Show Pershing Narrowly Escaped Death Sailing for France Ten Years Ago WASHINGTON May 28 AP AP- AP Ten ye years rs ago today some 20 I AP-I men mien I cloth clothed d as civilians but distinguished distinguished distin distin- d by an ineffaceable military bearing began a memorable movement movement move move- ment out but of New York c Cit City The constituted the general staff start of the American expeditionary force with Its retinue of assistants and clerks They formed the spearhead arhe d do o of an nn American army of ot nearly men which was to turn the tide of battle In tn lor France nce anc and at theft head was General John J r r. Pershing Supposedly secure secret secrecy Y guarded guard guard- ed the departure of the group By tugboat and ferry and b by various routes they con converged t d upon Governors Governor's Governors Governor's Gover Cover nors nor's island A dark dark- morning and andA A wind blown n rain sep seemed to add their cloaks of ot obscurity to the movement but members of the partY reC recalled today how two Im Important Important important Im- Im slips sUps set at naught whole machinery ry of secrecy SECRET IS OUT Baggage of some of the officers was piled at a pier nier awaiting a tug It resembled resemble any iny oth other casual luggage until suddenly th arrived arrived arrived ar ar- ar- ar rived sev several ral pio pieces es boldly stenciled with the name of ot a high ranking officer and nd th the information In care Clire of ot Cen General ral Pershing's headquarters headquarters head head- quart quarters rs American expeditionary forces Paris Parts Th The sestet secret was definitely deth t ly out a It afew t f few w moments later when a younger officer arrived in ht uniform in viola vlola- I Lion tion of the injunction to wear ci civilian civilian cl- cl vilian garb The fact of ot the staffs staff's departure never was published by American newspapers but bit the the- war department department department depart depart- ment fearing tearing a a. repetition if of the sinking of Lord Kitchener's ship Inthe in inthe inthe the Irish s sea a explained explain d th the situa situa- situation tion HOh to tb by bv wh wheless less suggesting suggesting sug sug- gesting a change of ot ships at Halifax Halifax Hali- Hali fax but leaving he matter to his own Judgment Pershing's Judgment was to continue continue continue con con- on stopping at Halifax only long enough to pick up a British h naval escort NARROW ESCAPE The voyage was without Incident but it was made generally known today for tor torp p the first time that for tor the space of ot a split second the m life of General Pershing Peishing hung by a a. thread before he ever bp boarded his ship off oft Governors Governor's island His own quick thinking Ind nd Ind a agility at that moment save saved him Pershing's tug had arrived off the island to await a lar larger r boat to take his party to the steamer r. r When the second tug arrived it could come h ho closer cloer than three thice or four feet bec because use of the rou rough h water To change boats the p party had to t limb climb to the fail all of th the first tug ug and Jump jum into int the other through an o opening in its hull about the size of a small doorway directly opposite Leading the way Pershing b bal balanced l. l himself on the rail raU and made the he l leap ap As did he he did so his tug rose roseon roseon roseon on a wave crest and the other dropped into the tM tro trough gh Th The general general general gen gen- eral in tn midair drew rew up his legs and duck ducked d his head He landed squarely in the doorway but It Its d top missed his head by only a fraction traction of ot an inch The ship th that t carried the PershIng Pershing Pershing ing staff to France Trance wa was wac the S S. S fe S. S Baltic which has given it its n name me to r the the Baltic S society i h founded le y b-y oy by members mem mem- members embers em- em bers of the party art Its membership roll disregards rank being arranged alphabetically all Pershing far fardown fardown fardown down the list At its top is Captain George E D Adamson secretary to Pershing then and now Adamson had been with the general general general gen gen- eral with the punitive e expedition into Mexico and wh when n he was called to Washington n to t take ike command com cont- mand of or the expedition to France Trance Adamson assisted in making ar arrangements arrangements arrangements ar- ar for tor supplies for the force Th The punitive expedition had numbered numbered numbered num num- about men and that figure first was suggested for the theA A A. E E. F. F Day by day however that figure was increased d until it reached As soon as Pershing had hl his first view of the situation in hi France Trance however he called calle for one cre million men to be landed within the year He had nearly at atthe atthe atthe the armistice |