The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-12
Applause Continuous From Ar.
rival to Departure.
Ovation at Auditorium Halts
Speech Five Minutes.
COMMEHDS KANSAS FIGHTERS
Praises Legion for Stand
Against Reds and Anarchy.
Tribute to Women and Efforts
of Western Farmers.

Iopeka turned out en- masSe sun
day to greet Cen John ]. Pershfng.
In the history of Topeka there have
been few larger gatherings Never
| before has SO large an assembly turn
| ed out on Sunday morning at so early
an hour at 9 o'clock.
Long before o'clock when the
doors of the city auditorium were
opened. the street in front of the
building was filled with persons and
| motor cars. BY $50 o'clock all seats
in the building were filled except a
few in the reserved sections.
| At S:45 o'clock, the reception COM
mittee, in number of closed cars,
| drove up alongside the track at the
| Union Pacific, where General PERISH
| ing's car was set out In a few min
utes the eenera1 appeared and MEM
| bers of his staff were introduced as
| follows: Brig. Genls. Fox Connor,
| chief of staff; George Van H. Moseley
and Malin Craig: Coils. J. B. Queke-
| meyer. r. H. Williams. H n r y
| Beeuwkes, and Pershing's secretary.
| A wave of applause broke from the
hundreds of persons waiting outside
his car. when General Pershing ap-
peared on the rear platform of his car.
The crowd surging forward momen-
| tarily blocked him from entering the
| motor car.
Ovation in Streets.
| Outside the auditorium. when the
| cars bearing the party turned in on
| Quincy street, the cheering became an
| ovation. The generaI and the accom-
panying party fairly had to struggle
thru the mob to get into the building,
and the cheering was taken up inside
the building and continued until all
were seated on the platform.
Charles P. Adams presented Mayor
Corwine, who welcomed General
Pershing and presented Governor AL
len. Governor Allen introduced Gen.
| eral Pershing.
The ovation OF the entire assembly
standing up to greet the general pre-
| vented him from beginning his talk for
almost five minutes. 1t would have
| been impossible to have packed any
more persons into the building. Many
were unable to get in.
The stern face of the soldier, the
most military man in the army. slowly
changed to a captivating smile and the
| CLINT of human friendliness appearing
in his eyes was a revelation OF the true
character of the man that brought an
instantaneous climax to the cheering.
| Commends His Soldiers.
The general began to speak, slowly
land distinctly. so that every word
| could be heard. His commendatory
remarks about the quality of the
American soldier. the moral conduct
of the Kansans, and the support of the
people who stayed at home, brought
bursts of applause from the gathering.
Speaking of the American Legion,
the general praised their stand against
disloyalty, anarchy and radicalism,
brought a storm of applause, which
he stopped by the wave of an arm
| to point out that he stood in favor of
deportation of that class of citizen
| General Pershing paid an especial
| trlbue to the women of the United
States in their splendid efforts here
| and overseas. He also spoke of the
farmers and their almost super
human efforts in supplying food for
| the world.
| The applause that followed the close
OF his talk was equal to that at the
| time he first entered the building.
| The throng began to surge forward.
Sensing that he must meet personally
AS many of the throng as could set
near him, General Pershing directed
a line to be formed at one end of the
platform.
Shook Hands "AlI Round"
For more than twenty-five minutes
he shook hands. General Pershing
his right hand grasped one hand his
left reached for another. He missed
no one in the line and had a rapidly
spoken word Of greeting for each. He
was especially gracious to women and
to old persons in particular. No mat
4 Pershing did not miss the little one In
! the throng.
His quickness and rapidity of de-
cision were particularly demonstrated
as the last of the line filed by. With
a few quick passing remarks to COM
| rnitteemen and staff officers on the
platform, the general had acquired his
| hat and coat and was already starting
for the door.
As he came out the south door to
the cars, w. W. Reid took moving
| pictures, which will be showed at the
Orpheum this week, and then turned
| over to the American Legion to assist
in drive work for membership.
General Pershing made rapid greet
ings on his way thru the crowd out
lside on his way to the car. AS the
machines were filled they pulled out
rapidly for the hall of the American
| Legion
| Ex-soldiers. marines and sailors
! tconfinDsd on Page Two-i