East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-07-01
GENERAL JOHN PERSHING
ASSUMES DUTIES OF
CHIEF Of STAFF TODAY
Preparedness is, Goal; Civilian
Worth to be Recognized /;
Aim for Decentralization.
BY HARRY L. ROGERS
{ international News Service Staff
CorresDondent


Correspondent)
WASHINGTON ID. c., July L.
General John j. Pershing today as
sumed his new duties as head of all
the military forces of the United
States.
As chief Of staff, succeeding Major
General Poyton C. March, whose ap-
preaching retirement has been an
nounced General Pershing is in COM
mand OF the General staff, the War
/ Department peace-t'me organization,
and as head of the general headquar-
/ ters organization, authorized by Secre--
/ tary of War Weeks, he will have
/ charge of the work of recruiting the
reserve strength of the Army and Of
/ building up the war machine which he
will command il the United States
I again gets into war,
General Pershing is thus put in a
4 position of more authority than has
ever before been bestowed upon an
army officer in time of peace. While
nominally chief of staff he will actual j.
ly he the executive officer Of the Sec
retary of War.
Major General James G. Harbord.
as assistant to General Pershing, will
have charge of the routine work OF
the General Staff and in reality will
fill the position which General March
has occupied for more than three
years.
Preparedness Is Goal
II is the intention of Secretary
oh
devote the greater part of his time
and attention to the problem Of pre-
| pairing the United States in time OF
peace for war.
His first task will be that of or
ganizing the General Headquarters
which, under present plans, will be
built up on the general lines Of those
followed by Marshal Foch in the
French army prior to the outbreak OF
hostilities in 1914. On this subject
General Pershng has very difinir,
ideas. He saw in 1917, how the Wal
Department General Staff was dis.
rupted when it became necessary tc
take the cream of officer talent from
that organization in order to form @
staff for overseas duty. He is deter
mined that such situation shall moi
be brought about again If he can pre-.
vent it,
While the facilities at hand will
permit of only a skeleton organization
General Pershng intends to build VI
that skeleton organization in such {
way that it will be adequate to tax,
the field in time of crisis and i'm
mediatcly start functioning as the di
recting head of the American war
4 time armies. There would, of course
' need to he many additions of person
rel to put the organization on wal
: footing, but under General Pershing'!
: plan there would be trained man fol
every really vital post who would no
} only know how to run his job bu
would also be ready to break in other
! as his assistants when the proper time
came.
Recognizes Civilian Worth
The present General Staff will have
! charge of all routine matters of ad
: ministration in the War Department
during peace time. That organization
} would not be interfered with by thu
wartime machine. but in time Of wa
: would function as the Service of Sup
ply for the Armies in the Field.
General Pershing also has positive
= notions as to the part the civilian
soldier should play in our scheme o
national defense. AS Il West Poin
graduate and regular army man,
, the General appreciates the value o
the professional soldier as a nucleu!
upon which to build an army. He la
, bors under no Illusions, however, al
to the comparative importance of th'
roles played by professional soldier
and civilian soldiers during the WorlC