The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-17
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
Blu REAU
FREDERIC J. HAsKN, Director.
wAahinEtel. y. C.
pERsHING, PoLITICAL ENIGMA.

PERSHING, POLITICAL ENIGMA.
Washington, d. c., Sept. 14.-There
has just landed on our shores man
named Pershing, sometimes styled
BLACK Jack" Pershing, more formally
known as Gen. John Joseph Pershing.
during the war commander in chief of
the American expeditionary force in
France. That man brought back to
America all wrapped up in his system
the elements that are to be the maxi
ings OF a political prairie fire, or of
the greatest political flivver in his
tory.
Just now the men who guide the
destinies of the political parties of the
nation. who sit in the inner councils
where possible candidates are weighed,
who Influence that choosing which
may mean four years on the COM
Portable inside looking out, or four
years of slim picking, are sleeping fit
fully at night, and now and again
starting into Wakefulness, at the vision
of Pershing as Moses, and again of
Pershing as lure to destruction.
There are those who maintain that
Pershing is presidentially inevitable.
The chief basis for this contention
rests in history The military figure
in every war that the United States
has ever fought has thereafter be-
come president. There was the be-
ginning with Washington, who might
he chosen. The war of 1912 be-
queathed to the political situation
Andy Jackson, who fought at New
Orleans after the peace was signed
because he had not heard the news.
The first Harrison licked Tecumseh,
the greatest of Indian leaders, at Tip
pecanoe, and an adoring public ele-
waited him to the first place in its re-
gard. Zachary Taylor led column
of fighting men Economically to Mex
leo City, and returned to be proffered
the presidential nomination by both
parties. General Grant emerged from
the Civil war as a political figure. The
Standardization war gave birth to
the Roosevelt boom.
There is the record. The man on
horseback has never failed to be the
political idol. He has never failed of
the highest gift. Will history repeat
itself? VIII Pershing follow in the
wake OF the others?
There are many who scott the idea.
They say that there is something in
the public consciousness that has not
heretofore existed, that the military
man spells his doom. The world, they
say. has made up its mind to have no
more of armies and in that determina-
ton America leads The public would
not vote for Pershing because it is just
now intent on wiping out the military
lutd- Ills lOAl4lldl4Ol nOu4d OC q hAo-
aStcr.
These people argue that a military
man has not the qualifications for
political leadership. They say that
his training has been narrow and that
craftsmanship is out of his line. They
scott the idea of his having the neces-
sary grasp of such problems as the
tariff, finance, labor. His life has been
spent entirely removed Afrom such
things. They tell you that the mill
| tary presidents of the past, in most
cases, have been failures They say
| that the experience of history should
be a warning against such choice.
And the opposition steps up and
says: The presidency is an admins
| trative job of considerable ma gnitude.
He handled the jog of directing two
million fighting men overseas, of sup
plying them, of keeping the infinite
machinery going that supplied their
infinite needs. He made stupendous
success OF the Job. He called forth the
admiration of all our associates in the
war. He was so successful that hard
Iy a carping voice has been raised in
criticism. Has he not demonstrated
his capacity as an administrative DID
he not take hold of a strange and I'M
known task and successfully accomp-
lish it? Has he not proven that he
has capacities OF the first quality?
Then there steps forth some man
who has served in Pershings army
overseas and this man says: 1t
might be all right to run Pershing for
president, but you must admit that ne
would start with a handicap OF two
million votes against him. No man
in the overseas army would vote for
him. lie is arbitrary, cold. unemo-
tional He rubbed this democratic
army the wrong way
And the next overseas man you meet
makes exactly the opposite statement,
He says that of course the boys are
sore from having had to cool their
heels for six months after the Tight
ing was over, they curse everything
in sight, and particularly everything
that has to do with tho army. But
by a year from November their whole
experience will have mellowed and
will have assumed the halo of the
crowning event of a series of genera
| tions Their hearts will be full OF its
memories and to a man they will vote
for him who was their chief.
Then there also appears the ultra
modernist to issue an alarm. lie
warns against failure to consider tha'
new factor. the woman vote. He SAYS
that all the women will vote for
Pershing and that his election will
thus be assured. He assigns as a rea-
son for this belief the fact that PERISH
ing was admittedly the most innpos-
| ing military figure OF the war, lie
stood head and shoulders above them
all. All his points as to appearance
were Just what one would have liked
them 60 have been. And the women
| looked on and admired. They saw
him in the movies-everybody saw
him there. The appearance of the
| general on the screen, and the SYM
pathy he awakens as a man of sor-
row will get an undivided woman
! vote.
Bah! Says the opposition. Do you
! think the women want a militarist who
will send their boys TO war again
That is the one thing they may be de-
pended Upon to avoid.
These contradictory views have pug
zled the politicians. They have not
known whether Pershing as a stand
ard bearer meant sure victory or sure
defeat. They have been inclined to
think that he absolutely would either
make or break the party which nom
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