The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-09-13
IKEUS AFRICANUS


 UPREM COMMANDER FL O HOVER remained the same smiling Ike, genial, simple, easy to talk with, but firm in his determination and strong in deoi- sion, About the only concession he made to his former habits was to leave his "goop suit behind him and wear 0 uniform which his dis- tinguished staff would consider more dignitled,
 He lived with his friend and na- val aide, Lieutenant Commander Butcher, In 0 small house adjoin- Ing Admiral Cunningham's, and chose the servants quarters for his own when he entertained visitors, His little Seotty, Telek brought with him from London, was always at his heels, Q faithful worshipper of his master At the sound of his masters voice, Telek'S tail wagged vooifer- ously, The general called 1t his 'sign language" 0 code which he clearly deeiphered, like the wig wag of the signal Corps,
 Wherever the general went, Telek was sure to go, During the Tunisian campaign he barely escaped being Q war casualty. While stretching himself too far out of the window to observe the lines of soldiers mov- Ing toward the front, he fell out. A four-star generals car drew up to the roadside; an orderly hopped out, rescued the missing Telek, and hurried on to restore him to his master,
 You'd better keep on guard, ' the general warned Telek "or you may be taken prisoner, You won't get treated as well in the German Army as we treat you in the Ameri- can Army
 TT was during these North Afrl- can campaigns that General Ike received Q new nickname from his intimate ssoelates-Ikeus Afri- eanus, This classical tribute was In recognition of his vast store of hu- man knowledge.
 "There was nothing about Africa or the entires world that 1keuS Afrie0nus didn't seem to know" one of his staff eonfides, "When We asked him about HannihalS march to Italy he gave us 40- minute eXtemporaneou lecture, Later I went and checked on his dates and facts You know, he hadn't made single mistake"
 Ike Is happiest when with his soldiers at the front, where he is well known and liked by his men, He speaks the language of the troops,
 Hell we'll change thatl" he ex- claims, instead of the more pompouS version of what soldiers call brass hats" They like his straighttor- wardness. It makes them feel he Is one of them, Just another dough- boy,
 IN an effort to unify the soldiers Eisenhower told both British and American troops that If they could not get along together they would go home Ion Q slow boat, un- escorted" He is tough, and yet un- derstandIng md taetful, He nlpped all conflicts in the bud, When a British officer reportedly diSparaged American troops tho general, as soon as he was informed, consulted the officers superior, who was al- ready on his way to clear the mat ter up. Before the day was over the matter had been settled and unity and mutual respect ran higher than before.
 Things looked dark when the Germans were rushing supplies Into Africa from Italy, The Allied air forces were paralyzed by bad weath. or; armies were begged down in torrents of rain. They had been be- set by supply difficulties, trans portation by sea, and @ thousand and-one problems, Eisenhower was quick to place any American troops needed ct the disposal of the Brit ish, It was then that the actual joining of the armies began, and not until after the British Eightf, Army had taken Tripoli and won the supply race did Eisenhower relax,
 This critical period welded the