Evening star., 1926-10-05
NEW CHIEF OF STAFF IS KNOWN
AS SOLDIER WITH IRON WILL
Gen. SummeraIl Won Early
Fame Leading. Immortal
1St Division.
Son of Confederate Veteran
Takes Command of Army
on November 21.

| VII VUVcIttUEE LIs
| A man whose iron will and out
| standing military ability are strangely
in contrast with a gift Of oratory that
suggests the forensic style Of a
bishop soon will become the highest
ranking officer OF tho United States
Army Maj. Gen. Charles Pelot Sum
neral, youngest Of the corps com
manders of the A. E. F.. on November
2l will succeed Maj. Gen. John L.
Hines as chief of staff. Summerall
is known through the Army as a
driver-.-sometimes ruthless In his
methods--but his selection, out of a
| field Of half dozen candidates for
the supreme uniformed command has
met with virtually universal approval
even by subordinates who have felt
the lash Of his wrath.
Attainment Of that high post caps
a life of service to his country that
may well be the envy Of any soldier
And Gen. Summerall's friends see in
it the reward for an almost religious
devotion to his responsibilities. His
high regard for duty has also won for
him q distinction that. deep in his
, heart. he may cherish to greater de-
! gree than the honors that go with
the office of chief Of staff 1t is the
DISTINGUISHED Service Cross. bestowed
only for extraordinary heroism in &C
| ton.
Commanded First Division.
Although his younger years in Un
Gle Sans uniform found this ofncer
who was destined to climb to the top
assigned to war duty in China and the
/
| United States was embarked upon Its
participation in the World War that
the full measure of his ability was
demonstrated. Then, as COMMANDER
Of the immortal first Division. A. ~
F.. and later as commander or the
eth Army Corps. he reared the
structure Of greatness that now Is sig
nally recognized.
The entry Of this country into the
conflict found Summerall a ieutenan'
colonel on duty in the Militia Bureau
of the War Department at Wasnlns
ton. Within a few days he was pro
NOTED to colonel and a month later
was ordered overseas to study the or
| eanization methods Of the British ano
French Armies. In August, 19lf, ne
had risen to brigadier general IN the
! National Army and was assignee to
| comman nd Of the 67th Field Artlllery
49nd Division. In December. 1911. ne
was transferred to the 1st Artillery
| brigade Of the 1st Division. whlcn ne
| found preparing to enter inc my
| north of Toul, the first AmericaI
troops charged with holding d sec'o'
Won ID. s. C. at SOissOns.
| When the great German drive t-sar
| IN March. 1918, the 1st DIVISION pro
ceeded TO Picardy. where 1t took over
| the Cantigny sector. and IN May
| Cantigny was captured as the resun
~ the first American offensive. zen
Summerall was appointed major gen
eral in June. 1918, when he became
commander Of the 1st Division. HIS
tory is eloquent Of the glorious recoro
of the 1st during the terrific ngnt'
ing at Scissors where, never asklne
relief and after almost supernuinal
efforts, the division took an It's oo'
iectiyes. It was during this cam
pa;gn that Summeral! won ms II. .. u
The citation reads. as follows:
maj Cen. Charles P. Sumrnerall
them ma ior general, 1st Division and
9Th Army Corps, United States Army,
| for extraordinary heroism In acton
| on July 10, 1918. before Berzy-le.Sec
| near scissors. during the e-Meuse
| offensive. Gen. Summerall, com
| manding the 1st Division. with grea'
| ga Ila ntrv and with utter disregard for
his own safety, visited the extreme
front lines of his division and per
| sonally made reconnaissance or tne
| position in the face Of heavy nostlle
| machine gun and artillery nre. eN
horting his men to renew the attack
on Berry le-Sec, promising them pow
erful artillery support, and so en-
| h1, htC nrpGQnCe AnC
example that they declared tnelI
readiness to take the town for him
| Due 10 his great courage and utter dis
regard for his own safety, the men
az his division were inspired to enor
mons and heroic efforts. capturing
| Rerzv.le. Sec the next morning undei
| terrific enemy fire, and later IN the
dav the division reached all its OBJ
| tectives."
The success of Summeralrs com
mand at Scissors becomes increaS
inglv impressive when it is remem
bered that all his Army experience
had been in the Artillery arm. lie
had never commanded Infantry IN
action. But he had studied Infantry
tactics and strategy, and his profounC
general military knowledge proved OF
! far greater importance than any pos
sible deficiency in this respect.
Believes in Discipline.
Gen, Summerall may be counteC
among those who employ a verbal lash
which they believe necessary in eX
| treme crises. But it has been demon
strated that he uses it with reluctance
and once the goal is reached he com
pensates the victim, as witness qfhe
| following incident:
It was during the scissors f1ghtine
and on the eve Of the main attacl
that a young officer had found him
self. in spite of his own and his men
herculean efforts, apparently doomed
to failure to get all his elements into
position and to play the part assigned
him in the clash that was fas
approaching.
The day before the attack. Gen
Summerall gathered all his officers
about him for final instructions, deliv
cred with telling effect, for Gen. Sum
merall possesses the rather unusua
gift. among soldiers, of being ready
and effective speaker. AS the ON
GERS dispersed to their respective
commands to await the signal for the
| attack. Summerall called back th'
| luckless officer who, through M
| shortcoming Of his own, had been un
able to get his men into the position
assigned to them.
Summerall. fully appraised or TINS
situation, without preliminary launcn
ed into fiery denunciatlon or th'
Youths inability to carry out his or
| ders. Standing rigidly at attention
Iz<