El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-15

I goguery unaccOmpanied by coustruc-
] tive accomplishment.
Wood. Soldiers Man.
Is Cen PershinE popular2 Does
l Gen Wood command much strength
/ The answer to the first question
I IS difficult to get. As many per
sons with whom I discussed that were
! in favor Of Cen Pershing as against
[ him for political office. The troops
I generally have seen very little of
I him. so he is not the popular idol
that Americans usually have in mind
/ when they think OF a military man as
a candidate for the president. Rather
Il would seem that Gen Leonard
Wood has a better hold on his follow
ers, is much more enthusiastically ac-
[ believe IN him for the presidency
than is Gen. Pershing by his own
followers
Possibly this is due to the fact that
the men who are devoted TO Gen.
Wood have a grievance Take. for
instance, the 89th division, from kan
sas and Missouri. They called them
selves the orphan division" while
in France. In memory OF the abrupt
detachment OF Gen. Wood from his
division on the night before they
sailed for France.
VIII Defend PershinE.
As for the controversies over the
management OF the American expe-
dictionary force, II Gen. Wood Is not
in the forefront OF attention when
the campaign IS on. and civilian can
didates seek to attack the record Of
Cen PershinE, II is my judgment that
the troops VIII forget many OF their
complaints In their desire 70 prevent
the great accomplishments OF the
American expeditionary force in the
great war from being helittled or dis
credited They would rally 10 the
support OF the man who led them TO
So far as the great body OF the Of
fcers and men are concerned. there
Is no Question that they believe in
some sort OF military training as the
best preparation for the future. and
II the Republican candidate has such
a plank In his platform and the Dem
ocrat does not. Il will not be difficult
TO tell where the majority Of the re-
turning soldiers viii be on the issue.
PershInE for Big Nav.
Those who have had an opportu-
nifty 10 study Gen. Pershing at close
range DO not believe he would advo-
cate an army OF such size as to levy
TOO heaVy burden on the American
pocketbook- Rather would Il seem
that he favors large navy 70 make
the uses Of q standing army outside
OF the United States less necessary
and system OF military training TO
y z
The general always eschews politi-
cal discussion even with his init
mates.
Some day next year possibly IN the
spring. just before the big political
conventions are under way, Gen. Per-
shing viii be due home. having sue
ressfully conducted the American ex-
1ediuonary forces through their Job
In Europe Probably there will be a
great welcome for him IN New York.
probably he VIII be asked to speak IN
several cities. Probably the Ameri-
can people viii then say whether they
think John J. Pershing Is presiden-
tial caliber or not At this date. 5000
miles away from civilian candidates
who have the stage all to themselves.
perhaps little thought IS given TO
Pershing. Maybe he viii be much
more important when he Is back in
America Certainly a great many OF
his friends and followers now IN
France think Eo.-fCopyright. 1913, by
New York Evening Post. Incl
The next article viii deal with cen
sorEhip and propaganda IN Paris.