—From "The World Book".
Courtesy of W. F. Quarrie & Co.

[GENERAL PERSHING'S WELCOME HOME]

More people, perhaps, read a newspaper every day than read any other form of print. At the breakfast table, in the trolley car, or in the railroad train, morning and evening you see readers buried in their newspapers. Many people read at least two papers a day, and many people read very little else. But unfortunately a great many of these people read the newspapers very hastily, and sometimes they fail to grasp the real sense of the column beneath the catchy headlines. They need practice in the rapid and intelligent reading of a news article.

You may begin to have that sort of practice now, if you will read rapidly the following newspaper account of the homecoming, in September, 1919, of one of America's greatest soldiers, and be able to answer the following questions. Your teacher may ask each row of pupils to be responsible for two or three of the questions.

1. When and where and from what ship did General Pershing land?

2. Who else came home on that ship?

3. How often and where did General Pershing reply to addresses of welcome?

4. What important person made the chief address of welcome?

5. What proof of the nation's gratitude was given to General Pershing?

6. Where would you like best to have been among the crowd of onlookers?

7. Do you think you would like General Pershing if you were one of his officers or soldiers? Why?

8. What was the most important thing that General Pershing said?

9. On whom was the joke, General March or the sentry?

PERSHING TAKES
HONORS IN NAME
OF HERO DEAD
Tribute Belongs to Men Who
Fell, General Tells Cheering
Throng in New York
WELCOME ECLIPSES ANY
EVER STAGED IN CITY
Thousands Await Through the Night
to Greet America's "Jack"
on Return Home WILSON SENDS MESSAGE New York, Sept. 8.—General John J. Pershing, commander-in-chief of the A. E. F., came home from France today and was welcomed in a manner which fully conveyed to him the gratitude and pride with which the American people estimate his services in leading the nation's greatest army to victory in the world's greatest war. From early morning, when the sea monster Leviathan arrived in the Hudson—a shadowy giant in a misty sunrise—until the middle of the afternoon, when the general insisted upon an intermission for a much-needed nap, he was the central figure of a demonstration which for brilliancy and gayety has rarely been equaled in the history of New York City. 		The presentation of his permanent commission as a full general in the regular army, accomplished by the secretary of war ten minutes after the general had stepped upon American soil, while perhaps the most important tribute, was merely an auspicious beginning of what was to follow. A river pageant on the Hudson from Hoboken to the Battery, a triumphal march through surging crowds on Broadway and Fifth Avenue, exercises at the City Hall, during which he was given the freedom of the city for four days; a reception, a luncheon, and in the evening a dinner and a theatre party in his honor—all this was part of the crowded and colorful program. None was surprised, therefore, when the distinguished guest good-naturedly remarked that if this continued long he would "almost wish that the war had gone on." Pleased To Be Back Home The general accepted it all quietly and simply. He was pleased to be home. He could not conceal that, but neither could he conceal the fact that he would have preferred to come home without so much fuss being stirred up about it. He bowed, nodded, waved, or smiled acknowledgment of the cheering. The Pershing smile, incidentally, will without doubt take its place among the famous smiles of America. All great Americans seem to have a characteristic smile. There was the Roosevelt smile, and there are the Taft and Wilson smiles, and now there is the Pershing smile, quite as striking as any of the others. The people liked it immensely; but more than that they liked the brief responses made by the general to the eulogies delivered by the secretary of war, the governor of New York, and the mayor of the city. He accepted all of them—with a reservation, that reservation being that he accepted them not for himself but for the boys who went over and fought and died for the flag. It was this that convinced the people that Pershing was truly a great man.

The Leviathan, bringing, besides General Pershing, his picked "composite regiment" and what is left of the first division, "the first to go over and the last to come back," tied up at Hoboken at 9:55 o'clock, with the commander-in-chief of the overseas forces on top of its pilot house. Assembled on the pier were nearly 1000 welfare workers, soldiers and guests. General March Held Up The first to board the vessel as soon as the gangplank had been lowered, with the exception of two naval officers, was a party of newspaper correspondents and photographers. At this point there was an amusing incident that somewhat relieved the anxiety and general excitement. A sentry, seeing the correspondents and photographers making ready for an immediate rush on the vessel, raised his voice in protest. General Peyton C. March, chief of staff, stepped forward with assurances that everything would be all right. But the sentry, sticking to his point with surprising determination, in view of the high rank he was addressing, would not be assured, and those who were listening understood his audacity when he stood up straight in front of General March and declared: "But, sir, I have just been talking with the secretary of war, sir, and he says, sir, that no one can go aboard." General March was as surprised as any one else. Having no reply to make to a declaration of that kind, despite his rank, he sought out the secretary of war and soon returned saying he had "straightened things out." Then came the laugh. "Very well, sir," said the sentry, saluting nervously, and by this time in perspiration from excitement. "B-b-b-but I have only eight more days to go and I-I-I naturally d-don't want to get into any j-j-am with the secretary of w-war, sir." Met by Secretary Baker As he stepped from the gangplank General Pershing was greeted by Secretary Baker and escorted to an open space, where a small dais had been erected in front of a group of chairs. The chairs were occupied by the guests and other staff officers, while Secretary Baker and the guest of honor took seats on the platform. "Here there is to be a momentary halt in the day's program to extend to General Pershing a word of greeting and a message from the President," said Mr. Baker, opening the first ceremony of the general's official welcome. "This incident in today's events is to be brief, and immediately after its conclusion General Pershing will become the guest of the city of New York." Commission is Presented Then it was that the secretary presented the hero with his permanent commission as general in the regular army, after which he delivered a brief address, closing with a message of greeting from President Wilson. Pershing Remembers Dead Secretary Baker then presented General Pershing, who was received with applause that lasted two minutes.