The Colorado statesman., 1923-06-16

II wish II were possible for the war
department to promote one, two or
three officers each year for outstand-
ing conspicuous service"
The secretary has no illusions. He
probably knows, as other officials oil
government know, and as the victims
of indifference know, that so long as
present day propaganda against the
army and navy and against the safety
Of the country is allowed to continue
unchecked and almost unchallenged,
no man who dared all to do his duty
can hope for any recognition.
Army officers and navy officers say
nothing about these things. Those who
have earned recognition and never
have been given 1t necessarily are
silent. Their comrades, who know
what the deserving have done, cannot
speak publicly because their words
would be construed as criticism of con-
gress and would subject them to pun
ishment for daring, American citizen
like, to speak their minds.
There are on the retired list today
army officers who commanded armies
during the World war. Their rank as
army commanders should have been
that of general, but they were denied
while on active service the right to a
rank which all other countries gave
to army chieftains. When these Off
GERS retired from active service. hav-
ing reached the age limit, congress de
MED to them the additional grade on
the retired list which it had granted
to every retiring officer who had seen
service in other wars.
Pershing the One Exception.
The only American soldier who came
out Of the World war with a fixed rank
higher than that of major general is
John ]. Pershing. Bullard and Lig-
gett, who we're lieutenant generals
temporarily during the conflict, are to-
day major generals, one retired ana
the other still active.
Joseph T. Dickman, accounted by
some the greatest soldier which we
sent to France, is today on the retired
list as a major general. He command
ed successfully n division, corps, and
an army, and commanded them all
while holding the rank of major gen.
eral, for although his achievements
won him recognition and promotion
of command, he was denied the promo
ton in rank. So 1t was that as ma
jor general he commanded an army,
and when the day came for his retire
ment congress declined to give to him
an additional grade.
on the retired list today is Col.
! Wilds p. Richardson. who commanded
the American troops at Archangel,
Russia, where his army superiors said
he performed one of the great achieve
ments of the war. He was specially
selected for this duty because of his
knowledge of northern peoples. His
campaign, his superiors say, was bril-
liant. In fact 1t was one that saved
situation. Congress declined to
make Richardson a brigadier general
on his retirement although he had held
that rank during the World war. Only
: one or two instances have been given
of neglect of the American people
to recognize even in small way the
service which devoted men rendered
them. To men who know the circum-
stances in these cases the neglect
!
Congress Listens to Propagandlsts.
Responsibility for this refusal of
congress to give the slightest recogni-
ton to army men who have won 1t
probably is directly attributable to the
activities throughout the country OF
various organizations which are striv-
ing to put the United States into
complete state of disarmament. Ger
tain propagandists seemingly hate not
only the army and navy but the in
dividual men thereof. 1t seemingly
is a fact that congress has paid closer
attention to the campaigning activi-
ties of these half Russian societies
than it has to any plea which has
been made to it by the voice of sturdy
patriotism.
Years ago Theodore Roosevelt, while
president, called attention to the fact
that it virtually was impossible for
the communicative of the army
and navy of the United States to re-
ward by proper promotion the high
deed of any officer of either service.
At that time President Roosevelt want
ed to promote Capt. John J. Pershing
to a majority. Under the law he
could not do 1t. Therefore, he did the
only thing that he could do in recog-
milton of Pershing's service in the
Philippines. He made him brigadier
general, promoting him over the heads
of hundreds of his fellow officers. The
president at that time could name
anybody he chose to general rank. This
was his sole authority in the matter
of promotion.
Survivors of Stone Age.