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VOLUME XIV. VALDEZ, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 584, 1017 * NUMBER 231
COAL DEALING
TO BEUCENSED
First lleguliitimi Will Affect Sules
I 'com Mines lo Kclailcfs—Ret nil
Licenses in Abeyance
WASHINGTON D. C., Oct. 24.—
Dr. Garfield, the coal administrator,
has announced that his price-fixing
committee will he named in a few
days. He says he will institute a 11
' censing system for all coal dealings
from the mine to the retailer, and
that if prces are fixed for retailers,
the licensing will be extended to cov
er their dealings. Under the law giv
ing the President control of fuels, the
Government can take over and oper
ate any mines failing to observe regu
lations prescribed.
A corporation similar to the wheat
corporation of the food administra
tion has been suggested as a possibll
ty to prepare the overnment to han
dle the situation if the price-fixing
plan does not work out satisfactorily.
The last resort under the law is gov
ernment requisitioning of the output
ol' all mines and the sale of it to the
public. The organization of an op
erating and purchasing corporation
would provide all the machinery nec
essary to put the commandeering pro
vision of the law into operation.
Fixing of retail prices presents a
tangled problem. Handling costs are
not the same in any two cities, and
a flat gross margin that will assure
equitable profits will be hard to fix.
On the other hand, a percentage pro
fit plan would present even more dif
ficulties because of trouble in keep
ng track of bookkeeping methods.
Dr. Garfield pledges himself to fight
for a reduction in the cost of anthra
cite coal* to the consumer. He says:
“if there is anyone who thinks that
the effort for reduction in prices is
to be limited to the operator and job
ber he is very much mistaken. I be
lieve that a considerable reduction
to the consumer can be made without
undue hardships to the industry, and
I shall feel very much disappointed
in my work if that end is not accom
plished.” ,
Some ofticals believe retail prices
may be reduced by exposure of the I
dealers who have been reaping exor-!
bitant profits. Already the Trade:
Commission is publishing reports of
its investigation in various cities,
designed to show that in anthracite,
particularly, the retailer largely is to
blame for high prices.
There has been virtually no com
plaint of anthracite prices charged at
the mines since the producers and
the Trade Commission agreed, some
months ago, on a scale of prices, but
there has been no law under
which jobbers and retailers could be
curbed. In fixing anthracite prices,
however, it was deemed essential that
prices be fixed at the mines, as well
as elsewhere.
PROBING CHARGE OF
GOVERNOR LOUDEN
SPRINGFIELD, 111., Oct. 24.—
Agents of the federal department of
justice were in Springfield today in
vestigating charges made by Gov.
Frank O. Lowden yesterday that the
walkout of approximately 8,000 work
ers in various trades, apparently In
sympathy with the strike of street car
operatives, were traceable In part to
the activity of anti-American influ
ences.
It was commonly believed here to
night that the general strike would
be broken by settlement of the car
strike, although unionists insisted
their walking out was a protest
against the prevention Sunday by
troops of a parade in support of the
car strikers, and that there would be
no end to the protest strike until the
parade was sanctioned by the author
ities.
Closing of all coal mines near here
and the refusal of teamsters to work
has threatened many Industrial plants
with a coal famine.
ALAMEDA IS DUE
APOUT MIDNIGHT
The steamship Alameda west bound
leaves Cordova at 5 o’clock this af
ternoon, and Is expected to arrive in
port about midnight.
Dominick Vattl left the fore part
of the week for Latouehe.
>1. C. A. NOW AT
WORK IX I HR CAMPS
„ NEW YOKE. N. Y.—The national
war council of the Young Men's
Christian Association has annon
that work is now lining carried on i
186 camps for the army and navy in
ths country. Work is also being un
dertaken for the lessor groups a■ d
detachments at -15 other places: 265
buildings have been erected or are
now under construction; 68 tents are
in use; 111 new buildings have been
authorized and 84 other buildings are
under consideration.
Employed in the operation are 987
secretaries, while 1181 are yet to lie
assigned. Most of the latter have been
chosen and will be sent to national
guard camps and artny cantonments.
Ths number does not include 150 sec
retaries already with the American
troops abroad.
WOULD RECALL
SEATTLE SOCIALIST
. - ■.- 1
Petitions Out for Removal School
Hoard of friend of Kate Sadler,
And Opponent to War
SEATTLE, Oct. 24.—Petitions are
being circulated about the city today
for the recall of Miss Anna Louise
Strong, a socialist member of the
school board, and a personal friend
of Kate Sadler, the noted Industrial
Worker pf the World leader, with
whom it is charged she worked op
posing conscription and enforced mili
tary service. While Miss Strong has
been a member of the school board
for some time, and has been a cap
able official with no cause for com
plain until the present time. She will
be summoned to show why she should
not be dismissed for seditious utter
ances.
WORKER SLASHES
TWO MEN AM) SELE
TACOMA. Oct. 24.—Suddenly go
ing insane while working as a carpen
ter at the army post this afternoon,
Dan Rogers attacked a fellow work
man with a knile and before he could
be overpowered by a dozen men had
slashed the end of a soldier’s finger
off, cut another workmen in the hand
and nearly amputated his own wrist.
He was taken to the county jail and
searched, but successfully concealed
a small pair of scissors with which he
slashed his throat. Hospital authori
ties said his chances for recovery were
good. Rogers carried an I. W. W.
card.
Tiie launch Reliance, Capt. Jack
Stanley, left this morning for the
Port Wells country. He will call at
Olesen Island on his return.
LIBERTY
DAY
MEETING
EAGLE HALL
at
Eight O’clock
TO-NIGHT
GRAND BALL
After Speaking
IRISH LEADER
UNDER ARREST
Accused of I'lof to Land Arms in Ire
land—l.loyd George Says Gov
ernment Aware of Plans
NEW YORK, Oct. 24 -Liam Mel
lowes. one of the leaders of the Sim'
Fein rebellion, which was recently
suppressed by the British govern
ment, was arrested here today in
company with Baron Recklinghausen,
a German subject, for the alleged
complicity in a plot to land arms in
Ireland.
Says Government Awake
LONDON, Oct.24.— In a speech
in the House of Commons today
Lloyd George declared that the Brit
ish Government was fully awrare of
the plot being made by Sinn Fein
leaders to land arms in Ireland, and
that at the proper time steps would
have been taken to suppress the up
rsing. He accused Ambassador Berns
torff of being the instigator of the
plot to revolt against British rule.
-- ■<.
PAHADKNA IN
BECOMING “DRY”
PASADENA Cal.—From thirty-two
to three is the reduction made by
the Pasadena city commssion in the
number of cafes and restaurants pos
sessing liquor licenses, following out
a policy of gradual elimination in li
cense operation. A number of the
restaurant men have voluntarily sur
rendered their licenses, and applica
tion for new permits are being de
nied by the commission. Chairman A.
L. Hamilton of the city commission
declared recently that Pasadena is
slowly but surely proceeding toward
absolute prohibition, the quiet re
form being due to the strong public
sentiment in favor of a “bone-dry”
town. The board of freeholders, now
framing a new charter for the city,
will consider a “bone-dry" prohibi
tion clause.
willIqzealT
GERMAN MONEY
Government Will Confiscate Hundred.'
of Millions of Dollars Belonging
to Aliens in Country
WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 24.—
The seizure of hundreds of millions
of dollars worth of German owned
cash begins this week, with the as
sumption of office by A. Mitchell Pal
mer, custodian of alien property.
COLLAPSE OF AUSTRIA
PREDICTED IN WINTER
GENEVA, Oct. 24.—The Freie Zei
tung of Berne publishes an article
from a high Austrian official who re
cently traveled through several sec
tions of this country. In which the
writer states that Austria-Hungary
cannot hold out the coming winter
owing to economic reasons, as both
soldiers and civilians will be starved.
He gives several reasons, notably the
almost complete destruction of the
crop In the richest regions of Hun
gary'by the cold and the heavy rain,
while 300,000 tons of Rumanian cer
eals could not be transported owing to
lack of rolling stock, which, first of
all, Is utilized for military purposes.
In the meantime, he says, the neces
saries of life are mounting to extra
ordinary prices.
Ijast Bouts to Anchorage
The Admiral Watson, now on her
way from Seattle, will be the last
boat of this line to make Anchorage
a port of call this winter. The steam
ship Alaska, leaving Seattle on the
morning of the 26th will be the last
boat of the Alaska Steamship line to
make Anchorage.
All are welcome to attend the grand
ball given by the Liberty Day com
mittee this evening after the program
in Eagle Hall.
District Court adjourned in hon
or of Liberty Day at noon today and
will reconvene tomorrow.
Seal lie Investors Will I’lace I'our Ma
chine* in .\la.ska Beginning in
The Spring
SEATTLE. Oct. 24. That four
airplane routes are contemplat d for
Alaskan points next spring was an
nounced by the Alaska Aerial Com
pany, a recently formed corporation,
here today. Machnes will be placed
on flights between Seward and Idit
arod, Valdez and Fairbanks. Fair
banks and Nome and Valdez and
Dawson, according to plans of the
company. Biplanes capable of carry
ing from four to six passengers will
be carried. It is expected that govern
ment aid in the project can be secur
ed when the feasibility of the plan Is
demonstrated. The topography of the
country admits of the use of airplanes
as it is quite level in spots, and it is
stated that immense hangars will be
built in Fairbanks or some interior
point as a central location.
EXPECTS 25.000 BIRDS
TO FALL IX VALLEY
YAKIMA, Oct. 24>-Game Warden
E. C. Greenman says that 5,000 hunt
ers are, or during the two weeks' op
en season will he killing Chinese
pheasants in the Yakima valley. He
is confident that the kill will aver
age five birds to the gun for the sea
son, making a total kill of 25.000
birds.
"The only place I have heard any
kicking about there not being any
birds is right here in this lobby,”
said the warden last night at the
Commercial hotel. "There is more
corn and alfalfa and underbrush this
year than ever before and the birds,
frightened by the duck shooting the
past two weeks, are lying low. Unless
you have a dog you don’t get the
birds.”
SEATTLE RACE
HI TITTY "
TRACK LEASED
Popular Course Leased to Russian
Government to lie Used as an
Assembling Grounds
SEATTLE. Oct. 24.—The Russian
government has leased the Meadows
race track grounds to the Russian
government to be used for the purpose
of assembling 30,000 cars and 1500
locomotives for Siberian and other
Russian railways. The Meadows is
situated on Duwamish avenue south
of the city limits, and contains one of
the finest race tracks in the west.
Many Important events have been
pulled off here, and some fast time
made in auto races. The destruction
of the popular resort to meet war
time exigencies will be greatly de
plored by the citizens of this place.
HOLLAND MAY OFFER
TONNAGE FOR FOOD
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Oct. 24.—
Joost Van Vollenhoven, head of the
Dutch mission, conferred with Food
Administrator Hoover today on the
food situation in Holland and the
status of Dutch ships loaded with
foodstuffs held in American ports.
The mission is epected to present a
new formal proposal offering a large
amount of tonnage for use in Ameri
can coastwise trade in exchange for
food shipment. Holland, with the oth
er Northern European neutrals, has
received no foodstuffs from the Uni
ted States since the American govern
ment took control of exports nearly
two months ago. v
The glacier streams are reported
high at Donnelly today by the Sig
nal Corps operator at that point.
Mall Car Burns
The Signal Corps bulletin reports
that a mall car burned at Hogan this
morning. No other particulars were
given, but It is supi >sed that the car
destroyed wu one ot the N. C. Com
pany's Dodges, which are used as
mail' cars.
TWO AI.IKX ENEMIES
INTEKNEH EOlt WAIt
VKW VOHK N. V. Two men have
been arrested here and ordered 11:
lerned for the war as alien enemies.
They give ilieir t ames as William L.
Mar/, and Paul Schroeder ai.d have
been arrested on the charge of Incit
ing strikes among workers employed
on repairs to German ships seized in
this port after the declaration of war
They were arrested at the request
of the Navy Department.
Seattle Eisli llulletin
SEATTLE. Oct. 24.— Seattle price
at noon October twenty-third; hali
but sixteen and three-fourths cents.
KETCHIKAN. Oct. 24.—Ketchikan
prices at noon October twenty-third;
halibut thirteen and five-eighths
cents: red rock fish one and one-half
cents.
Secret Service Agents Claim to Have
Evidence That Murder Was to
«
Take Place Thanksgiving
MEMPHIS. Oct. 24.-—Eight per
sons were arrested here yesterday by
secret service agents on a charge of
conspiring to kill President Wilson
Thanksgivng Day. the plot of which
is alleged to have been worked out in
a small town near here. The agents
claim that all details for the assas
sination had been worked out. and
that the plotters oriy awaited the ad
vent of Thanksgiving day to seek to
accomplish the murder of the Pres
ident.
WOMEN MILL HANDS
PAID MOKE THAN MEN
OLYMPIA, Oct. 24.—One of the
inspectors for the state labor depart
ment has sent word to Labor Com
missioner Younger to the effect that
a Grays Harbor mill where women
are employed are paying the women,
25 cents a day more for eight hours
work than the men got for ten hours-1
work before the strike. The women
lo the lighter work about the mill, j
MAY CHANGE TRAFFIC
TO RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD
VICTORIA, R. C\. Oct. 24.—The
Board of Trade is inviting other Brit
ish Columba cities to co-operate in
bringing about a change in the road
law whereby in future traffic will
move on the right side of the street.
It is claimed with the increase of
motor tourist traffic the danger of
the existing conditon has been ac
centuated.
One inch of snow fell last night at
Wortman.
Photo bjr Amirtcii Praoa Association.
Om million khaki pocket Teatamenta
for American aoldiera and aallora at the
trout hare been ordered by the I. H.
0. A. They will be furnished without
coot Bare la a girl In the American
Bible house stacking up some finished
Bibles.
Smash Through German Fines a Dis
tance (if Tmii Miles, Capturing u
l.arge Number of Frisoners
I’AKIS. Oct. 24.—The French
trooiis smashed through the German
lues in tlie north Aisne sector for a
dstance of two miles yesterday in
their great offensive on the western
front. Seven thousand prisoners were
captured and a large number of guns,
including 25 heavy mortars and sev
eral villages. American airmen as
sisted in the aerial operations and
rendered valuable service to the
French troops. This is the greatest
gain made by the French since the
Rattle of Mons.
WIFF TRY BOY OF
1 a FOR MCHDKK
OM AHA. Neh., Oct. 24.—For the
first time in Douglas county, if not
in the state, a 12-year-old boy was
today ordered tried in district court
on a charge of murder. Concetto Cir
co killed his 14-year-old companion,
Karl Cunningham, with a knife in a
quarrel last Saturday. It was planned
to have the juvenile court handle the
case, hut the Cirro hoy's mother de
manded his trial in district court and
it was granted. The date has not beet
set.
IN SEATTLE
Surgeon Agrees to Perform 0|>eration
on Conscripts Making Them In
eligible for Service
SEATTLE. Oct. 24 - Dr. M. Dor
man, a German, ami Mrs. Jane Les
lieirn, a Russian, were arrested here
today by Federal secret service agents
'■barged with a plot to disqualify con
scripts for the army by performing
a surgical operation upon their
throats. The plot was exposed by Jo- '
seph Gottstein. vice-president of the
Gottstein Investment Company, of
this city, who alleges that the pair
offered to operate upon him for
f :?000. The pair have been under sur
veillance by secret service men for
some time.
DEMAND PACIFIST
QUIT STATE JOBS
EUGENE, Ore., Oct. 24.—Resolu
tions were adopted by the Eugene
Chamber of Commerce tonight de
manding the resignation front the
Oregon legislature and the faculty of
the University of Oregon of Allen H.
Eaton; of Eugene, because of his re
cent participation in the conference of
the People's Council of America for
Democracy and Peace in Chicago, af
ter Gov. Lowden had forbidden the
meeting.
SEEKING CHEER
UPHER PEOPLE
Secretary Baker Believes that Purpose
of German Offensive in Russia is
to Bolster Up Courage
WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 24.—
Secretary Baker believes that the pur
pose of Germany's new offensive in
Russia is chiefly to gain a Russian
peace, while at the same time she
seeks to bolster up the courage of her
own people by the fruitless victories.
By forcing Russia to sue for peace
she would be able to withdraw a
large portion of her troops on the
eastern front tor other purposes. The
Italian offensive under Gen. Cadoraa
is causing Germany considerable wor
ry and to keep the people from mur
muring the Russian campaign is be
ing pushed.