The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-17

has quite overwhelmed the other in
the English mind. They have a great
way here of endowing some promi-
nent and popular individual with all
the national virtues; il is a habit
which makes the kingship possible.
When President Wilson came here
they tried to crown him with this halo
OF national character, which in other
days none wore so becomingiy as
Roosevelt For many he wears it
still, and Roosevelt wears it still; but,
for the masses. there is something too
epEemeral about a president-he has
not time in his four-year term, they
feel. TO acquire all the national vir-
tues. Besides, Wilson and Roosevelt
were IN many ways contrasts; they
wore their halos with a difference.
But q leader of men who has borne
himself in the field as has General
Pershing, the man who came over so
quietly without making any promises
at all unheralded by any national
trumpets; who took his place in the
great war machine of the Allies with
all the modesty Of a newly promoted
general officer and without any of
that consideration which he might
well have claimed as the military
chief OF hundred million people;
who, without hesitation, set aside his
ambition to build up a great army of
his own in order that the man power
Of America might more rapidly be-
come Of service to the Allied cause,
whose work was not known until it
was done, scarcely known indeed until
today months after its accomplish
ment, when his presence in England
has SO rightly been used as the oc-
casion for its proclamation-this is
a man after the heart of the aver
age Englishman and worthy of all
the virtues which he believes to be
inherent in the American character.
On him. as the symbol of it all, is
being bestowed the admiration with
which England welcomed Americas
disinterested entry into the military
arena, with which England welcomed
that first handful of raw American
troops who marched thru London in
August; 1877, so different from the
smart veterans now being feted, all
the sentiment of comradeship evoked
by the performances of American
units at Chateau Thierry and on
racial pride with which the St Mihiel
operation was observed.
Represents u. S. Capacity.
Yet these things are by no means
all. General Pershing represents in
the English mind American capacity
just as much as American perform
ance; his presence is a reminder as
much OF what America could have
done and would have done if II had
DCCA ACNCSSdIHs as OL what AIuCElCd
did He is the symbol of national
power which has not overreached
itself, which has grown more power
full in exerting itself. and like a giant
almost casually played It's part in the
world conflict. And this also appeals
to the EngIishman, even while he
realizes that thousands of his own
brothers have made the great sacri-
flee Just because the American giant
was slow to move. Whatever regret
ful thought this may start in the
English mind. it does not cast a
shadow on Pershlng, nor a dark one
on Wilson, for is IL not the business
of every head of a state to spare his
own people7 But Pershing's halo is
all the brighter because no such
shadow can fall on it. he is today for
England the perfect American. and
this thought of him Is likely to en-
dure because in his person he seems
| to us to live up to 1t and Is wearing
among us his halo as we expect him
| to wear II. without concern as to its
fffnASS or fit