The courier-index., 1919-09-19
Doughboy 7Ise Peer
 Of All Soldiers,
 Says Gen. Pershing

New York, Sept. 10. 0.-"The Am erican 'doughboy' is the finest sol dier in the world, and it didn't take the Germans long to find it out, 7 declared General Pershing in an in terview granted newspaper men at the Waldorff-Astoria-
 "We boasted a little probably of the peculiar qualities of the Aneri- can fighting man but his aggress- l iveness, initiative and devotion as a member of the American Ex- peditionary Forces gives us every right to boast and to be proud of him." the commander said.
 q suppose it is because of the way the American boy is raised, due to the fact that he is encouraged to develop his initiative and that he feels at any crisis of his life that he is master of his own destiny"
 The interview, brought about in the hope that the general might he willing to express his views upon such subject as the League of ,Sa- tions, the situation in Europe and in Mexico, what he intended doing when he entered civil life, when he expected to retire from the army, and similar questions, was preced- ed by a general handshaking all round and a remark by General Pershing that all such topics were taboo.
 q am still on duty" he said. "It is a pleasant duty, but very s.renu- ous." Then General had just finished luncheon after a little rest to re- fresh himself after the arduous hours of the morning and he said that while he was glad to meet all the newspaper men he could answer only such questions as properly came within the range of his profession.
 The question was asked:
 General what do you consider the crowning achievement of your service abroad?" To which he re- piled:
 "Cutting the German lines at Se- dan on November 6.'
 "Was that a more difficult op- eration than cutting the Hindenburg line? he was asked.
 Cutting the Hindenburg line was start toward cutting the line at Sedan. It was hard to tell what might have become of it under diff ferent circumstances. It followed the final effort of the Germans to force their way through, but their armies were beaten before they started"
 General will you say few words about General Foch?"
 Marshall Foch," he replied, ap- preciatively is very great strate- gist."
 A question was asked as to his impressions upon his departure for France, 27 months ago, and his re- turn, to which he replied:
 "When we left the day was fog gy. We could not see the Statue of Liberty. There were no bells ring ing, no whistles (except fog horns) blowing, and no ships gayly dress ed. Why, there is as much differ ence between our departure and home coming as between midnight and monday.
 ''I anticipated while on the other side some kind of welcome upon our return home, but nothing thought then could equal my inn pression today. I find difficulty in expressing my sentiments, but l SUD- pose it's the way New York does things"
 Before tn general stipulated the kind of questions he would answer, someone asked:
 "What do you think about the crisis in Europe?" To which he re- piled:
 "I don't think we had better get into European affairs at all' As to affairs in Mexico, General Persh- ing declined to talk, saying he was too busy overseas to read about it"
 Tn conclusion he was asked whether he purposed appearing be- fore the House Military Affairs Committee, in answer to which he said he had not been invited.