Evening star., 1932-12-04
TO the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor of The Star:
In the Sunday Star of October l6
appeared my review of Gen. Peyton c.
March's new boo, Tine NaG-on at
War" When I wrote that review my
endeavor was to make it so meticulously
ascurate that should be able to certify
70 every statement it contained. In
spihe of my efforts two Insignificant
errors crept in. I shall appreciate it
II The Star will allow me to correct
them.
FIRST. In describing Gen. March'S
brusque inquiry as to whether I ex-
pected him to ride in car which did
not carry a four-star flag indicative
OF his rank as full general, said that
fortunately Gen. March's aide appeared
with a four-star flag, and that rufaed
feelings were now soothed. In letter
TO the New York Tines of October %,
Maj. j. M Swing. aide to Gen. March,
denies that he ever carried a four-star
flag I accept Maj. Swings statement
without question While I was mistaken
rs to the identity of the man who sup
Piled the flag am not at all mistaken
ss to the facts. On the day before
The inspection I had rected one of my
staff officers to select a suitable,
soldierly sergeant and have him report
next morning ID Gen. March at his
hotel for duty rs orderly. AS it was not
Mai. swing, then sscuredly 1t was this
sergeant who had been awaiting Gen.
Earch's appearance at another door,
and who now rushed up with four-star
flag in hand, thus spar.ng Gen. March
the humiliation of riding in car which
ooulj boast only two-star nag.
This incident shout the flag: trivial
and unimportant in itself, left upon
f,1I vivid of1d TInnln2 S1nf inn
preston. I was four years Gen.
March's senior at West Point. Until
the World War brought to him
his increased rank and his enormously
enlarged ego I had always been his
senior in rank. The brusque tone and
tactless manner of Gen. March on THIS
occasion left, needlessly. bad taste
Ia ny mouth Apparently the thought
never occurred to him that man may
be courteous even though he holds
high rank and wields great power.
Mistaken as to Date.
Second. In fixing the date of Gen.
March's inspection (which I did from
unenory only I made bad guess when
/ sid that 1t was a few days prior to
Gen. Pershirg's return September ..
l9le). I was astonished to find that
the actual date of Gen March's in
spection was April 81, 1919 This was
more than four months before Gen.
pershing's return. 1t was on April Il,
tel9, that Gen. March told me he de-
Stred no special ceremony when Gen.
pershing returned, and his exact
words were: Gen. Pershing auto
matically becomes major general 't1e
minute he sets foot on shore" This
was nearly three ntonths prior to the
date President Wilson sent to Congress
his recommendation for bestowing upon
Gen. Persling the permanent rank OF
full general In view Of this correction
as to date. Gen. March's TRADE falls
fat On April 81, 1919, nobody. whether
he reads the papers or not. could foresee
with any degree OF certainty that be-
fore his return Gen. Pershing would
be vested with the rank of full general
Moreover, at that time nobody, not
even Gen Pershing himself, knew the
date OF his return.
/ know nothing Of Gen March's sub
seqttent efforts to aid in this bit Of leg.
islation. What LIDO snow is that or
April 81, 1919. he desired no spScia
ceremony in Gen. Pershing's honor a
he would revert to the grade Of majol
general the minute he set foot on shore
With the two corrections as abov,
Adicated, I certify to the truthfulnes
q every ether p5sitive statement con
LINED in M .rcyis@, This statamen