El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-10

CEN. JOHN J. PERSHIN6 has returned from the war
and has returned to the greatest reception that any
American could ever hope to receive So great were TIE
masses Of people thronged to him. 50 varied the
incidents that marked his home coming 50 spontaneous
the acclaim with which he greeted that the simplest
narrative Of them becomes almost epic
The reception to Gen Pershng naturally appealed to
the imagination He home after y months absence
in which he led to victory the largest army the United
States had ever assembled Moreover he had commanded
from first last, IN way to win the admiration OF ms
fsiloz countrveu He had proved quick Of decision &C
curste Of Judgment nexble in the discipline he imposed
on his army and himself as much as on any Of ms
officers and men, hard as steel IN time OF 0atue out es
consderate Of the who served under him; grave ana
stern but arrogant never brutal and never blatant
Gen Pershfng knew he was to be welcomed home, ana
undoubtedly he had somewhere about him. When the
Levathan doced program Of the places ne was SUPPOSE
to 60 the people to meet the addresses he was TO
make what places he and when and where ne
10 eat and sleep.
But un5oubtedlv while thus informed in advance in
general way Of what coming he was nearly earned OH
his feet BY volume Of the crowds that acclaimed MN
and the tremendous fervor Of their cheers Fl Pssosns
who know vel the grave and rather reserved FelsIns
realize he must have been overcome IN New YORK Wnen
he stood up his and swung his cap about his head IN
responding the Of the multitude And no "onae
Nc other American has had such welcome fresiaent
wilson never received anything that rvaed II It was
big not turn ever so slightly the head OF any one
II Is characteristics Of Pershng that he has not lost his
perspective Had not nearly 100000 Of the best ana
raves FIGHTING in the world carried out MS Oaltie
orders and exceeded his ORDERS achieving more than even
he with sublime faith in the ability Of the American sol
der dared hope there would have been no thunderous
spulsudinr welcome home for Pershing BE knows that
vel and has kept the thought with him from the moment
Of his dsbsrkatiou-
az ACCEPT this IN the Of the brave fellows who
vent over and served to the best of their ability, making
ON success possible he said after the first greetings were
over
interviewed later and unable unwilling to answer
the questions put him, Gen Persng fell back on ms
hobby and said:
sThs American doughboy IS the finest soldier IN the
world and il didn't take the Germans long to ind II out
We boastsd little probably, Of the peculiar qualities Of
the American fighting man, but his sggressvenes inlra-
tive and devotion as member of the American expedl-
ouarv forces gives US every night to boast and be proud
Of him" PershnE has been saying for years that the
American soldier is the best in the world FL Pasoans who
attended the srquet given in his honor here after his
return from lac punitive expedition in Mexico VIII TecaH
uterances very Ike those above quoted He has never
lost sight Of the fact that the unit Of strength OF the
United States army IS the American private soldier and
reueztedlv at his headquarters at Chaumont France he
reminded his staff officers to leave the human equa
tion ont Of their calculations forget the enlisted
nan He realized that would be fatally wrong
In short Pershiug enbodies as commander those ee-
euts and those qualities Of mind that we consider the
ideal OF an American soldier and Officer and that IS one
reason his countTymen thoroughly admire him
There are those returning from France who consider
Persting somewhat overrated. They admit he com
sndsd with ability and courage, but contend he did 10
more thar his duty in the niche he filled, which vas e-