Evening journal., 1919-12-29

Gen JOHN y. P6RShlIiG
LINCOLN. Neb.. Dec. 99.-Nebraska
dominates General John j. Pershing as
he next Republican candidate for Pres
dent Of the United States. accogding
the Pershing-fOr-Presidfnt national
'ommlttee with headquarters here
The statement Is prepared for the COM
nittee by Former Senator +. J. Burketl
Z Nebraska. and 4 classmate OF Gen
raj Pershing in the University Of
Nebraska. In announcing the campaign,
.e committee says:
"Our hOnors may be divided. but our
.nthusiasm Will not be lessened, al
hOugh several other Stales may also
claim this right. II Nebraska seems
1resumptuous in claiming him as her
lwl. lt may be pardOned on the ground
hat his life work Is tied up with the
IislOry Of our state and our cduca-
.ional Institutions. and that we feel that
,ve know him better than other sections
the country and other parts Of the
world. We know him well enough 10
lppreclate his greatness, and esteem
aim enough TO rejoice In the world
vide recognition OF that greatness.
when a man becomes as big as Cen
3ral Pershing has become in public
lpinion and affection, it matters little
4 what state he was a child, for he
becomes the man Of all the States, and
Of all the world 6eneral Pershing's
name has become a household word
everywhere and all around the globe.
70 IS as familiar In Europe as Il is in
america, and as readily pronounced In
The Orient as In Nebraska. To para
phrase an oft-quoted Xpression-"They
raised him up In Missouri, and he has
come down all over the world
with all proper respect for the Il
iustrious men OF America, present and
past, 10 can very properly be said that
there has never been another man OF
any country or Of any time who has
T0ne so far and done so much, who
las been everywhere, and done every
thing as ne has done. He has served
his country at home and abroad, and
has defended her Institutions and ideals
Of government in every State of the
union, and In every hemisphere OF the
globe. He has been student, teacher,
educator, author, diplomat, statesman,
soldier, and always and everywhere has
achieved distinction for himself and
honor and glory for the nag Of his
country.
ut matters little. then. where be
was born, OF where he lived. fo- they
sre both swallowed up in what he has
done. Nevertheless, the history Of a
country is made up Of the biographies
Il It's great men, and now that he has
become the biggest man OF the world,
we would know more Of the details OF
his lie.
General John J. Pershing was born
IN Missouri, near the little town Of
LaClede. His parents were distinguished
by a good name rather than an abund-
ant purse. They possessed those traits
and habits Of life calculated TO inspire
lhe character and souls Of men, al
though they may have lacked the sur
plus OF worldly goods 10 finance their
ideals.
Under those circumstances and con-
iltions General PershiDg was born and
crew to the years Of his early manhood.
Ills environments were such that he
could not have been very bad without
IN effort 10 be such, and he could not
have become very useful or Of very
much Importance in the world without
4 struggle.
"These are just the conditions under
which every worth while man in all
our history has developed. Pershing
was born on the 18th day Of September,
500, on a farm, attended the local
.hools and then went 10 the kirksville
state Normal School. He taught school
a short time, was appointed a cadet to
fhe United States Military Academy at
West Point in 1882, from which insti-
tuition he graduated in 1886. The early
years Of his military service were about
he same as others OF his age. lie had
~ pull and no particular distinction
and must take his appointments as his
rank entitled him TO have them.
"He was early recognized as man
OF unusual executive ability, and as one
possessing peculiar facility Of impart-
ing information and Of injecting en-
lhuslasm into others. For that reason
he was detailed as Commandant OF
Cadets 10 the University OF Nebraska,
and later was sent back 90 West Point
as an instructor. and still later. was
;uade a member Of the Government Wcr
College at Washington, ID. C.
Everywhere he was the ideal alike of
his associate educators and {he students
under him. Just as the farmer boys "
Nebraska were enthusiastic over him,
50 were the embryonic soldiers at West
Point, and so were his mature. weather
beailen and nre-tried associates in the