The weekly Alaska citizen., October 08, 1917, Image 2

About The weekly Alaska citizen. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1917-1920

Image provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections

                
THE ALASKA CITIZEN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY
J. H. CASKEY Owner
CITIZEN BLOCK. FAIRBANKS.
Union il as Second-Class matter, M.\, 14. 191". at tin
post office at Fairbanks, Alaska, under the Ac t o.
March 3, 1979
THIS PAPER REPRESENTED FOR FOREIGN ADVER
TISING BY THE
AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
GENERAL OFFICES
NEW YORK AND CHICAGO
BRANCHES IN ALL THE PRINCIPAL CITIES
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE
•a* »• ar (In Advanc e) .$10.01
,-r. months (In Advance) . . 5.0l
it . e months (In Advance) . 2.51
.. month. 1-tu
-im»e copiers . .
MONDAY
F HONE 2 H 2
MORE CARRIERS FOR ALASKA.
All Alaskans should appreciate Chairman
Houston's light to allow Canadian ships u
enter the Alaska coastwise trade. 1 he tiim
is especially appropriate tor such a move.
It is the avowed intention ol the govern
tnent to commandeer till American ships ot
anv size tor use by the government in con
duct of the war. That a number of the Am
erican vessels now in Alaska carrying tram
will be seized i> -lire. It is aiso known that
practically every shipyard in the country F
tit present engaged in building vosels Im
the government and will probably continue P
do so for months and possibly years, or at
least until the end of the war.
These conditions point to a shortage ii
carriers during the coming year, and mile"
steps are taken to remedy the situation will
almost certainly work a serious hardship tc
the country . Every year finds transportation
companies handling Alaskan trade hard
pressed to take care of all the demands made
upon them, and the service given has been
none too good.
In fact, in view of the service given,
and of the almost absolute monopoly enjoyed
lw the American owned steamships, even
were conditions normal, it would be benefi
cial for Alaskans to allow Canadian ships
to enter the field. There is no good reason
why even one American should be allowed
to hold such a position where he can easily
hold up another American. Ereight and pas
senger transportation, in our opinion, would
be vastly improved by the introduction of a
small amount of outside competition. Alas
kans are a long-suffering people, else they
would long ago have stirred congress up to
better such conditions as this one.
Chairman Houston deserves a helping
hand from every Alaskan, and the organi
zations which are looking alter the interests
of different sections of Alaska should unite
and give him all the assistance in their pow
er. If congress realizes that the sentiment
of Alaska is in favor of introducing compe
tition into Alaskan transportation fields, it
will probably act accordingly.
HF.I.P SAVE FOOD.
That Americans are far from realizing
the seriousness of the war situation, especially
the food problem phase of it, is indicated
by the new appeal made yesterday by Mr.
Hoover for everybody to conserve all kinds
of food and win the war. “Conserve Food”
has been the watchword of the department
of agriculture since early last January, when
it was seen that America would be torced into
the conflict sooner or later. The real seri
ousness of the situation has become more and
more evident since that time, but apparent
ly the great mass of the American people
have not yet grasped the gravity of the food
situation.
America has sufficient food supplies to
feed herself, but her duty does not end there.
It is obligatory upon her to supply her allies
first of all, and as far as is possible the neu
tral countries in need of assistance. Mil
lions of tons of food are being lost monthly
through the submarine warfare, but the ef
fort to land it in Europe must be kept up,
and when the American national army, now
in training, shall have been sent to France,
or elsewhere in Europe, these efforts will
be redoubled and food shipments vastly in
creased. These supplies must be at hand for
shipment at all times; any relaxation or de
crease endangers our chances for victory to
a certain extent and means the prolongation
of the war.
America is the land of plenty. As a
nation we have not earned a reputation for
saving, but rather for wastefulness, and this
wastefulness has become a habit to a great
degree. This habit must be overcome, and
only constant watchfulness will accomplish
the task. Mr. Hoover is virtually food dic
tator of the nation, but it is up to each and
every one of us to give him our assistance,
otherwise he falls short of his duty in the
same measure that we fail in ours. Not
every one of us can fight in the trenches
in this war, but all of us can and should en
list in the ranks of the “food conservation
army, and use all of our intelligence and en
ergy' to see that it is successful in its aims.
THE SECOND LIBERTY LOAN.
Yesterday the campaign for subscrip
tions for the second Liberty Loan began
throughout tlu* country. It is the duty ot
every resident of the United States, whether
a citizen or not. to subscribe to this loan as
heavily as possible. The war cannot be run
without money Men and munitions are nee
i "ary. but before either can be had or pro
vided for in adequate numbers, the financial
end must be looked after.
In the windows of local bank, federal
and other buildings can be seen a poster
bearing a fac simile of the statue of the
(Vide" of Liberty with the inscription
“YOU, buy a bond, lest I perish.” This is
no exaggeration ot the state ot affairs. Upon
American men and money hangs the issue
of the war into which we have set our leet.
There must be no turning back. There is
being no attempt made to disguise the serious
ties.' of the situation. Those who should and
do know the facts are trying to impress
them upon the consciousness of the entire
nation.
\\ e, in Alaska, are so remote from the
scene of events as they are transpiring in the
States today that we are even more slow than
the average people to grasp the full meaning
ot this war. But each of us should realize
by this time that the fate of the nation rests
noon the man ot little means even more s()
than upon the moneyed man. It is to the man
with few funds that the appeal for subscrip
tions to the Liberty Bonds is being made.
Upon the millions of this class depends the
success or failure of the loan.
Reports indicate that the entire country
has met the call for subscriptions on this
second loan with enthusiasm never before
equalled. It is not Alaskans’ way to be be
hind in any procession. As a rule they head
jit; as a rule they generally manage to get
a seat on the band wagon. It should be
thus in the present case. Our season is just
about over, and, while we may have had more
prosperous years, there has been work in
plenty for everybody. Nearly everyone has
a little extra money.
Fairbanks institutions met the first call
for subscriptions with avidity and took at
least their share of the loan. This second
call should be even more generously respond
ed to. Have you fifty or a hundred dollars
you can get along without lor a short timer
If so ask your banker about a Liberty Bond.
The United States wants from three to five
billions of dollars as part of America’s an
swer to Germany’s military despotism and
scheme for a world empire. America’s an
swer means YOUR answer. Do YOUR
part. GET BUSY.
CONGRESS’ WAR SESSION.
Today the national house of represen
tatives will adjourn and not later than to
morrow the senate will take similar action,
thus bringing to an end the first war ses
sion of the nation’s lawmakers. It is much
too early to form any reliable judgment as
to the efficiency of the measures taken by
it to meet the war problems and to put the
country into condition for an aggressive car
rying on of the mighty conflict upon which
we have just entered.
i nrougnout me session u nas nau ooui
bouquets and brickbats thrown at it, accord
ing to the feelings of the critics. But it seems
to be the consensus of opinion that what it
has accomplished has been mostly good. One
of the strongest charges brought against both
houses has been the slowness with which
they have acted on important measures that
were brought before them. With the welfare
of not only the country but almost the en
tire world depending on these measures, it
has seemed that there has been too much
delay in action. But in all large deliberative
bodies there is this same slowness; it is one
of the attributes of lawmaking bodies of all
republics, and in most all cases is a virtue,
whatever it may become in wartime.
The enactment of the universal liability
for military service embodying the principle
of selective conscription is without doubt the
most important of the measures passed. That
the vote on this measure showed men of all
political beliefs favored its adoption indicat
ed very clearly that the country at large was
strongly in favor of it.
As far as individual members are con
cerned, some have added to already enviable
reputations, others have made splendid rec
ords for themselves, while some who former
ly were held in high honor by the entire na
tion, have emerged under a cloud of dis
credit from which there seems to be no es
cape for them. The less said of the Lab'ol
lettes, Gronnas, Stones, Vardamens and Brit
tens the better. Their shameful efforts to
hinder and bring to naught the efforts of
America to do her full duty in this war will
be remembered far longer than any mem
ory of former good they may have accom
plished.
To the credit of the American nation it
can be said that the vast majority of mem
bers in both houses have realized their duty
and worked early and late to perform it.
To many of them great credit belongs for
their untiring efforts. But the man who
takes off the lion’s share of the honor and
credit is President Wilson.
On several occasions he has secured leg
islation that seemed doomed to be defeated.
His influence has played an important part
in shaping practically every measure of anjq
j importance. To him most of the credit be
| longs iur the conscription bill. In each oi
11he \ariotis governmental departments he has
settled the most vexing problems that have
arisen. The administration is distinctlv Mr
Wilson’s, and he either stands or fails bv
| the results that are to be accomplished. Ii
Ine are succc$sful his will be the full credit.
|and if failure should come he stands e<|tta 11 \
ready to beaf the full blame.
From April, 1917, to the present date
j has been one of the most important and crit
ical periods of American history. Not suffi
cient time has elapsed to enable anyone to
I say with exactness how it has been met; time
I will have to furnish the proper perspective
before final judgment may be taken. But
Mr. Wilson has easily been the leading fig
ure during the entire period, and in the work
of congress can be readily distinguished his
influence and personality.
MASTERY OF THE AIR.
One ol the most disconcerting features
of the war during the past few weeks to all
military obsejwers has been the ease with
which Germair air squadrons have been able
10 raid the English coast towns and London.
! From the numerous raids that have taken
1 place it seems to be apparent that the Ger
' mans have outstripped the British in build
I airplanes, and that for the time being the
preponderance of air strength has passed
from British to German hands.
\\ bile it is by no means certain that this
is the present state ol allairs, it would seem
hkeiy. ft is not doubted that Germany lias
long belore this recognized the vital import
mice of developing her aerial strength, and
that she has been turning mighty ellorts in
this direction, as well as to the under water
phase ol the war.
if Germany has taken first place in aeri
al strength, she must not be allowed to retain
it; such would be ratal to the cause ol the
allies. M. Andre Tardieu, high commission
er ol France to the United btates, has laid
especial emphasis on the importance of Am
erica's pushing to fulfilment the plan of How
ard Collin and General Squier, by which
more than half a billion dollars is to be ex
pended on a huge aerial fleet. Judging by
the recent successful efforts of the Germans
m their raids over England, there is need for
great haste in America’s building program,
f he raiding of towns is the smallest phase
of aerial warfare. Their more important
work lies on and above the battlefields. With
out efficient air service the fire of the heavy
I field guns is rendered impotent, and the side
which control^ the air is able to inflict enor
mous damage almost at will.
Germany is far from whipped yet, and
our preparations must be perfect as well as
hasty. While the allies are counting upon
us for troops and supplies of all kinds, to
us also falls the task of insuring the over
whelming superiority of the allied air forces.
No mere technical superiority of strength will
suffice. We must be so strong that it will be
impossible for German aviators to remain in
the air. Only in this way can ultimate vic
tory be kept from being unspeakably costly,
both in human lives and materials.
PERNICIOUS ACTIVITIES.
Since the entrance of America into the
war against Germany, the American govern
ment lias been hampered to a certain extent
in its preparations to place the country in a
position from which it can discharge its in
curred obligations to its allies and do its
full duty as a participant in the greatest
struggle ever staged in the world’s previous
history by the actions of the organization
known as the Industrial Workers of the
World and the more radical branches of the
Socialists. It has been maintained by gov
ernment officials, as well as by state authori
ties, that these actions and utterances tend
ing to hinder America were not and are not
arising from any principles peculiar to these
organizations, but are directly inspired by
German influence and German money.
From all sources it is shown that organs
representing these classes are enjoying a pros
perity never before equalled since their in
ception. And where the agitators have been
the most prolific this prosperity has extend
ed into the very organizations themselves.
So noticeable was this state of affairs that
the government has been for some time quiet
ly investigating the causes therefore and mak
ing efforts to place the responsibility where
it should rest.
The fruits of these investigations show
in the numerous indictments that are being
returned by the federal grand jury at Chi
cago, where sufficient evidence has been pre
sented to warrant the return of indictments
on an unprecedented scale. While the num
ber of persons involved represent a very small
percentage of the American people as a whole,
it is large enough to cause the government
serious trouble, and if noised abroad suffi
ciently might produce an impression that the
American nation was divided in its support
of the President’s war policy.
These people constitute a menace to the
welfare of the American nation as long as
they are allowed liberty of person and ac
tion. When the freedom of not only America
but the entire world is threatened and the
the country is desperately using its utmost
endeavors to remove the source of the threat,
no means that can be taken is too harsh to
suppress those who would give aid to the
enemy ot our country Those who have been
indicted by the Chicago grand jury should,
n they are found to be guilty of the crimes
charged, he punished to the full extent oi
the law. Any leniency toward them is sure
to he interpreted as a sign of weakness on
the part of the government and will serve to
encourage others of their class to emulate
their actions.
IT is not unlikely that before another day dawns
queries will be coming in from the trail asking which
of the parties going out in the group of three automo
biles which left Fairbanks yesterday are the prisoners
md insane people and which are the guards. And
these queries will not come under the head of foolish
questions, either.
I SOME JITNEY JINGLES
/ HIS This year’s congress lias
AE11 /..III passed a law that beats
any I ever saw. It
knocks my grubstake in the head, and after
all is done and said it only helps the rich
man's claim. The poor man in the mining
game always looked to the rich man’s job
ol doing assessment by the gob. Now poor
lellows like you and me will lose this work,
and I hilly Gee, the times up here will sure
be tough since congress treated us so rough.
It’s us poor ducks that’s made the land
by mucking and digging in the sand; by work
ing hard and braving cold we proved to the
world that there was gold. When the world
knew what we had found, the rich man
came and took up ground. Ide came and
saw the land was good, so we did his work
and cut his wood in order that we need not
fast. Now this new law that congress passed
means that fellows like you and I will have
a hard time getting by. Yes, congress sure
has hit us hard when all assessment work
it barred, while there’s no doubt that we will
eat, that much more work meant much more
meat. It also meant we’d have the coin to
keep our new prospecting goin’, and con
gress’ll find before the end the poor man is
Alaska’s friend.
THE STEAMBOAT Our old friend Octo
MEX. ber’s here and the
last boat of the year
soon will sail for Dawson town. All those
men of great renown who’ve sailed the Yukon
river now shake their heads and shiver when
the ice comes closing in and claim that it's
an awful sin the boats can’t run for all the
time. For they call it a life sublime, this
working on the old Yukon and when these
steamboat folks are gone you and I will quite
agree of all the folks we’re glad to see come
drifting back to Fairbanks town are steam
boat Captains Green or Brown.
\Ye, who stay here frozen in say fare
well to a dozen men and wish them luck
o’er the trail, for we know they never fail
to come right back here in the spring. And
there isn’t a single thing that we know can
take their place. If there was we’d pawn our
face to get the service and the joys that’s
given us by steamboat boys. So, good luck
to Joe or Jack, won’t you please now lnirrt
back? And where’er you spend your time,
though it be in a warmer clime, be sure
that you don’t forget the Yukon’s waiting up
there vet. When our winter’s snow has gone
and our summer’s sun has shown down upon
us for awhile, we will greet you with a
smile.
77//; The Jingle Man is sorely
REASON WHY. wrought and cannot
grasp a single thought,
but has to earn his monthly pelf, and so he
writes about himself. And while he’s on a job
so nice he owes it all to shaking dice. Our
fellow man, the haughty Jedge, has always
thought he had the edge on anybody with
the box, and oft been known to lose his sox
because they were not rolling right. ’Twas
on one cold September night when the Boss
of The Citizen strolled into a dice-box den.
He thought perhaps he’d shake the bones and
listen to the other’s moans when he had cap
tured their bank roll, but no one would shake,
no, not a soul.
Raising his eyes from off the floor, lie
saw standing in the door, the marshal of
the Fourth Judish. “Now,” says the Boss,
“Fve got my wish.” He challenged Erwin
to a game. The old man said: “Why, ’pon
my name, Fll just take you down the line,
suh, for tonight my luck is fine, suh.” They
got the box and shook and shook until it
just began to look as if the game would
never close. The Boss then cried: “My good
ness knows, Fve only got a dollar left, of all
my roll I am bereft. I’m looking like an ‘al
most ran.’ Wait, Fll just bet my Jingle Man.”
The Jedge pondered the question o’er, then
seemed to think that one man more would
matter neither here nor there. Then he be
gan to shake for fair, and the game stood
horse and horse, but Judge Erwin won the
man, of course. That’s how- the Jingle man
was won, the queerest stake since time begun,
and when he left I did not sob, for why
should I? I got his job.
CITIZENSHIP
CALENDAR IS
COMING UP
The second Monday evening u.
each month having been designated
in a court order as the time when
petitions for naturalization would be
heard, the naturalization calendar
will be up before Judge Charles E.
Ilunnell next Monday night at 7:30
o'clock. There is a long list of ap
plicants for citizenship it is as
follows:
Walter R. Elliott, Fairbanks Itiita
rod: witnesses, E A Smith, 11 N
Shead.
John Hansen, Fairbanks; Geo. M
Smith, Sam Jensen.
Ghas. F. Forander, Ruby; Peter
Jepeen, Lynn Smith
Win. Demletrios Pappodopoulos,
Fairbanks; L. Golden, R M. Craw
ford.
(.'has. Montford, Fairbanks, B S.
Kennedy, John L. Matthews.
John Joseph Murphy, Fairbanks,
Henry T. Ray, H. N. Shead.
Pasquale Manoiconl, Fairbanks; Jo
seph Sala, Andy McKensie.
Charles Johnson, Fairbanks, An
drew McKensie, Louis K Pratt.
Gustav Albin Wilson. Fairbanks;
G. A. Olson, A J. Nordale.
Dennis Foley, Fairbanks; Roy Blair,
Michael Coakley.
Albert Hansen, Chatanika; Janies
J. Beck, August Lundstrom.
Karl Frederick Nessler; Olnes, Da
vid Petree, M. C. Sweeney.
Vincent Chisholm, Fairbanks, F.
0. Slade, P. J. Wenn
Sven Svenson, Chatanika; A J.
Nordale. J A. McIntosh
James Pearson, Fairbanks; J E
Barrack, John Barrack.
Narisco Barto, Fairbanks; Julius
Stolcis, Emil Pozza
Wm. Alexander Coghill, Nenana;
Robert Bloom, John M. Leach.
Arvld Bengston, Berry; A. J. Nor
dale, George B. Wesch.
Karl Philip Anderson, Fairbanks;
Julius Anderson, Christina Anderson.
Nevin Woodside Beatty, Fox; F.
C. Irons, J. T. McCroskey.
Cornelius Verboom, Fairbanks; A
W. Van San, John J. Buckley.
John Nelson, Nelson House, David
Petree, R. M. Brown.
Axe] Raymond, Cleary; J W. Ray
inond, A. J Nordale.
Ingwald Anderson, Miller House;
Axel Carlsten. Roy Frankhouser.
Peter August Peterson, Fairbanks;
Frank B. Hall, M. O. Carlson.
Paul David Lescure, Nenana; Geo.
Marcus, R Bloom.
John Alexander Hamilton, Kantish
na; F. C. Wiseman, John A. McIn
tosh.
Uno Svensk, Richardson; Axel
Running, David Petree.
Mike Jancovieh, Fairbanks; Frank
Miller, J H. Caskey.
John Montan, Fairbanks; Robert
Bloom. Einar Tonseth.
Marko Vidovieh, Fairbanks; Frank
Miller, John Penovich.
Ole L. Hjelvik, Fairbanks; George
Markus, Mauris Hofseth.
Wilkie Thomas Pinkerton, Fair
banks; Wallace Cathcart, W. W. Pen
dergraft.
Thos. Gerald Griffln, Fairbanks;
J. G. Coleman, Edward G. Morris
sey.
Francis Wm. Ford, Nenana; J. A.
Wetherbee, Ed Snider.
Joseph Ernest Tyo, Fairbanks;
Frank R. Clark, T. H. Dela.
Peter Soraghen, Fairbanks; J. E
Barrack, W. A Appleby.
Mary Standing Love, Nenana; F.
R. Clark, Cecil H. Clegg.
Joseph Pedro Ignaco, M. F. Hall,
J. G. Morrow.
Alf Gustav Theodore Eklund; Reed
Harris, Stanley R. Hess.
Mon Monson Gjilsvik; George Wil
liams, Emil Pozza.
Johann Herman Jensen; H. Boas,
S. Applebaum.
MRS. RWIN
MARRIED AGAIN
William Campbell Is in receipt of
a letter from the former wife of L.
T. Erwin. United States marshal of
the Fourth division, in which she
states that she was recently mar
ried to John Edward Haynes, a busi
ness man of Cleveland, Ohio. Noth
ing is stated in the letter regarding
the exact date of the marriage. The
couple are now at home at 1223
Second Ave., East, Cedar Rapids,
Iowa.
The Nenana Democratic club is
reported to have held its annual
election of officers. Robert E. Burns
was re elected to the presidency of
the club and J. D. O'Neil secretary,
retary.
Liquor registration books for sale
at THE CITIZEN.