The Washington times., 1921-07-01
pERSH|NG GOES
into OFFICE AS
ARMY STAFF Chief
New Leader Favors Drastic
Changes in Present Mill
tary System.
BY HARRY l.. ROGERS.
Ist@rnatiensI News Service.

Gen. John J. Pershing today as
3sumed his new duties as head Of all
tho military forcss Of the United
States.
AS Chief of Star, succeeding Uaj.
Gen. Peyton C. March. whose ap-
preaching retirement has been an
nounced, General Pershing Is in COM
mand OF the General Stan. the War
Department peace-time organization,
authorized by Secretary Of War
Weeks, he will have charge of the
work Of recruiting the reserve
strength of the army and building
up the war machine which he will
command II the United States again
gets into war.
General Pershing Is thus put In a
position of more authority than has
ever before been bestowed upon an
army officer in time of peace. While
nominally chief OF stan, he will ac-
tuahy be the executive officer of the
Secretary of War.
Mai. Gen. James G. Harbord. as as
sistant to General Pershing. will have
charge of the routine work of the
General STAFF and in reality will nu
the position which General March has
occupied for more than three years.
PREPAREDNESS Is GOAL.
II is the intention OF Secretary
Weeks that General Pershing shall
devote the greater part of his time
and attention 10 the problem of pre-
pairing the United States In time of
peace for war.
His FIRST task viii 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 Pershing has very dennite
ideas. He saw. in 1917. how the War
Department general staff was dis
rupted when II became necessary to
take the cream of officer talent from
that organization in order to form a
staff for overseas duty. He lis deter
mined that such a situation shall not
be brought about again IL he can
prevent IL.
While the facilities at hand viii
permit of only skeleton organiza-
ton, General Pershing intends to
build up that organisation In such a
way that IL will be adequate to take
the field in time of crisis and i'm
mediately start functioning as the
directing head of the American war
time armies.
General PerShing also has positive
notions as to the part the civilian
soldier should play in our scheme OF
national defense. As West Point
graduate and regular army man."
the General appreciates the value of
the professional soldier as a nucleus
upon which to build an army. He
labors under no illusions. however.
as to the comparative Importance OF
the roles played by professional sol
ciers and civilian soldiers during the
World war. He believes the United
States has in her youthful male
population .he greatest military
material in the world. and he saw
much of IL prove it's worth on the
battlefeids of France.
The great task the general believes,
Is to keep these young veterans
interested in the army. He wants
the National Guard recruited to a
strength OF 500. 900 or more, and he
wants to see the Officers Reserve
Corps continued with its wartime
spirit and morale
TO CHANGE GUARD TRAINING.
The general believes the present
system of training National Guard
units is all wrong. Under the pres
ent scheme. regular army officers
who do not -ft" In other jobs, are
sent out as instructors to National
Guard organizations. They are given
no particular Instructions as to how
their work shall be carried on. and
zach man Is free to do about as he
pleases-