THE IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Morning at Idltarod, Alaska
Vol. 8 CHARLES A. DERRY, Editor No. 27
ARBUCKLE & DERRY, Publishers
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THE REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY
When men are taken away from their business at this season
of the year to serve on grand and pet it juries it is only natural
that they should wish to conclude their business at the earliest
possible moment and return to their personal affairs. When
their investigations are hampered by the fact that an officer
who would have been useful in the presentation of testimony for
their consideration had been suddenly withdrawn from the juiis
diction of the court, it need not be wondered at that
the final report rendered by the grand jury to Judge Bunnell was
in a measure unsatisfactory. That they completed their task in
record time may be creditable to them; but that the nature of
the testimony brought to their attention should not have shown
that crime had been committed, or if committed, that (here was
a reasonable expectation of conviction, seems to indicate lack of
co-operation on the part of the government officials.
The change in the marshals ortice just prior to me luuaruu
term of court, leaving the district without a representative of
that offiee, when criminal matters were up for investigation, is
regrettable, especially so in view of the fact that the term of the
Iditarod deputy did not expire until June 30, several days after
court convened. What effect this had on the investigations of
the grand jury is problematical; but it is natural to suppose that
a deputy marshal conversant with the facts of the cases, in one
of which he was the complaining witness, would have tended to
help out the deliberations of the jurors to a considerable extent.
One matter which came before the grand jury was the conduct
of the local government offices, including the jail. The jury found
that, aside from the fact that “®75 per month rent is exorbitant,
and that S50 would be ample compensation." the local marshal's
office had been conducted in a creditable manner. As long as
the jury was called upon to investigate this office, it should have
been made acquainted with all the facts. If no per month is an
exorbitant figure, the amount paid as rental during the past four
years, if common report he true, is doubly so; for while the af
fairs of the office have never been made public here, it is gener
ally understood that the rental up to last month has been $125
per month. A report which was virtually a whitewash of the
marshal’s office should never have been presented without a thor
ough knowledge of the facts.
With reference to the recommendation that the commissioner's
office should be removed to Flat, it is remindful of the story told
on the ardent single tax propagandist. At a funeral where he
was a mourner a delay was occasioned by the tardiness of the
officiating clergyman. The undertaker, to relieve the embarrass
ing situation, suggested that anyone who wished to say a few
words might do so. The single-taxer was equal to the occasion.
“It no one has any objections,” he said, “I would like to say a
few words on the subject of single tax.” In view of the fact that
Judge Bunnell had already determined upon the change, the
action of the grand jury was superiiuous.
The grand jury, however, well merited the compliments be
stowed upon them by Judge Bunnell. They probably saved the
government many thousands of dollars by refusing to authorize
prosecutions which could not possibly, under the circumstances,
have resulted in convictions.
SOCIALISTS A*ND THE WAR
Members of the Socialist party who are not wholly obsessed
with the doctrines which they expound are commencing to realize
that their attitude of opposition to the government in the war
with Germany Is both unpatriotic and contrary to the dictates of
common sense. They are beginning to see that while the Social
ists of Germany are to a man fighting behind the kaiser, the Ger
man government is using its utmost endeavors to prevent foreign
Socialists from fighting against them. It has been cleaily shown j
that the German government is behind the so-called Socialist
world congress at Stockholm, encouraging it to the utmost,
and it is stated that it is sending delegates whose loyalty to Ger
many is unquestioned. The radical element of the Social.-Is in
Germany will not be allowed to send delegates. With this knowl
edge in its possession, the government of the United States has
refused to grant passports to radical American Socialists whose
disloyalty is flaunted before the world, and refuses to in any way
countenance the movement.
Newspapers received from the Outside are full of the treason
able actions and utterances of Socialists; and their opposition to
registration and draft measures has assumed in many instances
a most threatening aspect. But a reaction is setting in. Real
Americans in the movement are beginning to see where this oppo
sition is leading. Allan Benson, Socialist candidate for President
of the United Stales in the last campaign, has come out with a
public statement to the effect that he will sever his connection
with the Socialist party and resign therefrom if the whole organ
isation of the Socialist party fails to repudiate the anti-war resolu
tions adopted by the Socialists at the recent St. Louis conven
tion. This resolution calls for massed resistance. It may be ex
pected that others will follow his example.
It is almost unbelievable that trades unions in various parts of
the country have been led to unpatriotic opposition to the gov
ernment in the present crisis, led, no doubt, by the Socialist ele
ment. It is gratifying, therefore, that here in Alaska a labor
union of great influence has repudiated the treasonable and lying
doctrines of the pacifists, the “conscientious objectors” and all
the tribe of “slackers” and traitors under whatever name they
pose. At a recent meeting of the Alaska Labor Union, held in
Anchorage, allegiance to the Stars and Stripes was announced in
no uncertain tones, and the Industrial Workers of the World and
their ilk were repudiated. The resolutions were as follows:
“Resolved: We, the members of the Alaska Labor Union,
in regular meeting assembled, declare our true allegiance to
the American institutions, the flag and the country. We
j also declare that we are opposed to the tactics of the I. W. W.
| and will denounce at all times any effort to create strife by
adoptions, red flag songs, sabotage or destruction. We fur
ther declare that under the folds of the Stars and Stripes,
with ‘Union and Liberty’ as our watchwords, we can usher
into the Alaska Labor Union a loyal spirit of brotherhood and
j co-operaticn that will be a benefit to the membership mor
I 'ally, financially and materially, and at the same time build
I for the future an organization of free men who will dare
stand for justice, truth and equality of opportunities.”
-♦-:
The Nome Industrial Workers, which “is not a Wickersham
| paper,” is fearful lest the Alaska papers which have “attacked,
| denounced and hounded” Wickersham will see in the decision of
the interstate commerce commission “another case of rank fail
ure, another exploded effort at self-advertisement.” The decision
in question was the one handed down in the case of the Samson
j Hardware Company of Fairbanks and Janies Wickersham against
j the White Pass and other transportation companies, which was
1 decided against the complainants on the ground that the discrimi
| nations complained of no longer existed. Wickersham’s services
to the territory have been acknowledged frequently by this news
: paper. But it must be confessed that Wick gained no laurels by
j this suit, which evidently was pressed for campaign purposes only
j last fail. If the former delegate had brought these discriminations
! to the attention of the commission two years previously we might
| be willing to concede him further honors; but the pre-election epi
sode was too obvious.
-O
j Adolph Germer (the Teutonic name in itself is suanicious).
secretary of the. Socialist party of America, says that the party
i is opposed to conscription, which is “unconstitutional, unuemo
' cratic, un-American and immoral.” He further explains the im
morality of conscription as bringing the youth of the nation by
means of the draft into contact with crooks, criminals and other
vicious characters who would also be conscripted, and with whom
i the susceptible young men would have to associate. Traitors, cow
| ards and pacifists will find many excuses for not wishing to fight
j for their country, but nothing more ludicrous than this. If
: there should be “crooks, criminals and other vicious eharacterc”
i in our army, how fitting that they should fight against Germans
; who have shown no regard for the laws of either God or man!
-♦
! If there were in Judge Bunnell’s audience at Flat last Wedncs
: day disloyalists of whatever persuasion their ears must have tingled
' at his plain words in denunciation of the man who withholds sup
port from his country in time of war.
——-«
The people of Flat certainly did themselves proud in observance
of the nation’s birthday. And while Jupiter Pluvius was rather un
| kind, the big crowd thoroughly entered into the spirit of the occa
sion and enjoyed themselves.
COMING!
Youths’
and
Children’s
White Pacs
You save money on
rubber footwear with
the RED BALL
You save because you get more
comfort and more actual days
of wear and service than from
any other footwear you can buy.
Rubber boots, arctics, knit boots
—"Ball-Band” quality is always
the highest. That is why we
recommend it and sell it Get
the kind with the Red B*IL
You’ll find it on all
"Ball-Band”
footwear.
_ _ Ball
oooo
Wearing
Quality
Requires
No Comment
Band”
Goods
are not
sold by
Mail
Order
Houses,
ts.
PARCEL POST ZONES URGED
' BY DELEGATE FOR ALASKA
i
Some months ago The Pioneer called at
tention to the fact that, the parcel post law
acted in a rather discriminatory manner
against Alaska, in that it was not given the
advantage of a local zone rate. Thus a
package consigned to any local point in
Alaska paid the same rate as one shipped
from Alaska to New York or vice versa.
Evidently the matter has been taken up by
Delegate Sulzer at Washington, and in the
last mail the following self-explanatory com
munication was received from the Alaska
Bureau of the Seattle Chamber of Com
merce :
“Seattle, Wash., June 8, 1917.
“Iditarod Pioneer, Iditarod, Alaska:
l “Inclosed please find copy of resolution
adopted by the Alaska Bureau and our let
ter to the postmaster general in support of
a graduated zone rate for parcel post be
tween points within Alaska. We sincerely
hope that the effort being made by Dele
gate Sulzer to secure this change of postal
! regulations will be successful. WTith best
' wishes, we are yours very truly,
"ALASKA BUREAU,
“J. L. McPherson, Manager.”
The Resolutions
I “Whereas, The United States postal reg
j ulations provide that the eighth zone rate
i shall apply on parcel post between any
I two points in Alaska and from any point in
j the United States to any point in Alaska;
and
i “Whereas, Such regulations place the
! Alaska merchants on an unfair basis of
I competition with the larger merchant of
! the States in the development of their
i trade territory, tending to retard the de
velopment of Alaska communities:
i “Therefore, It is hereby resolved by the
Alaska Bureau, Seattle Chamber of Com
, merce and Commercial Club, that the post
master general be respectfully requested to
1 give favorable consideration to a gradu
ated zone rate for parcel post between points
: in the territory of Alaska, based on the
same mileage rates as apply between points
within the United States.
] “Adopted by the Alaska Bureau, Seattle
Chamber of Commerce and Commercial
Club, May 29, 1917.
ufrr L. McPHERSON, Secretary.”
Letter to Postmaster General
“Hon. A. S. Burleson, Postmaster General,
i WTashington, D. C.
| "Dear Sir: Inclosed please find copy of
resolution adopted by the executive com
mittee of the Alaska bureau, Seattle Cham
ber of Commerce and Commercial Club, re
questing your favorable consideration of a
j graduated zone rate for parcel post between
points within the territory of Alaska.
“Under present postal regulations, parcel
post between any two points in Alaska and
from any point in the United States to
any point in Alaska is classed as being in
the eighth zone. The unfairness of this
regulation to the Alaska merchant and
Alaska communities is illustrated by the
fact that it costs as much to *end parcel
post from Anchorage to Matanuska, Alaska,
only thirty-two miles distant, as it does
from Chicago or New York city to Mata
nuska. This condition tends to curtail the
development of local trade and is holding
back the development and upbuilding of
Alaska communities.
“We respectfully request your favorable
consideration of the request of the Alaskans
that the rate for parcel post between points
in Alaska be fixed on the same basis of
graduated zone rates, fixed by distance, as
applies within the United States, believing
that such regulations are essential to the
development of the Alaska communities.
“Respectfully submitted.
“AI.A8KA BUREAU,
“J. L. McPherson, Manager.
THE AMERICAN FLAG
When Freedom from her mountain height
Unfurled her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night
And set the stars of glory there.
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes
The milky baldric of the skies,
And striped its pure celestial white
With streakings or the morning light;
Then from Ills mansion In the sun
She called her eagle bearer down,
And gave Into Ills mighty hand
The symbol of her chosen land.
Majestic monarch of the cloud.
Who rear’st aloft thy regal form,
To hear the tempest trumpings loud,
And see the lightning lances driven,
When strive the warriors of the storm,
And rolls the thunder-drum of heaven,
child of the sun! to thee ’tls given
To guard the banner of the free,
To hover In the sulphur smoke.
To ward away the battle stroke,
And bid its blendings shine afar,
I.ike rainbows on the cloud or war,
The harbingers of victory!
Flag of the brave! thy rolds shall fly.
The sign of hope and triumph high,
When speaks the signal trumpet tone,
And the long line comes gleaming on.
F.re yet the life-blood, warm and wet,
Has 'dimmed the glistening bayonet,
F.neh soldier eye shall brightly turn
To where thy sky-horn glories burn,
And. as his springing steps advance,
l ateti war and vengeance from the glance,
And when the cannon-mouthings loud
Heave In wild wreaths the battle shroud,
And gory sabers rise and fall
1 ike shoots of (lame on midnight’s pall.
Then shall thy meteor glances glow,
And cowering foes shall shrink beneath
Faeh gallant arm that strikes below
That lovely messenger of death.
Flag of the seas! on ocean wave
Thv stars shall glitter o’er the brave;
When death, careering on Hr- gale.
Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail.
'nd frighted waves rush wildly bark.
Before the broadside’s reeling rack,
Faeh dying wanderer of Hie sea
Shall look at once to heaven and thee.
And sml'e to see thv sniendors n.v
In triumph o’er his closing eye.
Flag of the free heart's hope anil home.
P,v angel hands to valor given.
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome.
And all thy hues were born m heaven.
Forever float that standard sheet!
Where breathes the foe bnt falls be
fore us.
With Freedom’s soil beneath our feet
And Freedom’s banner streaming o’er us?
—Joseph Rodman Drake.
LOUIE JOINS THE MARINES
(Richard Henry Little in Chicago Herald)
Heinrich Obenkampfer trundled lazily
around behind the bar and smiled indui- j
gently when some of his patrons shouted j
for him to get a move on and save them |
from dying of thirst.
“I dakes my time,” quoth Heinrich. “I
shouldn’t be here yet, for my boy Louie he
comes on watch at 0, but tonight he is
late. Perhaps he goes to see his girl, haindt
it—undt vy not? She is a good girl, dot
Lena, undt some day Louie he gets the
bizness and better he vas married. He iss
a fine boy, dot Louie, mit plenty of sense,
j undt he vil! take care of his fadder like
his fadder took care of him. But I visit
he tome.”
Heiuie stopped talking and hurriedly be
gan untying his big white apron, for just
then Louie entered.
"Don’t lake off your apron, father,” said
Louie; “I’m not going to work tonight.”
“Hey, vot ist it, Louie?” demanded the
elder Obenkampfer, apprehensively; “you
got a sickness?”
“No,” said Louie, slowly, “I’m all right,
but —”
“Mebbe Lena she vants to go to de
movies,” said Heinrich, brightening. “All
right, go along; a young girl she got to
have some fun!”
“That isn’t it,” said Louie, slowly. “I’m
not coming behind the bar again, father;
I’m through.”
“Vot?” gasped Heinrich. “Louie, vot’s
de matter? Yo hain’t mad mit your fadder,
Louie?”
“No,” replied Louie. “Don’t go, fellows,”
as the men at the bar, feeling they were
intruding on a family matter, turned away.
“I want you to hear this. Father, I’m going
to the war.”
Herr Obenkampfer was lifting a bottle.
As his son spoke he let go of it and it fell
to the floor, breaking into a dozen pieces.
“No! no!” he gasped. “Louie, neffer, you
cannot, you cannot fight der fadderlant.”
“I have enlisted with the marines. I
joined them because they’re always the
first to fight.”
Heinrich leaned over the bar, his face
as white as his big apron. “You loafer!”
he screamed. “You go fight against der
fadderlant?”
“Not against my fatherland,” replied
Louie, defiantly. “I was born right here
on the North Side in Chicago. America
is my fatherland.”
“Loafer!” screamed the elder Obenkamp
fer again. “Ged oudt of here, undt neffer
led me see you again.”
“All right, father; good-by!” And Louie
turned and walked quietly toward the door.
"Vait!” shouted Heinrich. “Louie, come
back!”
The boy turned and walked slowly back.
“Dose marines,” said Father Obenkampfer,
“mebbe dey dond’t get enough to eat alretty.
Here, Louie, here is one hundrcdt dollars,
undt let me know vere you are, I send you
more. Lindt Lena, don’t vorry about her,
Louie; me undt mamma ve take care of
her till you come back. Good-by, Louie.
It is right you go. It is your country, yes.
Good-by.”
And Father Obenkampfer smiled cheerily,
as he reached across the bar and shook
hands with his son.
Louie walked out the door and as the |
sound of his footsteps grew faint Father j
Obenkampfer dropped his arms on the bar j
and lowered his head. His burly figure
quivered as he sobbed aloud. '
A VISION OF WAR
Some Predictions as to the Outcome of the Great Conflict
By Colonel Henry C. Bell, Civil War Veteran and Eloquent Son of Illinois, now
a resident of Washington, D. 0., in the Marshall (111.) Herald.
The future rises before me. I see a world where thrones and dynastic, have crum
ble 1, despotisms have fallen and where kings will be dust. I see a world where
the auiocir,cy of idleness, of brutality and of infamy have perished irom the
earth. 1 see in the future, arising on the ruins oi autocracy, a democracy of civ
ilization, of liberty, of justice and of humanity. I see coming a time when
man will at last be free; when all nature’s forces have been by science, invem
tion and progress forever enslaved; when lightning, light, wind. wave, air, frost and
flame, and all the secret powers of earth and sea and air, will have become the
tireless toilers for the present and the coming generations of men. I see coming
a time when the forces of civilization, liberty, humanity and justice will triumph
in the person of the entente allies, and when all the maiign forces of Germany,
of Austria and of Turkey will have been overthrown.
I see arising a time when helpless women, children and old men will struggle and
moan and wail and die in the brutal and merciless hand« of savage barbarians
no longer. I see rising the time when the Hapsburg and the Hohenzollern, b> the
power of merciless and brutal might, will affront and afflict mankind no longer.
It may, perchance, cost us oceans of blood, and billions of treasure, but they will
all be well s|>ent if, by ridding the world of autocracjr and Prussian despotism,
we shall have aided in bringing democracy, liberty, justice and permanent peace
to the suffering nations of the earth.
And, seeing that death must eventually come to us all our urave boys who.
in defense of these grand principles, shall have fallen on he battlefields of Bel
gium, of France, or of Germany, will have died a glorious death and will be re
membered by a grateful and liberty-loving world, their memories kept green in the
hearts of their fellow men, and their dependent relatives cherished and honored and
supported by a grateful country, as the;r ancestors who died or became disabled or
diseased in our civil war have been aided and honored for more than fifty years
since the Stars and Bars bowed in defeat to the Stars and Stripes in the memor
able days of 18G 1-6.5. May God bless, and may our grateful people honor the
sacrifices of our brave men recruited for the battlefields. Ami the graves of those
who may be near and dear to us, if brought home, woll be kept green and watered
with our tears; while those who may, perchance, be buried in a foreign land, will
live in loving remembrance as 1 .ng as our memory lasts, and as long as a grate
fi:i people sliall cherish the labors, the services and the sacrifices of the loved
and the brave.
Never a nation fought in a more unselfish, a more noble, a more glorious cause
than that into which we so whole-heartedly, so unselfishly and so bravely have
just entered, and thet we shall have reaped the most conspicuous and lasting honor
of any nation that in the annals of this world has ever risen, flourished, ruled,
conquered and prospered, goes without saying, and this wi’I be admitted by all as
the happy, peaceful, prosperous years of the centuries come and go.
YEAR IN JAIL FOR GERMAN
WHO SCUTTLED HIS YESSEL
CHARLESTON, S. C.. June 15.—Captain
G. R. Klattenhorf, former master of the
German steamship Liebenfels, now the
United States steamship Houston, was sen
tenced to a year in the Atlanta prison in the
federal district court here, after pleading
guilty to sinking the ship in Charleston
harbor on the orders of the German govern
ment. KlattenhofT testified that he received
his orders from Dr. Muller, formerly the
Germasi consul at Atlsnta, who was in
dicted recently.
Professional
Michigan, 1SSI Alaska, 1919
Kentucky, 1391
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALA8KA
The nonet*r Attorney of Idltarod
F. M. STANTON
Attorney at Law
wf
Office: Corner Willow and Second St*
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CM AS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
DR. R/SOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DRUG STORE
DR. H. E. AURIMGER
Physician and Suroeon
J O
Office: Flat City Hospital, Flat Crty
Consultation Hours in Forenoons and by
Appointment
FLAT DRUG STORE
DR. H.BEHLA
Physician AND
Surgeon
Will open his office in Flat City
about July 25 for the practice
of medicine and surgery
DENTISTRY IN CONNECTION
WHO WOULDN'T BE A RECRUIT?
A special to the Portland Oregonian from
Eugene, Ore., says that the high school girls
of that town are doing their bit to stimu
late recruiting. Guy Koepp, one of the
boys in the school, enlisted in the aviation
corps of the army. Twenty-six of the girls
were at the railroad station to bid him
good-bye on hi:- departure for Vancouver.
He kissed them all, establishing a new
record for local recruits.
FINE WATCH REPAIRING
NUGGET JEWELRY TO ORDER
J. L. SALE, Flat City
Best c»f Everything
ALL THE TIME AT THE
Arcade Cafe
FLAT CI'FY
Open Dav end Niffht
PI Af APfW b!K and small, printed on
I Lrtvnlvl/J paper, cardboard or cloth,
on short notice, at Idltarod Pioneer office.
OPEN DAY AND NIGHT
COVERY
CAFE
FLAT CI'Y H0H9ACK 4 DURAND
Bet. the Grand and Bagoy’i Bari
THE PEST ALL THE TIME
WE ARE HERE TO STAY
Big Sfjsks of Fresh Goods
/ Everything for the Miner and
Prospector
WAX SIMEL
Stores at Drippie City and Mouth of Tolstoi
Flal City Bakery
AND COFFEE HOUSE
Front St., Opp. Flat City Hotel
Ou: Coffee Is Unsurpassed
Our Bakery Products Always Fresh and
Wholesome
P es, Cakes, Bread, etc.
KEENAN & MICHELS, Props.
FINNEGAN & CAMERON
FLAT CITY
Agency for Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs and Records
TOBACCO CIGARS STATIONERY
CONFECTIONERY AND BILLIARDS
C. R. Cameron J»«- F. Finnegan
THOS. McMAHON
DEALER IN
General Merchandise
FLAT, ALA »KA