The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-09-12
CLOSES AZ
!. YEARS IN
!. SERVICE
Little Formally to Mark Going
Of A. E. F. Commander.
His EnviabIe Career
By LUTHER A. HUSTON,
International News Service.

international News Service.
The army is saying "good-by'
today to General John j. Pershing
At noon tomorrow, after forty
two consecutive years of service,
General Pershing will retire from
the army and formally relinquish
his title as chief of staff. His
retirement comes, not of his own
volition, but because Of the I'M
changing military rule which re-
tires all members of the army
automatically at the age of sixty
four. General Pershing will OBJ
serve his sixty-fourth birthday to-
morrow.
Avoiding FOrmaIities.
There will be no formal cere-
monies to mark General Pershing's
retirement from the army and
from the office he has held since
August 81. 1920.
This is in accordance with mill
tary custom and with the personal
desires Of the general, who wishes
to avoid all unnecessary formali-
ties.
But no desire to avoid cere-
monies could prevent a flood Of
farewell messages and good wishes
for the future from descending
upon the retiring chief of staff.
Likewise it could not prevent
scores of friends and associates, in
the army and out of it, from call
ing at the War Department to
pay their respects upon General
Pershing's retirement.
General Pershing will be sue
ceeded by Major General John l..
Hines, who has been deputy chief
of staff for several years. General
Hines will find a clean slate when
he takes over the work. For the
past week and longer General
Pershing has been putting in a
ten-hour day, dealing with the
multiplicity of tasks that confront
the commander Of army.
His Work Cleaned Up.
HE didn't have lot of cleaning
up to do" said one Of the officers
of General Pershing's staff, "for
he never let's his work get very
far ahead of him, but he has taken
care to leave a clean desk behind
him when he goes"
General Pershing's last full day
as chief of staff was a very busy
one. He was at his office in the
War Department at $50 to receive
all officers of the military organiza-
ton in the Washington area who
are not on regular duty at the
War Department, such as officials
of the War College and officers OF
the reserve army.
This reception gave General
Pershing an opportunity to thank
these officers for their cooperation
and gave the officers a chance to
extend good wishes for the future
to their retiring commander.
At 11:30 o'clock General Pershing
summoned before him the chiefs
Of all the branches and bureaus of
the War Department to discuss
with them and receive their final
reports on the work they nave done
IN connection with plans for De-
tense Test day.
Defense Day Review.
Since a great deal of General
Pershing's efforts since he became
Chief of Staff have been devoted to
building up the defense forces of
the United States, it is fitting
that his retirement comedies with
Defense Test Day.
His own participation in Defense
Day ceremonies took place this
afternoon when he, with Secretary
of War Weeks, reviewed the De-
Tense Day parade in the National
Capital and made brief address
from the reviewing stand.
Tonight General Pershing will
make his farewell address as Chief
of Staff to the army and the
people of the United States. He
will speak over the radio from the
War Department, giving final De-
Tense Day message. This address
will be broadcast throughout the
entire nation.
Probably the only ceremonial
touch incident to General Pershing's
retirement will come at $3.50 o'clock
tomorrow morning when he will re.
ceive the officers of the General
Staff and the heads of all the blu.
reaus of the War Department.
Each group will be presented by
the chief of it's division and full
dress uniforms with ribbons will
be worn. 1t is probable also that
Secretary Weeks will take formal
leave of General Pershing during
the forenoon tomorrow.
In Many Campaigns
General Pershing joined the army
as a cadet at the Military Academy
at West Point on July i, 1882 and
was commissioned second lieutenant
on July /, 1886. He Joined his
regiment, the Sixth cavalry at Fort
Bayard, N. M, on Sept. 30, 1895.
Since that time he has been con.
tinuously in the military service.
Most of his time, until the
Spanish.American war of 1898, Cen
eral Pershing spent with the army
in Western posts. He was in the
campaign against the Apache In.
dams in 1SS6-1SS7 and in the field
against the Sioux Indians in South
Dakota in 1891.
In 1898 he fought in the Santiago
-