Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-20
DESCRIBES HUMAN
!. SIDE OF PERSH|NG
Aide since War Days Says
Veterans Have Learned to.
Know General Better.

Former members of the American
expeditionary force have changed their
minds considerable regarding Gen.
John j. Pershing since they served
under him in France.
The wartime picture of BLACK
Jack" as viewed by his several million
SubOrdinateS, was a somewhat eXagger-
ated version of the same grimly mill
tary visage familiar to civilian news
paper readers of the period Most
would have laughed derisively at sug-
gestion that the set mouth under the
clipped mustache ever relaxed in a
smile.
Among those who might have ex-
celled in the derisivences of their mer-
riment at such suggestion is Col. D.
John Markey Of Frederick, Md, whose
only wartime contact with the Cen
eral was a cold and eXpressionlesS stare
that chilled his marrow bones on the
occasion Of a regimentar inspection.
Served as Pershing Aide.
Since the war Col Markey has had
opportunity to associate with the gen.
eral on many occasions over a consid-
cradle period. He has found, he says,
that the grim mouth not only AN relax
in hearty laughter, but that It is ca
pable on occasions, Of betraying ten
der emotions.
Gel Marley stands as authority for
the statement that the veterans gcner-
ally as well as himself, have come to
know the general better since the war.
The colonel not only is a member of
the American Battle Monuments Com
mission, which is headed by Gen
Pershing, but was the generals aide
at several American Lsgion conven-
tons including the one held in Paris
In 1927.
He says one of the veterans first
glimpses of the human side of the gen.
erals character was at the legion con-
vention in the preceding year at Phil
adelphia. At that convention there
was a determined movement to elect
Pershing as national commander. so
that he might lead the Legion to Paris
the next year.
But the general did not want the
Job. He. had personal reasons for not
wanting it, and among these was the
fear that IS national commander in
1927 he ln'ght be accused of harboring
political ambitions. If elected he would
have led the Legion to Paris on the eve
of the presidential campaign in which
Calvin Coolidge did not choose to run"
Called OFF Supporters.
There was plenty of the quality
known as human" according to Col.
Markey, in Pershing's desperate effort
to staEe off his threatened nomination
to the national craftsmanship. but to
do it In a way that would not wound
the feelings of those concerned. His
emissarieS were out early in the con-
vention, attempting to divert the rising
tide Of sentiment in favor of the nom
ination, but they made no headWay.-
II finally told him the only way to
call as halt was for him to say openly
he would not take the Office, even If
elected" said Col Marley. Asking for
details the general reluctantly agreed
that this was 50. He called in the
leaders of the movement in his behalf
and odd them as frankly as possible
why he could not, or, at any rate,
would- not take the Office. These men,
in Markey's opinion, left the generals
presence with an entirely new idea of
the real Pershing, an idea that has
spread as the story of this incident
filtered down through the rank and file.
His engaging modesty and gentle
ness 10 dealing with his humber COM
radeS IN arms was portrayed again in
the hesitancy he displayed about sail
ing for Paris on the same ship with
the other legionnaires. He was afraid,
Col Marley said, of robbing the then
national commander, Howard Savage,
OF some OF the glory that was his due
Prevailed on finally to accompany the
party, he remained as much as pos
slble in the background and when
forced against his will to the center Of
the stage she never once, in the words
of Mr.. Savage, made use Of the per-
sonal pronoun."
Defended Comrades.
1t was on the Paris trip that the
Legion saw Pershing as a good fellow
and a loyal comrade. saws Markey. They
learned that he could laugh with the
best Of them and that he had not for
gotten, his generalship when it came to
defending them from attack
The latter. quality was demonstrated
at the. start Of the trip when apprehen-
sion vas being expressed publicly as
to the possible misbehavior by the 20 600
veterans on their arrival in the French
capital AT, the farewell banquet, while
the LeFlathan was still lying in New
York narbor, Pershing let loose a volley
OF scorn against the Legion's over
anxious critics
Il, al least, have the same con-
fdence IN my comrades" he ended. "as
when sent them into battle" And.
as the reporters present scrubbed on
lheT notes, he grinned, widely and
delightedly.
The depth of the generals emotions
regarding the thousands of his COM
rades who fell in France has been re-
yealed time and again to Col. Markev
in connection with the work of the
Battle Monuments Commission,
This work has taken much Of his
time during the last seven years The
commission superyises the beautifving
o. the cemeteries in Europe. where
so GOO Americans lie buried. and pro-
Nides for erection Of memorial nonu
ments on the spots where the major
engagements Of the var took place