The Bienville Democrat., 1922-05-18
DELAYED H0N0R5
FOR RICHARDSON
COMMANDER OF AMERICAN
FORCE IN NORTH RUSSIA Fl.
NslLY is GIVEN HIS MEDAL.
PERFORMED DIFFICULT TASK
Secretary Of War Weeks Taxes oc'
casion Also to AIIude to This oH''
GERS Remarkably Valuable En9''
neering Work in Alaska.
By EDWARD B. CLARK

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK
Washington.-In the office OF the
secretary of war a day or two ago.
Col, WiIds P. Richardson, who held
the rank Of brigadler general during
the great war, and who was the COM
mander of the American troops at
Murmansk and Archangel, North Kus'
sia toward the end of the year 1918
and in the subsequent fighting between
the allies and the Bolsheviki, was dec"
Grated with the Distinguished serV'
Ice Medal of the United States.
In presenting the medal Secretary
of War Weeks not only dwelt upon the
services of the recipient IN North Rus-
sia, but spoke of the commanding
work which he had done in Alaska DUR
ins twenty years service there wheh
he was engaged for almost all the
time in the work of constructing roads
and trails, Colonel Richardson has
been an officer of the infantry during
his entire army career of forty-thfee
years, but like all West Pointers ne
is a trained engineer and 1t was MS
engineering ability which brought hlsh
commendation while he was In Alaska
The writer Of this was present at tne
ceremony Of decorating Colonel Rich
ardson for the two were classmates
at West Point. make no excuse 1of
telling something of the services OF
this great soldier of the American
army, nor do l make any excuse 1o'
writing of the unintentional delay Ill
giving him the Distinguished Service
Medal which he deserved tor MS hls'
work in North Russia.
The War department does not &c
all things quickly. There are some
officers to whom it Is still the lnten
ton to give decorations which they
won for services, but yet who 90 ho'
know the hour, or the day, or even
the month when they will be conferred
Subordinate Decorated First.
It Is rather curious to note mai
while Colonel Richardson was recon-
mended for the Distinguished Service
Medal as soon as his work in North
Russia was completed, 1t was not con
ferred upon him until after another
medal of the same kind had been Civ
on TO one of his subordinates upon
the recommendation of Colonel Rich
ardson. the subordinate having done
fine work, but of course having done
# under the direction of his command
Inc officer. This sort of thing has nap
pened in the service on one or two
occasions, but the authorities are try
Ing to prevent the repetition OF suci
happenings which in their nature are
grotesQue.
Some day the military story of wha'
our soldiers did In the Archangel sec
tor will be given to the world. Ihere
were international complications ant
there are still perhaps some lnterna
tional reasons why the military his
tory of the American expedition shoul(
not be told until little later, but th'
people can be assured that when th'
whole story of this expedition Is glvel
to the public, it will be one OF tn
most interesting chapters OF tn
Worlds war.
Difficult Work Well Done.
The citation which accompanied tn
Distinguished Service Medal which wa
given Colonel Richardson declared
that the decoration was conferred TO
exceptional meritOriOus and distin
guished service as commanding gen
eral Of the American Expeditionar,
Forces In North Russia. Then ther
was added a statement to the effet
that in his skillful handling Of man
difficult situations Richardson had pei
formed signal service for his GOV
ernment.
In that part Of the citation whic
speaks o. the skillful handling
many difficult situations perhaps Is
be found one reason why as yet tn
, intimate history of the troubles |
North Russia, which brought abor
allied Intervention, and the subseque1
appearance of United States trool
In the northern field, has not been gi
en- to the public.
The Americans not only handle
| difficult situations skillfully in Mort
3 Russia, but they did considerab
b fighting. General Pershing assignt
Richardson to the work in North Ru
r sia, not only because Of his know
ability as an army officer, but becau
he was accustomed to the ways Of Il
$ northern peoples. 1t may seem b
r curious to some persons, but the tive
9 ty years. experience Of this Amerlc'
}. soldier in Alaska was Of extraordina
Y value to him when he entered the fie
|. In North Russia and did his wor
which was O combination of fghtir
construction and concillation.
s The American soldiers Of the Arc
l. angel expedition probably will be g
t en- q special ribbon for that servi'
+ They suffered many hardships Of ,
. rious kinds and they fought Just
we'll as American troops fought ell
where, and 1t should be remepber
J. that this in large part was after
s signing Of the armistice in Move
. Der, 1918. ..- ..
Q Congress Mis'ed by Propaganda.
, Members Of congress apparen
n do not know all that Is gol
Q on in this country Of ours, ],
now they are being importuned
d Ill C:->>1> T..A-.