The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-07-10
Former Oklahoman Made
Famous in Conflict,
to Be Niles Guest
FORMED DRAFT ARMY
Was Pershing's Assistant in
Reorganization When Ar
mistice Was Signed

<-fsrI.IEDrS as wei as man VINO IL
u credited with the title master
= mind in connection with the world
u.- AVID the operations and military
.rarres that accompanied and fol-
,vsl y Colonel Reeves is to be
fac ruc- OF Alva !. Niles. president
- the Security state bank, and a
lifelong friend who was with tho
co.uao. IN France.
\ Seasoned Veteran.
According to Niles there is proha-
bly, mo- living American who has
fNlo1 SO many positions OF proini-
nel.o in both ciul and military life
as C.l Reeves. Graduating from
tac University Of Missouri AZ Il young
r4n .n 1898, ne entered the United
States army at the beginning OF the
Ha.-n-AmerlCan war as private
snd .orvef with General Skaters
army .n cuba. At the close of hos.
tiltcs In cuba Colonel Reeves was
commissioned a lieutenant I'm regu-
lar army and was assigned to duty
An The Philippine Islands when the
!nsuIreCtion there was az its height.
lu 1902 he was severely wounded
ami Wns placed upon the retired list
with he rank Of captain. Since then
his business activities have covered
such a wide field both In a military
ana ID civil capacity that he has hc-
como widely known over the Coun-
try as tts leading citizen soldier"
Colonel Reeves is not stranger
T. Oklahoma. Back in 1904. before
Oklahoma became a state, Colonel
Reeves spent two years in MuskOgce
whore ne planned, financed and con-
s,rug,ea the present street car and
!0t,rurh1n system Of that city. He
isa construction engineer Of nation
!, al reputation.
Tactical Expert, Too.
After leaving MuskoEce he spent
year In preparing and editing
Reeves Military Tactics" and "a
number Of other military publca-
tons which were later adopted by
The war department for use In the
army Later he became Instructor
IN military science at Purdue uni
versty and AZ still later date he
became pTcsid INT OF Norwich univer-
si.y OF Norwich. Ohio.
A. the beginning or the war with
Germany Colonel Reeves was re-
called 10 active service with the
army and siran the rank OF n full
colonel. From the beginning Of the
war until October, 1q'S, ne served
In Washington as first assistant to
the secretary OF war.
lie ~ credited wiz, having been
the directing force behind the scenes
IN organizing the a0oo,00o men
composing the national a"ry. Dur
ing the time mentioned his timc was
devoted entirely to the personnel
hraNch of the new army. During
the first year of the war every one
ot the thousands Of officers COM
missioncd In the national army re-
ce!Yed his approval before appoint
ment.
.1 Was With Scr"nth Division.
- BY October. 1913, the tremendous
organization plans OF Colonel Reeves
were sufficiently perfected TO enable
him 20 .eave the United S'atcs Ior
the scene OF active hos;ilities In
France. He arrived on French soil
on October 26, 1918, and shorty aft
erward was ass guol to and reported
Tor duty with the Seventh American
division, which was at that time at
! iankug Metz. In the Seventh divi-
sion he was assigned to command the
o4th infantry AT 1880 o'clock on
tho morning Of November II. 1918.
80 m.nutcH before the armisice be-
tafH' effective. Colonel Reeves was
gaSsea but remained with his COM
uanl until firing ceased. Alva J.
Niles was with Reeves at that time,
Mics was serving as Inspector gem
era. x the Seventh division.
After the armistice was signed,
Colonel Reeves was detached from
the Seventh division and assigned to
temporary command OF the 13Ith in
ttN'ry 35th division CKausls and
Missouri Natitnal Guard. Then came
We task Of completely rcOrEan!2ing
American affairs in France to con-
,oEM 20 the new conditions caused
by p"a1e. General Pershing select
ed colonel Reeves for the job a tre-
l.ITL. fal 1 Ia Itt. ha =
mas gone down in history az a mon
ument % the constructive ability Of
,he man whose organizing qualities
D!yAHhi into being some of tho
greatest institutions the world has
ever known Probably the mos no.
= tio'e success OF Colonel Reeves In
rFFaHoe was the organizing and plac-
ing o. motion Of the American Ex-
yea!ronary Forces University OF
rance at Beaune. within so days
a.'-r colonel Reeves started this uu-
.efteE.ng it was fully completed with
L.0. buildings, a faculty Of $50 in
ely,ors, with every branch and de-
lbftMent OF learning fully organized
ana win a student body OF 10000
4-uRLooys presenting every or
saH4Eat.on OF the American army and
every community in the United
esS's''-the largest university in the
Was Made Cavalier.
FOR his work In France Colonel
reeves was not only decorated by
MS own government but was made q
..aIHLer Of the Legion Of Honor BY
". french government.
Nelt came the task OF settlement
~ the hundreds OF millions OF dol
'urs ~ claims against the American
lC'frHment at home arising out OF
p'-'mpleted mun!tion and supplies
.N'frts suddenly terminated by the
cessation OF the war. The govern
WIoh' at Washington recalled Colone
reeves from his duties IN Franc,
anu placed him in charge OF an the
personnel OF the war departments
am board, He was made a mem,
't' N this board az we'll as OF III,
.'4is board In Washington and al
'n1 rinc had 5000 assistants col,
80. Reeves was In immediate
-aTFe OF the collection OF war ad'
,5"''s' which at that time amount
10 fl50,000,0O0 and personally
n'I Jurisdiction over all securities
"' ~ aH collateral on these loans
- within less than 70 months
u'on"i Reeves had sufficiently com,
bad