The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-02-17
STORM BREWING
OVERC0NDUCTOF
army IN FRANCE
Congressional Inquiry Like.
II to Be the Result Of
Complaints.
tsysc. 9. LYoN.)
NE. A. Staff Correspo Who Was
with the United States Army In

-. IIHssg Us .
WASHINGTON, Feb. II. General
sPersh!ng warts his conduct Of the war
in France investigated by Congress-
A Biz majority Of all officers who
went into the army from civilian life,
after the declarat ation OF war in April,
1917, want some sort OF an inyestigas
ton, either of Pershing's part in It,
or Of the handling Of the war as q
whole. 4 K
/ And practically every enlisted man,
who actually fought with Q gun on his
shoulder in France, wants an investi-
cation, why not have one, and a thor
ough one ct that? u
\ Concealment Of conditions in army
affairs in France Is no longer neces.
sary. The war is over, Germany Is
whipped, and any American who now
voices protests against the army's
management cannot be accused OF be-
ing prot Germany. y
As q was correspondent, who was
with our fighting forces in France for
10 months. my best judgment is that
Pershing will be forced to face, II an
impartial Investigation is made, very
large number Of offlcers and men, whu,
In civilian life, will have very strong
political influence back Of them-in
fluence so strong that their complaints
against army conditions must be given
serious consideration.
I do know that hundreds OF these
Officers and mon are AFTER Perish.
ing and the "West Point crowd,, that
had 80 much TO say in running the
army Ia France.
Literally hundreds Of thousand Of
officers and men will bring their
grievances home with them, and when
they get into civilian life again, where
they can't be reached by army cour,
martial, they will begin airing these
grievances.
I predict tie greatest "knockfest,'
America has FSyer heard.
I After listening to the complaints Of
hundreds OF officers and men, / would
say that the greatest cause OF tl1eiI
irritation was the alleged manner "a
which they were treated by the reg
ular army"
Those making the complaints are
almost without exception, men Who
went into the service after America
declared war on Germany In April,
1917, and national guard officers and
men. n
The national guard outfits" a m
ttonal guard colonel said to me tust
before I sailed for home, "haye been
treated outrageo eously In this war j
haven't ale siiebtest doubt in my own
mind that the regular army crowd. a
the very outset, started in to DESTROY
our national guard.
Even While national guard orsan;.
cations were in America traininr
camps, hundreds Of the high officer
were separated from their comA Aands
and the places given to regular armv
Officers who theerby got higher ranks,
Inen after we got to France tnev
continued their raids OF the mar,
and no guard officer knew, What slav
MS head would fall and he wonld hs
ihnmtliatetl and sent to the rear II.
vananiy, the vacancies would be filled
by regular army officers.
Iaey have succeeded obliteratine
our Identities BY transferring our al.
Hcers TO other outfits and send;n, ~
new Officers, and when our men went
70 hospitals they seldom got back Il, to
Us, their places being filled by selec. !
Continued on page eight,)