PcrshinE and General
March. IT is we'll known in army circles
that this friction has existed for many
months.
How serious il is or whether " has
reached tho stag" To h" officially taken
notice Of is another matter. but cvrr~
General Staff Officer understands thpt
there has hern and is little love lost he
tween these two officers.
According to army gossip. Gen. March
never liked the way ne was permitted
by Gen. Pcrshing to come To the United
States in the early days OF the war and
remain in Washington. TIL" fact TINT
he was appointed chief Of staff made his
absence from the lighting zone neceS-
sary. but there seems 10 be AN impress
sion that General March thoght that his
value abroad had never heen properly
appreciated by Gen. Pershing.
Began over TriHes.
ANYWAY there were frequent indica-
lions Of friction between the officers or
the General Staff and the officers or the
head Of the American EKpeditionary
over small triflcs. orders which General
Pershing sent IN for equipment. etc BY
virtue Of his position Gen. March took
occasion frequently to override suETes-
lions made by Gen. PershinE and IN"
latter not infrequently fired back ny
refusing 70 accept tho changes.
Tho first public notice OF this caTo
in connection with an ordcri for cor
tain kind Of puttces which Perahing ''nt
In General March refused 70 comply
with the order on tho ground TINT hei-
ter kind Of puttccs could b" PROVIDED
and the war department no notihed ""n-
oral Pershing. by return WHO tho
ply came from rorshinG that ho Want"d
exactly what no had ordered and ihat
tho substitute proposed by G"nera.
March wns vnluclrss for tho K'hd OK
tronch warfare he had I'm mind.
smh,soncntlv Il was often noted that
recommendation which tho war depart
man, announced as having been MADE
hv General March 10 General Pcrshlhe
e;,h.r vcrc Ignored or were not acted
unor for wcok-. In matters pertaining
~ c,.ualty lists and IN many othrr
oncstions tho chief Of staff ordered ono
,h,nr 10 be done and General PorSninR
nromp,ly proceeded IN follow his own
course. After frequent diaagrccments
oyrr minor matters II was announced
Tint matters pertaining TO the Amer
tenn rypcditionary for"o would h" han.
L,.d at the entire discretion OF General
Prrshlng."
The story In army circles Is THAI mis-
change camc about whom s"cr"'ars
Bnker made ono ~ his nrHt TIPS
abroad. General PerShinG Ia said to
have Informed him In no uncertain man
ncr Tint In wer Of tho present masn'-
,ud. /, WINS necessary for him 10 have
carte blanche and not be Instructed from
Washington.
increased 90 PsSos Roa=ed.
Tho rivalry between Gena- March and
ps-blnr became moro pronounced TO.
ward tho end OF tho war and Officers
Who vero warm frlonds Of Gen, Per-
sh,ng took occasion frequently to point
ont that Gen, March always roforred 10
GENERATIONS OF the American forces aa
having been directed by tho General
Staff.
In tho Official announcements IT was
frequently noted that Gen, March said !:
81 have ordered den, reruhing 10 een0
a division to suoh and auoh place. o.
II have directed uen, PeruhinG to 70"
mort" &c, Emphasis seemed to ba LAID
OH the fact that the Chief OF Staff vas
the superior officer TO the commander
If tho American overseas foroeH When'
ever the occasion arose, Officers here
saw that both Gen, March and Gen. Per-
shlnE had, each in his own way, much
II do with tho striking SUCCESS or thu
American forces, but that the rule play
ed by the Chief OF Staff was necessarily
Of minor Importance.
As the Chief Of Staff 10 usually the
directing agency TO which tho greatest