Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-05-05
DELAYED H0N0Rs
FOR RICHARDSON
COMMANDER OF AMERICAN
FORCE IN NORTH RUSSIA FL
NALLY is GIVEN HIS MEDAL.
PERFORMED DIFFICULT TASK
Secretary of War Weeks Takes oc-
casion Also to AIIude to This Off
GERS Remarkably Valuable Enai-
neering Work in Alaska.
By EDWARD 3. CLARK


washington. the Office of the
secretary Of war day or two ago.
Col. Wilds P. Richardson, who held
the rank Of brigadier general during
the great war, and who was. the COM
mander Of the American troops at
Murmansk and Archangel, North Rus
STA, toward the end Of the year 1918
and in the subsequent fighting between
the allies and the Bolsheviki, was dec
Grated with the Distinguished Sery-
fee 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
STA. but spoke Of the commanding
work which he had done in Alaska dur
ing twenty years service there when
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-three
years. but like all West Pointers he
is a trained engineer and it was his
engineering ability which brought high
commentator while he was in Alaska.
The writer Of this was present at the
ceremony of decorating Colonel Rich
ardson, for the two were classmates
at West Point I make no excuse for
telling something of the services OF
this great soldier Of the American
army, nor do make any excuse for
writing of the unintentional delay In
giving him the Distinguished Service
Medal which he deserved for his nigh
work in North Russia.
The War department does not do
all things quickly. There are some
officers to whom it is still the inten-
ton to give decorations which they
won for services, but yet who do not
know the hour, or the day, or even
the month when they will be conferred.
Subordinate Decorated First.
1t is rather curious to note that
while Colonel Richardson was recon-
mended for the Distinguished Service
Medal as soon as his work in North
Russia was completed, it was not con-
ferred upon him until after another
medal of the same kind had been CIV
en- to one of his subordinates upon
the recommendation of Colonel Rich
ardson. the subordinate having done
fine work, but of course having done
it under the direction of his command
ing officer. This sort Of thing has hap
pened in the service on one or two
occasions, but the authorities are try
ing to prevent the repetition OF such
happenings which in their nature are
grotesque.
Some day the military story of what
our soldiers did in the Archangel sec
tor will be given to the world. There
were international complications and
there are still perhaps some interna-
tionaI reasons why the military his
tory Of the American expedition should
not be told until little later, but the
people can be assured that when the
whole story Of this expedition is given
to the public, it will be one of the
most interesting chapters Of the
Worlds war.
Difficult Work Well Done.
The citation which accompanied the
Distinguished Service Medal which was
given Colonel Richardson declared
that the decoration was conferred for
exceptional meritorious and distin-
guished service as commanding gen.
eral of the American Expeditionary
Forces in North Russia. Then there
was added a statement to the effect
that in his skillful handling of many
difficult situations Richardson had per-
formed a signal service for his gov
eminent.
In that part of the citation which
speaks OF the skillful handling of
many difficult situations perhaps is to
be found one reason why as yet the
intimate history of the troubles in
North Russia, which brought about
allied intervention, and the subsequent
appearance Of United States troops
in the northern field, has not been CIV
en- to the public.
The Americans not only handled
difficult situations skillfully in North
Russia, but they did considerable
fighting. General Pershing assigned
Richardson to the work in North Rus
sia. not only because Of his known
ability as an army officer, but because
he was accustomed to the ways of the
northern peoples. 1t may seem bit
curious to some persons, but the. tWen-
ty years experience of this American
soldier in Alaska was of extraordinary
value to him when he entered the field
in North Russia and did his work,
which was a combination of fighting,
construction and Cancellation.
The American soldiers of the Arch
angel expedition probably will be CIV
en- a special ribbon for that service.
They suffered many hardships of va
rious kinds and they fought just. as
well as American troops fought else
where. and it should be remembered
that this in large part was after the
signing Of the armistice in Novem-
Der, 1918.
CONGRESS MisIed by Propaganda.
Members Of congress apparently