friend played out the string and left the General
victor in the humorous contest.

"Just at this juncture one of the drummers, made
up as a police officer, arrived, arrested the
joker, searched him and found the General's
memorandum, which he exposed to the hilarious
guests with the significant comment: 'General
Pershing has really been the only entertainer this
evening, but lots of people are making reputations
with the public on the General's ideas.'"

His words to the British public and his public address in France are
alike notable for their simplicity and directness, their friendliness
and dignity. He understands thoroughly his part. It is a great advantage
for America to have a representative for whose public utterances no
apology must be made and no explanations given.

CHAPTER XIX

THE MAN BEHIND THE GENERAL

IT would be as impertinent as it is impossible for one who has not been
associated with General Pershing for a long time directly and closely to
attempt anything like an analysis of the man or his career. There are,
nevertheless, certain qualities that have become more or less the
possessions of the public because they have been manifested in his
public service. It is therefore permissible to refer briefly to certain
of them.

As a foundation for all his work is a strong, vigorous body which at all
times has been cared for in a way to make it the servant and not the
master of the man. Regular and somewhat strenuous physical exercise
maintains the uniformly excellent health and vigor of the Commander.
Naturally strong, hard work developed his strength in his boyhood, and
his military career has made many demands upon as well as increased
these powers. Even when he entered West Point he was an acknowledged
expert in horsemanship and his early work in the ten years of his
campaigns against the Indians, certainly tested his skill to the utmost
in this particular line.

He has known almost every form of active service the American Army can
provide. In the demands for rough or heavy work excellent judges
asserted when he was sent to France that he has no superior and since
his arrival he has shown that he was equally at home in the finer and
higher demands that were made upon him. His distinguished bearing, his
physical vigor and good health have provided an excellent foundation.
The old Latin pro