About The Alaska socialist. (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1913-19??
Fairbanks, Alaska (1913-19??)

The Alaska Socialist

In its first issue, published on September 29, 1913, the Fairbanks The Alaska Socialist explained that it came about in response to several letters received from various residents of Alaska asking for a paper focused on the interests of the working class. It indicated that it was "published in the interest of the workers of Alaska and advocating political and industrial action." The paper was published by the Socialist Publishing Company as a semi-monthly, but the frequency was often irregular. Andrew Knowles, who ran for both Fairbanks councilperson and representative in the territorial legislature as a Socialist, was the editor. According to an article in the first issue, the Socialist's reporters included two former detectives, a former preacher, a politician, and a few working people.

The paper was strongly opposed to well-known Socialist Lena Morrow Lewis, and devoted many articles to criticizing her, complaining that she was trying to create a political machine to control the nomination of socialist candidates for territorial delegate. The Socialist was in frequent disagreement with George Hinton Henry's The Free Press and The Socialist Press, and both papers traded barbs; in the April 15, 1914, issue Henry accused Knowles of making up stories and acting as a "viper" and "assassin of woman's character" towards Lewis, a woman for "whom his weazel [sic] mind had conceived a dislike." The Socialist responded in the April 18 issue by calling Henry a "booze-guzzling would-be-editor," and a "literary-degenerate-booze-inspired-irresponsible outcast." The Socialist was also condemned by some local socialist groups, like Socialists of Fairbanks and Socialists of the Fourth Division, who said that Knowles was an expelled party member. The end date is not known, but the Socialist was published at least through February of 1915.

Provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections