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Show Gjeneral Pershing's Story of the A. E. F. f f (Copyright. 1931, In .11 countries fey tha K North Ammcan NtwsMper Alliance. World T3,, r,.,1 " F ' i rilht. reserved, including the Scandln.viin. ' 0li QT).eV3.l t Reproduction in whole or in prt prohibited.) , E j f -wnu Service Joan J. Perstunq H j w Visited king find queen of Bel-glum Bel-glum nnd their army at Adeukirke on Saturday. As we have seen, there had been some talk of the British providing shipping to bring over American troops for training behind their lines. During Dur-ing the evening I spent with Sir Douglas Doug-las Haig, as noted in the diary, he presented pre-sented his plans for training our troops. His idea was to place the battalions bat-talions as they arrived, one to the brigade, bri-gade, in selected British divisions, preferably those serving on the southern south-ern part of their front, and then gradually to increase the number of battalions until the division should become be-come wholly American. Hoping to commit the British deli-nitely deli-nitely on the question of tonnage, which up to that time we had not succeeded in doing, I did not offer serious seri-ous objection to the plan and even approved some of the features, especially espe-cially those pertaining to the earlier part of the proposed training, and for the moment the question was left open for further conference. Causes King to Wait. I left British headquarters the next morning en route to the Belgian front to pay my respects to the king and queen. As Sir Douglas was off to London my car was attached to his train and we traveled together to Boulogne, where he boarded the channel chan-nel boat and I took a special, consisting consist-ing of my car and one other, and proceeded pro-ceeded on my way. We were due at Adenkirke, my destination, des-tination, at a fixed hour, but to my surprise the train pulled in ten minutes min-utes ahead of time. I was changing into my best , uniform in fact, was just putting on the right boot when my aid, Colonel Boyd, stuck his head in at the door of my compartment and said breathlessly : "General, we have arrived." T knew it only too well, as the train had stopped and the royal band outside out-side was playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in the mournful cadence common com-mon to foreign bands. It was an embarrassing em-barrassing thought that I should be late. In another minute, when the orderly and myself were struggling, this time with the left boot, Boyd again appeared and said in a stage whisper that was no doubt heard by the entire escort outside: "Sir, the king is out there standing at the salute." sa-lute." That was too much, the humor of the situation overcame me and for an instant all of us, including the orderly, order-ly, who rarely smiled, were convulsed with laughter. That did not help matters, mat-ters, of course, and meanwhile the band outside, which had already played the national air through three times, was dolefully beginning on the fourth, when I hurriedly descended the steps of my car opposite his majesty, buttoning my overcoat with one hand and saluting with the other. At my appearance the band started afresh and, as though they had just begun, ran through our national anthem an-them rather more vigorously, cheered up no doubt at last to see me in evidence. evi-dence. A few months later I had the courage to relate the incident in all its details to their majesties and they both seemed to enjoy it immensely. King Decorates Pershing. After inspecting the escort in company com-pany with the king, he and I drove to their residence, where the queen, in her most gracious manner, received us at the entrance. We had a very enjoyable luncheon, which Boyd thought was quite gay, especially when 1 became bold enough to air my dreadful French. After lunch King Albert, Al-bert, to my surprise, said he wished to bestow upon me the Order of the derneath heavy cargo, which it was necessary to discharge before mincemeat mince-meat could be unloaded. Result mincemeat aboard ship Thanksgiving day. Sweet potatoes arrived on Da-kotan Da-kotan and could not be unloaded until un-til November 22; result, some troops did not have sweet potatoes. It was necessary to buy geese to fill requisitions requi-sitions on account of part of turkeys not arriving, notwithstanding the fact that Thanksgiving supplies were ordered or-dered to arrive in France November 1." Although we had treated this matter lightly, I really felt regret that some of our troops had been deprived of a homelike Thanksgiving dinner, and at the same time I was not at all pleased to have further evidence of careless loading of ships. Need Two Regular Divisions. In considering the composition of our expeditionary forces, it was a question whether we ought to organize organ-ize Higher units by using regular regiments, regi-ments, with a proportionate number of new officers, or utilize the permanent perma-nent commissioned personnel of the line for equitable assignment to the citizen contingents and leave our regular reg-ular organizations to be completed from the relatively raw material at our disposal, and thus build up all categories of the army simultaneously. I recommended that regular regiments regi-ments at Honolulu and elsewhere be relieved for this purpose by National Guard regiments. These regular troops would more nearly approximate the standards of our allies at the start, and, more important still, their use would diminfsh the chances of reverses during our first encounters with the enemy. The acting chief of staff at home, Maj. Gen. John Biddle, agreed with my suggestion, but the widely separated locations of these regiments made their replacement somewhat difficult, dif-ficult, and only the Third, Fourth and Fifth divisions came in time for service serv-ice early in 1918, the Sixth and Seventh Sev-enth arriving to take part in the fall campaign. CHAPTER XXIV The progress of our preparation home at this time (December, 1911?) was far from being satisfactory, as tests of newly arrived troops showed their instruction was not up to our standards in France. It was evident that my recommendations recommenda-tions were being disregarded. Tins faulty training at home threw an extra burden upon us of training officers offi-cers and men after their arrival. I had urged that we should follow our own conception of training, emphasizing em-phasizing the rifle and bayonet as the supreme weapons of the infantry soldier, sol-dier, and insisted upon training for open warfare. The training of officers for the general gen-eral staff, which also necessarily had to be undertaken in rance, was well under way at the general staff school, at Langres, forty miles south of Chaumont, Chau-mont, under the able direction of Major Ma-jor General McAndrew. The three months' course of instruction was based upon our staff organization and you." I explained to him that our congressmen con-gressmen were more or less privileged characters at home and that they only meuut to be friendly. As a matter of fact, I think their familiarity did not offend him at all. During my brief visit I was particularly particu-larly impressed by the extreme simplicity sim-plicity of the home life of the king and queen, CHAPTER XXV Returning to my headquarters at Chaumont December 31, 1917, I was not surprised to receive the following cable from Secretary of War Baker, in view of the numerous suggestions that had come to me regarding various vari-ous plans for training our troops with the French and British : "Both English and French are pressing press-ing upon the President their desires to have your forces amalgamated with theirs by regiments and companies, and both express the belief in impending heavy drive by Germans somewhere along the lines of the western front. We do not desire loss of identity of Li f , i . '4 J , J Bishop Charles E. Brent. our troops, but regard that as secondary second-ary to the meeting of any critical situation situ-ation by the most helpful use possible of the troops at your command. The difficulty of course is to determine where the drive or drives of the enemy ene-my will take place; and in advance of some knowledge on that question any redistribution of your forces would be difficult. "The President, however, desires you to have full authority to use the forces at your command as you deem wise in connection with the French and British commanders in chief. It is suggested for your consideration that possibly places might be selected for your forces nearer the junction of the British and French lines, which would enable you to throw strength in whichever direction seemed most necessary. "This suggestion is not, however, pressed beyond whatever merit it has in your judgment, the President's sole purpose being to acquaint you with the representations made here and to authorize you to act with entire freedom free-dom to accomplish the main purposes in mind. It is hoped that complete unity and co-ordination of action can be secured in this matter by any conferences con-ferences you may have with French and British commanders and line of action that may be agreed upon." French Show Determination. The following cable also was received re-ceived from Washington, which showed the determination of the French to carry their point : "The French ambassador called on the secretary of war today and read him a dispatch from M. Clemenceau to the effect that General Pershing and General Petain had conferred as to the wisdom of seasoning American troops by attaching their regimental units to the French division before committing a part of the line to an American division made up of troops not accustomed to actual front conditions. con-ditions. "11. Clemenceau's cablegram stated that General Pershing had reported himself and General Petain in substantia substan-tia agreement after conference on the subject, but General Petain conveyed to M. Clemenceau the opposite opinion. opin-ion. Apparently some misunderstanding misunderstand-ing has arisen which the secretary of war will be glad to have General Pershing endeavor to clear up by placing himself in communication with M. Clemenceau and reporting the result re-sult of the interview. 'The French urge action as outlined above as being safer for American troops than it would be to give them at once an independent place In the line, and urge very strongly that the secretary of war here accept their view and commend it to you. This the secretary of war Is not willing to do, desiring to leave the matter wholly within your discretion after full consideration con-sideration of the important elements of the matter." The following extract from my cable of January 8 conveys the main points of my reply : ". . . The French have not been entirely frank, as unofficial information informa-tion indicates they really want to Incorporate our regiments Into their divisions for such service In the trenches as they desire. As to our instruction, in-struction, a certain amount of work with French troops is beneficial, and tin's we are having and expect to have . . . Have expressed a willingness willing-ness to aid in any way in an emergency, emer-gency, but do not think good reason exists for us to break up onr divisions and scatter regiments for service among French and British, especially under the guise of instruction." (TO BE CONTINUED.) CHAPTER XXIII A large party, including Col. E. M. Bouse, the American delegates to the Interallied conference, Ambassador William G. Sharp and Lord Northcliffe. went by special train from Paris December De-cember 4, 1917, to our training area, stopping at my Chaumont headquarters headquar-ters en route. On the train I had an Interesting conversation with Lord XorthclilTe of the British air board regarding the formation of an American army nnd Its transportation overseas. Lord Northcliffe thought his government should do more to help with shipping, but, like most Englishmen. he believed be-lieved it best for us to send our men for service with the British. He argued ar-gued in favor of a proposal that Lloyd George had recently made to Mr House, that we should incorporate in their units any infantry that we mighr not be able to organize immediately into complete divisions of our own. "It is all very well," I said, "to make such an appeal to us, but it is impossible impos-sible to ignore our national viewpoint. The people themselves, would not approve, ap-prove, even though the President and his advisers should lean that. way. We cannot permit our men to serve under another flag except in an extreme emergency, and then only temporarily." I also insisted that we would contribute con-tribute more largely to allied success by the use of the American army as a unit. , Hits Fault Finders. About this time Mr. House told me that Petain had criticized the American Ameri-can ideas of training and also that Louis Loucheur, minister of munitions, had spoken about the rise In prices caused by American purchases. Mr House wisely suggested to these gentlemen, gen-tlemen, he said, that matters of this kind were for me to settle. I called without delay on M. Clemenceau Clem-enceau and told him of the reports and explained my understanding about training agreements with Petain and also the steps that had previously been taker by the purchasing board, in eo-operation with his own bureaus, to prevent the rise in prices. I also to d him that French dealers were largely to blame if prices had risen, as we had eliminated competition among ourselves and that our purchases pur-chases were and had been for some time actually handled through French officials. I objected to these back-door methods meth-ods of lodging complaints and emphasized empha-sized the necessity of frankness 'and directness in all our dealings. I asked him to give instructions that if there was any fault to find with our methods meth-ods it should be brought to my personal per-sonal attention. He entirely agreed with me and expressed chagrin and surprise that any other course had been followed. On the face of it there was no other conclusion, however, than that both complaints were made for the purpose of finding out just the extent ex-tent of my independent authority. Gets Apology From Petain. I took occasion a few days later to let Petain know very politely what I thought of the impropriety of this sort of thing and also criticized him then and there for telling anybody, even Mr. House, as he had done, about the plan to attack the St. Mihiel salient as the first offensive by the American army. I was pleased with Petain's apology and his statement that there would be no further action of this kind on his part. As a matter of fact, 1 think the French erroneously regarded House as a sort of special ambassador, and thought that they could lay the foundation foun-dation for an approach through him to the question of amalgamation. Just before his return to the States House said to me that he entirely agreed with me, and that he felt sure the President and secretary of war in- tended to leave the whole question regarding re-garding the disposition of our troops to my Judgment. Assurance on this point was in no sense necessary, as I had full confidence that this was the case. During his stay In France 1 formed a high opinion of House's ability. We formed a friendship in the beginning which enabled lis to discuss all matters mat-ters most freely and frankly. Before he left for home he and l arranged for confidential communication bv cable should it become necessary to reach Mr. Baker or Mr. Wilson direct. The Missing Turkeys. Immediately upon my return to headquarters at Chaumont December 7, 1917, General Harbord reported there had been a shortage of turkeys and other essentials of a truly American Ameri-can Thanksgiving dinner, and in a facetious manner deplored the heart-lessness heart-lessness of a staff at Washington that would so neglect our troops. He stated that the shortage was due to these supplies, which had been ordered or-dered in September for delivery November No-vember 1, being burled under a large cargo that could, not be unloaded in time. The following cable was sent as written by Harbord: "On September 18 supplies for Thanksgiving were ordered. Your cablegram stated mincemeat shipped on Montanan. There was no mincemeat mince-meat on Montanan. Jrncemeat arrived ar-rived November 20 oa Powhatan, un Doughboys in the Trenches In Winter Time. was conducted by our own Instructors, with two or three French and an equal number of British officers to assist as-sist as lecturers. The difficulty was the scarcity of officers available for detail as students. We were confronted with the task of building up an army of millions that would require as many trained staff officers as we had officers in the whole regular army at the beginning of the war. To meet this urgent demand Washington was asked to send over In advance a small percentage of officers offi-cers from each division for Instruction, Instruc-tion, but only a few ever came. My diary notes the following: Chaumont, Wednesday, Jan. 2. 191S. Both French and British pressing us for amalgamation. Went to Marshal Haig's headquarters head-quarters Friday by rail, accom-' accom-' panied by Colonel Wagstaff, and spent the night. Motored through heavy snowdrifts out from Eiaples ; gangs of "conscientious objectors" opening up roads. Discussed with Sir Douglas possible shipment by and training of American lrt.-c;;s with British. Grand Cordon of Leopold, and as 1 hesitated, saying that we were not permitted per-mitted to reoeive foreign decorations, he Insisted that I should accept It conditionally, which, of course, was the only thing to do. Boyd was decorated deco-rated also. In the afternoon the king, with his chief of staff, took me to his G. U. Q. and then to the front-line trenches, explaining the disposition of the limited lim-ited force with which their positions were held. It consisted of only the six divisions which had stubbornly retired in 1914 In the face of overwhelming odds. It was then being recruited by Belgians escaping from within the German lines at the risk of their lives. Amused by U. S. Congressmen. While we weTe driving. King Albert related with much amusement some incidents of a recent visit by a party of our congressmen, and Inquired whether it was customary In our country coun-try for them to be on familiar terms with the President. He said that some of them had called hii.n Alhen and one had slapped hiin on the back, saying: "King, you're the right sort of fellow and everybody in America admires |