The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1920-02-05
did GOOD WORK
At vLAD|v0ST0E
American Major, Serving With
Allied Forces, Cited for
Brave Actions.

Brave Actions.
. SAVED LIVES Of HUNDREDS
Red cress Report Gives a Graphic
Story Of Reseues During Fierce
Fighting at Russian Port
in, Novannher.
Washington.-A graphic account Of
the part played by Major Samuel ].
johnson Of Honolulu, assistant COM
tmandsnt Of the allied forces in Vladi'
vost0k, during the revolutionary fight
}Me in that city on November II and
1o, has been received by the Red
Gross headquarters here. The Red
Gross report says that Major johnson
has been recommended to the All-Rus-
sian government for decoration with
the Ohacer's Cross Of st. George for
ithe services he rendered to the people
1of Vladivostok during the fighting.
-? Az a recommendation is considered
1the equivalent to bestowal, this makes
tho sixth award received by Major
johnson during his service in Siberia
with the American forces, the others
,being the Russian medal Of st. Anne
!, and Japanese, Czecho-Slovak, Italian
and Chinese decorations.
Governor M. N. Dversman OF Pr.
1norsky PROVINCE in q letter to Major
,Geueeal W. s. Graves, commanding the
) American forces in Siberia, said:
IT cannot leave unmentioned the
fact that Major johnson. having splen-
didly fulfilled his plan in guarding the
town and the peaceful population,
though exposing his own life to danger
under furious fire, succeeded four times
I'm getting through to the passenger
trains that were in the center Of the
fighting zone and from there brought
to safety officers, their families and
civilians"
Graves Son Praised.
Major Graves. son Of General Graves,
was another officer, according to the
Red Or ,ss account, who with utter
rfearlessness walked into the danger
zone to aid women and children ex-
posed to fro. Major Johnson has paid
tribute to the part also played by the
international military police, whom he
commanded.
II want those men to get the recog-
milton due them," he said. ''They rem
,dered the greatest assistance, showed
absolute steadiness and GOODNESS and
ran the same risks" The Red Cross
account says that the international
military police and allied detachments
held control of Vladivostok. enforcing
the policy Of neutrality adopted by the
allies and that, thanks TO this, Vladl.
'vostok was unswept by battle except
in the vicinity Of the railway station.
There, however, furious combat ragged.
"FOr men who entered the area OF
= fighting and the path Of flying bullets
entered at deadly peril and every man
knew It," says the report.
Among those saved by Major John
son and his men were General Roman
,ovsky and family. Romanovsky Is
tchief of the Russian generals staff.
he was living with his family In the
railway yards IN his special train and
was nOncombatant. Soldiers OF
both sides fred upon the train. 1t was
utterly dark ind storming, showing
November morning when Major john
son found the car and escorted the
family to safety.
Hide In Black Cellars.
"Some Of those he rescued that
night were found in the railway sta
tion where the most sanguinary fight
ing took place They had sought ref
uge IN cellars, or secluded little offices,
and crouched IN the darkness, afraid
to move. afraid to whisper. In most
cases, whc:l the rescue party arrived,
It took repeated calls and reassur
ances to locate the frightened, sus-
,piciOms men "nd women.
"rhe first rescue trip was made
iahout 10 O'Clock on the night Of No
vemler II and the last at s 80 o'clock
on the morning of November 1S.
"Nln jor .Johnson'S command Of Rus
sian, for he is Russian born. was a
big asset In this emergency work mt
the railway station. as 1t has been
throughout his service In Siberia.
General Komnnovsky expressed to
the Red Cross representative grnte-
fu' appreciation for what Major John.
son did.
al do not know how any man could
20 into that hell of fire. find our train
and bring us out he said but this
man did It,
He even saved the cnt. Getting the
party out Of the train Major johnson
hear! the howl Of the lonely, mortally
frightened cat somewhere in the dark
car. lit only by the lurid flashes Of
guns and the reflection Of burning
buildings.
zone Of the women asked them to
take the cat. and the rescue party
halted there in the shattered train,
found the cat hiding in mass Of