IDITAROD PIONEER
Publiabed Every Saturday Morning
at Iditarod, Alaska,
BY GKOBOB M. ABBUCKCK
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Vol. 9_ No, 3
TO THE DRAFTED
To yon fortunate ones who are
about to go forward to that long
battle line where the armies of
autocracy and oppression are fac
ing the armies of the free, con
gratulations and Godspeed!
You go, not as reluctant vic
tims of misfortune or a fatal
chance, but rather as our chosen
ones; the pick and flower of our
manhood, whole of body, sound
in mind and spirit—what all of us
should like to be. And we who
are too old or too weak, or in
some other respect unfitted to go
in body, shall go with you in
spirit. We know that we ask
much of you, and we expect
much, for we expect things in
keeping with our great traditions
—things born of the spirit of
Nathan Hale, but we know that
we shall not be disappointed.
In imagination and in syor
patby we shall be there with you
on the firing line, and at, home
we shall do all that wc can to
make you comfortable and con
tent. We shall pray that yon
may return in safety, but even
more fervently we shall pray that
you£ courage may not flag or the
edge of your determination be
dulled.
You are to fight in the noblest
cause in which man ever took up
arms, and for a nation the most
generous in all the world to her
soldier sons. You go with her
blessing, for she trusts you; and
be sure that, whether you return
or not. she will hold your names
in honor and grateful memory
until the end of time. — Ex.
The quest ion, “Is Kerensky a
big enough man to lead the Rus
sians?” has been answered in the
affirmative. He is about two
jumps ahead of them.—Chicago
Tribune. ____________
The big revolt came when the
simple minded Russians discov
ered that a provisional govern
ment has nothing to do with pro
visions. —Chicago Tribune.
Evidently Germany is doing
its laughing at the United States
army while the laughing is good.
—Emporia Gazette.
The watch on the Rhine will
soon become an alarm clock.—
Kansas City Star.___
KATIE ENTERTAINED VERY POSITIVE VIEWS
(Congressional Record, Sept. 17, 1917.)
Senator Joseph T. Robinson, of Arkansas: I have a brief editorial re
cently published in the Arkansas Gazette, embracing a letter or alleged
letter from a Prussian girl to a friend, giving the viewpoint of the people
of Germany concerning the superiority of Prussia over other peoples. 1
ask unanimous consent that it may be printed in the Record.
THE LETTER OF A PRUSSIAN GIRL
Katie Hamel is a young Prussian woman, possibly still a school
girl, and is the daughter of the state councilor of architecture. She
wrote a letter a year ago to a friend in Switzerland, and this re
markable epistle, which was first published in the lvlinbuigh
Scotsman, is republished here:
Frankfort on Oder, July -0, 191b.
My Dear Louise: The contents o? your last letter would have hurt
me had I not known that your thoughts of our glorious war re
sulted from sheer ignorance.
You are in a country rendered effeminate by the intluence of old
fashioned ideas of liberty, a country which is at least two cen
turies behind ours. You are in need of a good dose of 1 russian
culture.
It is evident that you, a Swiss girl, with your r rencn sympaimes,
can not understand how rnv heart, the heart of a young German
girl, passionately desired this war. Speaking of it some years ago,
my father said to us: '‘Children, Germany is getting too small for
us. we shall have to go to France again in order to find more
room.” Is it our fault if France will not. understand that more
money and land are necessary for us?
And you reproach us that our soldiers have been very cruel to
the Belgian rabble, and you speak also of the destruction of
Rheims, and of the burning of villages and towns. Well, that is
war. As in every other undertaking, we are past mastors in tho
making of war.
You have a great deal to learn before you can come r.p to out
standard, and I can assure you that what has been done so far is a
mere bagatelle compared with what will follow.
As a matter of fact, there is but one race worthy of ruling tho
world, and which has already attained the highest degree of civili
zation. That race is ours, the Prussians; for though we Germans
in general are the lords of the world, the Prussian is undoubtedly
the lord par excellence among the Germans.
All other nations, and among them unfortunately, the Swiss, are
degenerate and of inferior worth. That is why I have always been
so proud of being a true Prussian.
Yesterday, again, our pastor explained to us convincingly that
our first parents, Adam and Eve, were also Prussian. That is quite
easy to understand, because the Bible tells us that the German God
created us all after his own image. If, then, all men are descended
from Adam and his wife, it follows that only Prussians, or at least
Germans, ought to exist in the world, and that all who push on
and prosper ought to belong to us. \ou must admit that that is
logic, and that is why our motto is, ‘‘God with ns, Germany above
everything.”
You know now why we wished this war. Is it not shameful that
other nations, who have no right of existence on the earth, wish
to diminish our heritage? We are the divine fruit and the others
are only weeds. That is why our great emperor has decided to put
an end to all these injustices and to extirpate the weeds. Do you
understand that now?
I remain, your school friend,
Katie Hamel.
It is probable that the Swiss would* not agree that their country is in
need of a “good dose of Prussian culture,” because they have before their
eyes the dose that Belgium got. The heart of this Prussian girl “passion
ately desired this war.” That is of interest in connection with the formula
which so many Americans would fain believe, that “we are not making
war on the German people,” So Katie Hamel’s father, who is a govern
ment official, told his children some years before the war broke out that
Germany was getting too small and that “we shall have to go to France
again in order to find more room.” But Emperor William continually
says that “the war was forced upon us,” and this echoed by the bureau
cratic parrots. Yes, Switzerland—and other nations—have “a great deal
to learn” before they can come up to the Prussian standard. They will
have to learn to torpedo passenger ships without warning and send to
graves in the ocean a theusand men, women, and children. They will have
to learn to destroy cathedrals, to drop bombs on women and children, and
to kill wounded men in hospitals.
Wo feel safe in saying that Katie Hamel is a sweet, amiable, well-man
nered girl. But she has absorbed and she breathes forth the Prussian
spirit of ruthlessness and frightfulness. She expresses, in the gentle
words one might expect to find in a young girl’s letter, the remorseless
creed that Nietzsche wrote for Germany. She has come under the spell of
the monomania that Germany has a divine commission to conquer and
dominate the world.
THE KID ENLISTS
The Kid has gone to the colors
And wo don't know what to say;
The Kid we have loved and cuddled
Stepped out for the flag today.
Wo thought him a child, a baby,
With never a care at all,
But his country called him man-size,
And the Kid has heard the call.
He paused to watch the recruiting,
Where, fired by the fife and drum,
He bowed his head to Old Glory
And thought that it whispered,
“Come!"
The Kid, not being a slacker,
Stood forth with pat lot joy
To add his name to the roster,
And, God, we’re proud of the boy!
The Kid has gone to the colors.
it seems but a little while
Since he drilled a s-hoolboy army
In a truly martial style.
But now he’s a man, a soldier,
And wo lend kirn listening ear,
For his hear: is a heart all loval,
Unscourged by the curse of fear.
His dad, when we told him, shuddered
His mother—God bless her—cried!
Yet, blest with a mother Dature,
She wept with a mother pride.
But he whose old shoulders straight
ened
Was grandad—for memory ran
To years when he, too, a youngster,
Was changed by the flag to a tnan !
—Anon.
----.—-m
DRAMATIC ACTION ON HIGH SEAS
Washington, Dec. 1.—American de
stroyers have sunk a considerable num
ber of German U-boats. The first of a
series of descriptions portraying the
battles between these destroyers and
enemy submarines was made public by
the committee on public information
today. The date of the first encounter,
iu which the U-boat apparently w. s j
sunk, in view of a fleet of merchant
ships under convoy is withheld, as is
the name of the destroyer engaged.
The account as prepared from the
navy department’s report follows:
“The American destroyer first sighted
the submarine in the early morning of
a clear day. The sea was entirely calm
with hardiv a ripple of foam. The
submarine was running submerged
with only her periscope showing. A
large’n umber of merchant ships* were i.i
sight.
"The U-boat was less than a mile off
the port beam of the destroyer and al
lowing a parallel course in an opposite
direction when the periscope was dis
cerned. It was throwing up a column
of water several feet in height, so like
a nearly spent torpedo that the officer
on deck thought for a minute that this
was what it was.
“The next minute the destroyer
changed its course sharply to the left
and it headed for tho U-boat at full
speed. At the same time tiie forward
gun opened fire on the periscope. The
commanding officer ordered a course
steered that would bring the destroyer
accross the wake of the U-boat a little
to the rear of the periscope.
“As the destroyer dashed across tho
line of bubbles, a deep charge was
dropped and a column of clear water
shot thirty feet into the air. The des
troyer turned to the right, swiftly cir
cling, and the starboard gun opened
on the periscope us she came across
the U-boat’s wake again. Again a col
umn of clear water showed that the
depth charge had not reached it mark.
“Another quick turn to the rigiit
brought the starboard gun to bear, but
this time the destroyer turned so
sharply that she was able to come
down for the third attack in the wake
of the submarine. The third torpedo
charge brought up a column of clear
water and the destroyer wheeled once
more, this time to the left, and all the
port guns opened up, but without visi
ble results.
The last time the destroyer came to
the attack exactly in the wake of the
U-boat and ceased firing. As she
neared the end of the line of bubbles,
the fourth depth charge was let go and
there followed a widespread boiling of
the surface of the sea, large bubbles
and at last a heavy film of oil.
“The destroyer spent some time
looking for further trace of the U-boat,
but none were found. She then pro
ceeded on her course.
“The engagement lasted twenty
two minutes.”
The engagement brought a letter of
appreciation from the British admi
ralty for the efficient and seamanlike
conduct of the officers and crew of the
American destroyer.
-+
On January 11 the government fixed
the price on copper for the next four
months at 23i cents.
-+
Job Printing at The Pioneer office,
MR. FISHER MADE GOOD TIME
William Fisher, the father of Mrs.
Charlie Ross, arrived yesterday from
Aniak, in the Kuskokwim. Mr. Fisher
carao by way of Iditarod and made the
trip in only nineteen clays. He arrived
in fine spirit and reports an excellent
journey.—Nomo Industrial Worker.
Dec. 3.
Tust Reopened
TRY J. H. ROGERS'
White Elephant Lunch Room
For a Property-Cooked Dinner, Tooth
some Steaks, Chops, Etc. Good Coffee.
Front Street at WiM«w. i^
Big Stocks of Fresh Goods
Everything for the Miner and
Prospector
MAX SIMEL TRADER
stores at Crlpplo City and Mouth of Tolstoi
FLAT CITY
RESTAURANT Mi BAKERY
Front St., Opp. Flat City Hotel
Our Coffee Is Unsurpassed
ill Kinds ct Pastries, Pies, Cakes and Bread
Fresh Bread for Sale Daily
Arcade Cafe
FLAT CITY
Open Dav and Night
Professi onal
Michigan, 1881 Kentucky, tS91
Alaska, 1810
George Woodruff Albrecht
COUNSELOR AND LA WYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney of flltarort
CHAS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue MitareS
DR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DRUG STORE
J. WlLSOf* REED, M.D.
Physician and Surgeon
Flat Hospital, Flat, Alaska
DR. H. BEHLA
Physician AND
Surgeon
Dentistry in Connection
RESIDENT PHYSICIAN
Behla Hospital
Flat, Alaska
Cleaning and Pressing. Miss Isaacson, Flat
Miners & Merchants
IDITAROD, ALASKA
Capital, $50,000.00
Genera! Banking Business Transacted Sold Dust Bought and Assayed
Drafts Issued on Any Part of the World
SEATTLE CORRESPONDENT. SCANDINAVIAN AMERICAN BANK
TERRITORIAL DEPOSITARY
OFFICERS:
CHARLES ROSS, President
CLAUDE BAKER, Vice-President
R. C. BUTTON, Cashier
Front Street, Flat City Formerly the Bagoy Premises
Flat City Hotel DOG KENNELS
Mrs. J. E. Punning, Prop._Special Rates by the Week and Month
Open at Ail Hours The Old Reliable Place
Discovery Cafe
HENRY DURAND, PROP. Front Street, Flat
The #3*g*58 Mfi
I SSU i Mrs. Geo. Mutchler, Prop.
Nicely Furnished Rooms Barn for Horses and Dog* Baths In Conneation
Pioneer Sheet IVteta! Works
GENERAL HARDWARE
Stoves and Graniteware Gasoline, Goal Oil, Etc.
The Only First-Class Dor Harness in Alaska
FINNEGAN & CAMERON
Agency for Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs and Records
TOBACCO CIGARS STATIONERY
CONFECTIONERY AND BILLIARDS
C. R. Cameron
FLAT CITY
THOS. McMAHON
DEALER IN
General Merchandise
FLAT, ALASKA
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