Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-11
Pershing Following
Progress Of War
With Deep Interest
A. &. F. Chief Informed
Of U. S. Preparedness
by Gen, Marshall
By COL. FREDERICK PALMER,


No American takes a deeper in
terest in this war than he; no Amer
lean brings to bear upon it so great
a military experience as u. J. p
which was the way those of us about
the headquarters of the A. E. F.
used to refer to him.
j. j. p, the initials of Gen. John
]. Pershing, signed to note in his
bold handwriting, was the law once
for two millions Of American SOL
diers in France. He is as erect to-
day in creating caller as he was
during the terrific six-week smuggling
of the Meuse -Argonne, which ended
with his troops in pursuit of the
enemy and the cease firing" on Ar
mistice Day 81 years ago.
And he was as erect duHng the
long strain of that battle as he was
when he arrived in France and
formed the plan and organization
which he saw through to victory; as
erect as Capt. Pershing when we
tramped the Manchurian hills to-
gether.
We chatted in the revival of
memories which time has enriched
and in some cases softened. His
eyes glowed in pride in his soldiers.
Some anecdotes brought smiles; others
were so good he broke into laughter.
Random talk in more serious vein
touched on historic parallels, for he
Is well read in history and its lessons.
Kept Informed by Marshall.
Then as some problem rose-it
might be about this war-he would
look out of the window engrossed in
thought, showing the firm profile of
the soldier, the fighting commander,
who considered suggestions from
all angles in forming his policy,
who maintained the independence
OF his army, and when the time
came to strike, struck hard in an
unremitting succession OF blows.
Gen. George c. Marshall, chief of
stan, keeps him in touch with the
progress of this war and with that
OF our own program of preparedness.
Gen. Pershing. whose title is general
OF the armies, not only asks many
penetrating questions which will
keep him current with modern arms
and tactics and our needs, but Mar
shall is still in the attitude of the
pupil asking the old masters judg-
ment In turn.
Although j. j. P. could not now
bear the strain of 16 hours work
day that was his fixed habit for 16
months in France, his analysis Of
problem and the logical processes by
which he reduced it to simple, def
mite terms are just as clear as in
1917-18.
What a contrast between the busy
War Department today and the in
activity as it marked time before
our entry into the World War! What
a contrast the funds the Army now
has to spend in its expansion and
arming with the day that Gen.
Pershing and his little pioneer staff
sailed for France!
CantOnments Had to Be Built.
Then, Congress had appropriated
only $100, 000, 900 as yet for the con-
duct of our own part in the war.
Then. we lacked guns, planes, rifles,
all arms-all yet to be made or sup
piled by the allies-and the hosts of
our youth who were to fight in
France in "the war to end war" were
waiting until the environments were
built before they could begin even
home training.
And Gen. Pershing's pupil, now
the chief of staff, was number two in
G-3 (operations) for the First Army
in the Meuse-Argonne battle. Lieut..
Gen, Hugh A. Drum, commanding
the I'd Corps Area, was number one
of G-3 Of the First Army. Among
the others whom Pershing gathered
around him, Maj. Gen. Fox Conner,
that master tactician, chief of G-3
of the whole A. E. F., and Maj. Gen.
Dennis E. Nolan, the ever-alert chief
of CO. dntelligence), are retired. So
is Maj. Gen. James G. Hartford, J.
j. P.'s right hand, pioneer chief of
the staff of the whole A. E. F.
But the younger men they trained,
and who in turn trained younger
men, now carry on in the spirit of
the system j. j. p. fathered, and are
then sent back to the line lest they
get desk-bound or out Of touch with
the men in the ranks who do the
fighting If war comes.
Cohesion and Balance Necessary.
II q bootball team needs team
play and . directing will, how much
more must there be cohesion, dis.