, 1923-09-15

sept 1b.~Johr
]. Pershing Thursday celebrated his
63rd birthday. He began his last
year of active service in the army,
to which his life has been devoted
at his desk In the war department
performing the triple duties of act
ing secretary OF war. general OF
the armies and chief of staff.
A year from now. which also Il
the anniversary Of the opening Of
the battle Of st. Mihiei. the mar
who commanded the American army
then in Its first great drive against
the German lines in France, will
pass automatically to the retired
list.
Before tho generals desk stands a
great map of the United States
covered over with markings show
ing the distribution and organiza,
ton OF the new army OF tho United
States that has been created out of
the lessons learned through the
struggle in France. On 1t stand
the markers that Indicate the divi.
sion and brigade and sven lesser
headquarters Of the regular army.
the national guard and the organ-
lied reserves. And It was to these
that General Pershing's eyes turned
n casting up the account Of the
years that r behind him
It Is to these he will look q year
from today. in all probability his
last Of active service under the Gag.
before he steps aside. that other
men may carry forward the work.
us the army plan worked out In
the national defense act of 1920 a
success7"
General P%ershing said In response
to the question;
Yes. 1 al say of my own
knowledge hat It is. This year our
summer training camps have been
the best we have had. / know that
for I have visited nearly all OF them.
II has been proved a workable plan.
1t needs nothing but the continued
support OF congress and the under
standing and support of the people
to enter into the permanent national
life OF America and assure US al
why's Of . reasonable degree of
readiness to protect ourselves"
II Ia an open secret in the army
that General Pershing remained in
active service after the war and nc.
copied tho post of chief of staff be-
cause he saw ahead n service to the
flag greater in its constructive pos
sibilities. perhaps. than even his
war time service. He would not
talk much OF that personal side OF
the matter today. but turned back
to the great map to point out again
what has been done. what there was
stiil to do.
1T is the same thing" General
Pershing said. shat my predecessor
as general of the armies. George
Washington. visioned and urged on
congress more than a hundred years
ago.. 1t is tho machinery by which
a volunteer army can be organized
In peace times. There Is no danger
OF militarism In It. These reserve
officers and their associates are
centers Of patriotic effort and will
help America in the future in the
things of peace as surely as they
would help In war.
I'VE are planning for a test
mobilization. probably a yea from
now. What I see as I think Of that
test is n picture OF all these reserve
officers assembled at their head.
quarters on that day. A few OF them
may have to travel a short distance
to division or brigade or regimental
headquarters to which they are as.
signed. But the company com
manders Of the organized reserves
would each Just tentatively select a
building in the town or village as
his headquarters and stand by,
ready to proceed with the organiza
tion. equipment and training OF his
J unit. II he SO elected, he could list