Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-06-10
GENERAL PERSH|NG
WILL RETIRE SOON
His Announcement Comes as
Complete Surprise-Wants to
Be Free to Engage in Some
thing 'eM0re Active"

Washington, June 7.-General Pershing
wrote Secretary Baker to-day asking per-
mission to retire from active service
"within the next few months
The former commander of the American
Revolutionary Forces declared that after
the completion of work incident TO the
recently enacted army reorganization
hill. his normal duties would require only
a portion of his time and therefore he
wished to be free to engage in something
more active"
washington, June THE generals let.
ter to Secretary Baker was made pubic
nv his aide. Colonel j. c. Quekemeycr. Il
follows:
Dear Mr.. Secretary:
Referring 10 our conversation or rev
days ago. wish to say that 1T has long
been nv desire to return to civil life
J Throughout my military career l nave
been very much occupied. and the assign
,,,ents that have fallen to my lot during
recent wears have been more or less i'm
portant.
1t now appears that my duties are
! not likely to be of n character that
will require more than portion or
nv time Under the circumstances
feel that after the completion OF the
work contemplated by the army re-
organization act. l could relinqulsh
military duty without ietriment to
the service and thus be free to engage
IN something more active.
Therefore unless situation should
develop to justify my remaining I con-
template taking the step indicated
within the next few months.
Should the necessity arise in time
of crisis or otherwise. l assure you
Mr. Secretary. that I shall stand ready
to serve my country in the iuture as
J have IN the past.
with great respect and high es-
tcemJ remain very sincerely,
".Tohn J. Pershing."
Decision Of General Pershing TO retire
! camo as 81 surprise in army as well as in
non military circles in Washington The
prospective future detail of the A. f. F.
commander had never been announced. but
several times he had been mentioned in
I connection with the office of chief of staff.
The name of General Pershng as a
candidate for the Republican presidential
nomination had been put forward in the
Nebraska and Michigan preferential
! primaries, but delegates from these states
: pledged to other candidates were elected.
| Political observers at Chicago within the
| past few days. however. have mentioned
I General Pershing among the dark horses.
/ tire with the rank Of full general. that
| title for life having been conferred on him
| by Congress after his return from France.
General Pershing will he sixty years old
next September and would not reach the
retirement age until 1924.
Although considered as one of the most
resourceful and efficient officers in the
army. General Pershing was not national
ly known until 1916 when he was elect
ed to head the expedition which followed
Villa and his band into the heart OF
northern Mexico At that time he was
brigadier and after returning from
the Mexican expedition was promoted to
major general and placed in command OF
the southwestern department.
The selection of Pershng to lead and
organize the American expedtionary
forces in France was made after this
country entered the war in June 1917, he
went to France. The doings of Pershine
in rance are inextricaby linked with
the activities of the American forces.
He returned to the United States last
September and set to work finding ur
the affairs of the A. f. +. That work
completed he left an inspection trip
which just completed. took him to practi.
oally every State in the union and to the
Panama Canal zone.