The sun., 1919-09-07
Always w anted TO
Study Law and
Finally Did, but
Never Had Time
to Practise 1t

litia join the $4,000 already on the
border.
August 30-Sept. = The United
States and Mexico name commits
sions for an amicable adjustment
and the withdrawal OF the militia
is begun.
The adjustment and the withdrawal
/ we're both completed early in 1917.
| The whole story Of the punitive eN-
pedition is yet to be disclosed. 1t is
one of the strong minor interests in
! connection with the world war that
are still embodied in the mantle of his
/ tory. There is general belief that Per-
shing would have gone on and ac-
counted for Villa past peradventure
had he not been restrained from
Washington. Admirers of the Wilson
/ Administration conjecture that the re-
straint was imposed as the alternative
| to the necessity of general interven-
tion in Mexico, with involvment of tho
nucleus of that great American army
which the President knew would
! sooner or later be needed against, the
! Germans.
Some indeed aver that the expedi-
tion was really sort of dress re-
hearsal, designed to test and season
the national guardsmen. At all events
in effect it was Il spectacular DEMON
stration Of the mettle of Gen. Pershing
and when the great moment came and
' the President selected him for chief
command of that then embryonic
colossus, the a. T.. L., the selection
had the confidence and approval OF
the nation. Also, with Funston dead,
it was the best conciliation which
Washington could make to the hun
dreds of thousands of Americans who
felt and still feel that vicious politics
was played at the expense of Leonard
/ Wood. 10
Pershing, Wood and Funston had
already become identified in the popu-
lar mind as eXemplifying the best en-
! ergy and the most progressive ability
in army circles.
Gen. Pershing was appointed Major
General Sept. %. 1915. The United
States declared war upon Germany
April 6, 1917. May IS came the all
nouncement that Pershing would be
our commander in chief in France
on June 8 he arrived in England, and
after four strenuous days of respond
ing to an overwhelming welcome from
the British authorities, the Crown and
the people he went to France
He landed at Boulogne, and then
began the historic French welcome to
him, both as American commander
and as a human symbol of what was
promised from the sister republic OF
the New World. In fervor and In the
signal nature of the honors paid to
the General the French demonstra-
tion if possible surpassed the British.
His quiet appearances as spectator
of sessions of the French Senate and
Chamber of Deputies turned those
grave assemblies inside out to acclaim
him and his country.
Lafayette, We Are Here!"
! lie carried a wreath to the tomb
of Lafayette, and invulnerable legend
has It that he spoke the words, La
fayette, nous VOLTA ."-'I. lafayette. We
are here!" If he did not speak them
himself some American officer in his
party did it-and anyhow, as a dough-
boy remarked. whether the Big Boss
said it or not he was there. He
was taken by Joffre and other French
GeIleTdlS 10 Lne lOHlO Oi NdpOieOll
in the Invalides, and was conducted
into the crypt itself-a distinction pre-
viously accorded to only one other
American. Theodore Roosevelt. For
Pershing, the soldier, a further and
even more extraordinary honor awaited
at the tomb. The sword of the Little
Corporal and his Oross OF the Legion
Of Honor were taken f.om their cases
in the wall and placed in his hands.
These relics had not been touched
since the time of Louis Philippe.
Even before the observances and
festivities OF the welcome were com
pleted Gen. Pershing had opened tent
porary headquarters in the Hotel Grill
lon, and there at plain Kitchen"
table in a room stripped OF all soften
ing adornment, he had begun the ad-
ministrative labor Of planning and ar
ranging for the transport. the sun
plying, and the final training OF the
millions of American soldiers who We're
to come.
! His promotion to General was made
October @, 1917. 1t placed him techni-
/ cally on even terms with the allied
/ commanders whose practical import
, ance corresponded with his.
The rest has already been sketched
: at the beginning of this brief biography
\ II never will be forgotten by a true
American.