Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-28
SAYS PERSH|NG
WILL Be DRAFTED
AS CANDIDATE
Chairman Of Lincoln Campaign
Club Makes Statement
General Given Mag
nificent Dinner.

Lincoln, NED, Lee. H.-(SpeC1al.
Mark w. Woods, Lincoln, chair
man Of recently organized Ne
braska "Pershing for President
committee, makes the statemen
here that mo man has the RICH
to say that General Pershing viii
not be candidate for president.
The statement was in reply to re
marks recently attributed to Brig
Gen. Charles G. Dawes, retired, O
Chicago, in which the latter wa.
quoted as saying that it was his be-
lief that General Pershing woule
not be a candidate for the presi
dency.
General Dawes did not say thai
General Pershing would not accept
the nomination for president" Mr.
Woods said. "Of course he is no,
a candidate, but when the republi
can convention is held in Chicago
next June the people of the United
States will demand that he be Sc.
lected for the next president. The
people will draft him because he i.
the best qualified man for the pc.
sition in the country.
General Pershing has never re.
fused to serve the people in any
capacity and when he learns thai
the people really need him as theil
leader, he will respond"
Given Big Dinner.
The most pretentious of the many
functions in honor of General Perish.
ing during his Today holiday visit
at Lincoln, was the dinner rendered
him. Saturday night by the Lincoln
Commercial club. Five hundred din
ers, the capacity of the club rooms
were present, the balcony being re-
served for women of the Pershine
family. The speeches, three in mum.
Der, were by Mayor Miller. Cover
nor McKelvie and General Perish.
ing, and were on reminiscent and
neighborly themes.
General Pershing today made the
following statement concering his
future activities:
To Become Business Man.
II have purchased the home al
l748 B street, now occupied by may
sisters, and | intend to make it my
permanent home. I will send my
son Warren to the State University
and, as soon as | return, as far as
| know now, | expect to enter bust
ness here"
General Pershing said he was anx-
ious to have his son attend and
graduate from the same university
from which he holds degree.
Welcomed at University.
General Pershing today was wei.
coined back to the University oil
Nebraska, where he obtained law
degree and was commandant of the
university in the early '90s.
The address of welcome prepared
on parchment, after being read by
Chancellor Avery was presented to
General Pershing, who responded
as follows:
Il remember a quarter of a CEN
fury ago when | first reported for
duty at this institution, that I was
asked by the chancellor to appear at
the morning exercises, and | come
this morning with the same timidity
as did then.
my associations with the Nebras-
ka university have been great
source of pride to me. 1t is a great
institution standing for efficiency
and all things worth while to citizen
ship in Lincoln, in Nebraska and the
country as whole.
Her graduates are to be found all
over the world representing the in
stitution with integrity and ef-
fciency. With special pride l re-
ca | the high state of literacy in Ne
braska which. is due to the public
school systems.
1.-THE mct who went out from Ne
braska university to carry the BAN
ner of THAR country, devoted them
serves to the cause in a highly
praiseworthy manner. The soldiers
lived up nobly to the high ideals Of
their university.
Il recall with the greatest pleas
ure my associations here and at
tribute in no small degree what sue
cess l have had to the high in
fiuence of the associations I made
while here.
Chancellor, thi. is a pleasure and
an honor and / consider it the
highest that has come to me. l
thank YOU"
Chancellor's Address.
The address Of the chancellor de-
livered to General Pershing, read:
"The chancellor the senate and
the board of regents of the Univer-
sity of Nebraska, beg to present
their Fluctuations to Gen. John
Joseph Pershing upon his return to
Nebraska, after two years of service
on the battle front of France, as the
first soldier of his country.
"As commandant of cadets in the
university, quarter of a century
ago, Lieutenant Pershing, by his
unique mastery Of conditions, by his
control. enforced the pre-
diction that, in the great war even
then prcsaged, he would figure
largely in assisting to fix the place of
the United States of America in
coming history.
"In this faith, the chancellor, the
senate and the board of regents gave
him Godspeed at his going forth
two years ago. In the splendor Of its
fulfillment, these officers accord him
the gratitude and plaudits of the in
stitution which they govern"