----I
THE IDITAROD PIONEER
Published Every Saturday Morning at Iditarod, Alaska
Yol. 8 CHARLES A. DERRY, Editor No. 13 j
ARBUCKLE & DERRY, Publishers
Subscription Rates
One Year .$10.00 One Month. $1.00
Six Month* 5.00 ; Single Copy .25
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CONSCRIPTION IN THE UNITED STATES
Ilow many persons are aware thal every able-bodied male citi
zrn of the I nited States between the ages of 18 and 15 years is held
liable for s; rvicc in ihe national guard in war time without further
act of congress by war department regulations for the government
of the gua d issued under the national defense act? That this is
the law is recalled to mind in a circular prepared some months ago,
and made .mblic early in January, in which the militia bureau di
rects tha: where a national guard regiment is called out for war
service a rt serve training battalion to fill vacancies at the front shall
be organiz'd out of the national guard reserve and by voluntary
enlistment.
“If fir any reason," the order continues, “there shall not be
enough voluntary enlistments to organize or to keep the reserve bat
talions a* prescribed strength, a sufficient number of the unorgan
ized mili i i shall be drafted by the President to maintain such bat
talion or other lesser reserve unit at the prescribed strength.”
The language follows closely that of the national defense act, i.i
which the unorganized militia is defined as including every able
bodied i tale citizen within the prescribed age limit or those who
have dci hired their intention of becoming citizens.
The rational guard regulations, which will be amplified in great
detail Inter, also strike at the problem of dependent families of sol
diers. which has cost the government several millions of dollars al
ready through border mobilization. Recruiting officers for the na
tional guard are directed to discourage the enlistment of married
men or those with others dependent upon them. Such persons are
to be accepted only for reasons in the public interest, men who
wish to become officers being the only class specifically excepted.
it L- provided in the regulations that no officer of the guard
hereafti r shall be recognized as such under the defense act unless
lie shall have subscribed to an oath binding him to obey the orders
of the 1 resident and of the governor of his state. Appointments will
bp made on recommendation to the secretary of war from gov
ernors or the commanding officers of state or territorial units of
the guard, and after proper physical and mental examination by
beards of officers. Promotions will be handled in the same way,
and any officer who fails in the examination as to his professional
ability cannot come up for re-examination within a year. After
thi-e years’ active service, or when the organizations are dis
banded, national guard officers may pass into the national guard
reserve.
The reserve is to remain an unorganized body in peace times
except for temporary purposes. It will be composed of men who
have served three years in active organizations and whose enlist
ment contracts will rec]uire them to serve three more year- in the
reserve unless they prefer active service. They will hold the same
rank in the reserve that they hell at the time of furlough from
active service, except that when drafted into the federal service
thev will report in the grade of private.
--O
COMPULSORY ARBITRATION
There has been a general inability on the part ’of the public
to grasp the significance of the opposition of organized labor to
the compulsory arbitration measure which received the indorse
ment of President Wilson as a means of settling labor disputes be
tween the railways and their employes. The trades unions have
pointed to the signal failure of a similar measure in Canada, and
have consistently contended that it was predicated upon a wola
ticn of rights expressly conferred by our constitution. In spite of
the fact that any plan which will effectually prevent the disaster j
to the country that would ensue through a general railroad strike
will be looked upon with favor by the public generally, there ap- i
pear to be good grounds for the opposition to the proposed law. |
Senator Borah of Idaho, who has been spoken of as “one of the
ablest constitutional lawyers in the senate,” has been giving the j
subject much attention.
Senator Borah is quoted as saying that there seems to be :>n
impression that the whole question is made simple because we are i
dealing with a body of men and not with a single individual. In j
other words, it is supposed, apparently, that while you cannot j
compel an individual to work or to punish him because he quits j
work, you can compel a body of men, acting collectively or as a
union, to work, or punish them because they quit work. To say j
that the concerted action of powerful bodies of men shall not be j
permitted to stop the industrial process of the nation does not j
meet the situation at all. It is true, however, that powerful bodies j
of men decline to accept employment, and if their quitting work
has the effect of stopping the operation of trains it is nevertheless
their right to quit. A man’s constitutional right, either individu
ally or collectively, cannot be measured by the amount of injury
which the exercise of his constitutional right may do to society, j
In Senator Borah’s judgment employes have a right, either |
singly or collectively, to quit work because they are dissatisfied !
with their wages, or for any other reason which has to do with
their welfare as to sanitary conditions and such, as workingmen.
It is just as much an invasion of a man's personal liberty and just
as much in contravention of his constitutional right to compel him
to remain in the service of another when he is a member or acting
with his union as it w'ould be to compel him to do so if he were
acting individually. It has been decided a number of times, and
in one instance by no less an authority than Justice Harlan, late
associate justice of the supreme court of the United States, that
members of a labor union have a right to confer with reference to
their wages and to determine as a matter of fact whether they arc
satisfied, and if not satisfied, as a result of their conference, to
quit work. As between employe and employer, the employe has a
right either singly or collectively to quit work, and under the con
stitution of the United States he cannot be deprived of that right
simply because he acts collectively. Whatever one party may do
alone he may do in combination with others, provided they have
no unlawful object in view; but the right to quit work on account j
of unsatisfactory wages can never be made unlawful.
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An exchange says, in the introduction of an article on the Ger
man American crisis: “Evidently there arc a whole lot of things
we do not know about war,” and then proceeds to demonstrate,
saying: “Some weeks ago Germany declared a certain zone in
European waters closed to neutral shipping, and that caused the
severance of diplomatic relations between Germany and neutral
United States, with the possibilities of war." It then states that
Great Britain has declared a similar war zone, and wonders why
relations with Great Britain have not been severed. “Wouldn’t
it be cheaper and easier and vastly safer to notify American ship
pers that they must keep out of closed zones or bear the penalty
themselves?” it inquires. And winding up this illuminating arti
cle it despairingly says: “Blamed if we can see the point.” It
seems almost unbelievable that after the discussion of the prob
lem of the attitude of the United States in the great world conflict
during the past two years and a half there should be found any
one, and especially the editor of a newspaper, who should be
guilty of such a display of simplicity and ignorance as is contained
in the article quoted from. It is no wonder, with such examples
before them (fortunately these are rare), that foreign born resi
dents cannot be made to view the position of Uncle Sam in its
right light. Mischievous in the extreme are such utterances, be- |
cause they tend to confuse the already hazy views of some fui
eign-born residents.
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In discussing the proposal to amend or repeal the abortive ter
ritorial “workmen’s compensation law,” the Juneau Empire ad
monishes the Alaska legislature to “view the situation from the
standpoint of the real workmen the workmen who actually work
and have real interest in the compensation law- -and the employ
er.--.” This is sound advice. Had it been adhered to two years ago
there might have been a compensation law in fact as well a- in
name. By all means let the legislators view the situation from
the standpoint of the workmen and the employers. But as to the
latter the admonition is unnecessary; they will attend to that |
themselves.
♦
The fact that General Ftinston died on February 19 was over
looked by our correspondent. It was a -ingular omission, to b
sure, hut in these times, when the wires are overloaded with
imp riant world news, even correspondents arp 1 able to lapse-,
and especial!} so when thp service is a limited one.
* - -
THE VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AT LAST ELECTION
(Literary Digest, Jan. (it
Flur: ILL'S
State Wil on Hughes bv St a ms
Alabama. 97.778 28 662 69 116
Arizona . 33.170 20.524 12 Gin
Arkansas . 112.186 49.-27 62 359
California . 466.289 462 516 3.773 ‘
Colorado 178.816 102.308 76.508
Connecticut . 99.786 106 514 6.<2
Delaware . 24,521 25,794 1.273
I'joiida 56.105 14.611 41. -597
Georgia . 125-31 11.225 114.605
Idaho. 70.021 56,368 13.653
TlLm-is. 950.081 1.152.316 2t'2 235
Indiana. 324.063 341.005 16.942
Iwva. 221.699 280,449 58,753”
Kansas . 3(4.588 277.656 36.932
Kentucky. 269.900 241.854 28.046
Louisiana. 79.875 6.644 < 1.231
Maine . 64.118 69,506 5.3-5
Maryland. 138.359 117.347 21.012
Massachusetts . 247.S85 268.812 20.927”
Michigan . 286,775 339.097 52.322* •
Minnesota. 179,152 179,544 ■592
Mississippi 80,383 4.253 76.1. )
Missouri. 398.032 369.339 28.693*
Montana. 101,063 66,<50 34,313
Nebraska. 158.827 117.771 41.ii.56* i
Nevada. 17.776 12.127 5,019
New Hampshire . 43,779 43.723 56
New Jersey. 211.018 268,982 57.961'
N<w Mexico. 33.553 31.161 2.392'
New York 756.880 875,510 118.630
North Carolina. 168,383 120,89(1 47.493
North Dakota. 55,271 52,651 2,020’
Ohio . 604.946 514.836 90.110
Oklahoma . 148,123 97,233 50.890
Oregon . 120,087 126.813 6.726*
Pennsylvania. 521,784 703,734 181,950**
Rhode I.-land. 40.394 44.85S 4.464
South Carolina . 61,846 1.809 60,037
South Dakota . 59,101 64,261 5,160**
Tennessee. 15.3.334 116.114 37,220*
Texas . 285,909 64.949 220,960*
Utah . 84.025 54,133 29.892*
Vermont. 22,708 40,250 17,542’
Virginia . 102.824 49,359 53,465 s
Washington. 183,388 167,244 16.144*
West Virginia 140,403 143,124 2,721
Wisconsin. 193.042 221.323 28.2-1
Wyoming. 28.316 21.698 6,618
Totals.9,116,296 8,547.474 .
‘ Wilson plurality. **Hughes plurality.
The vote for Benson, Socialist candidate for President, was 750,
000, with eight missing states estimated, against 901,873 for Debs
(Soc.) in 1912. The vote for Hanly. Prohibitionist candidate, was
225,101, against 207,928 for Chafin in 1912.
Nobody doubts that Japan has Pacific intentions.—St. Louis
Globe-Democrat.
The kaiser has bestowed 10,000 iron crosses and 5,000,000
wooden crosses.—Boston Transcript. _
Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pacs Ball Band Rubber Boots and Pacs JJ!
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□I N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska | | N. C. Co. Sole Agents for Alaska, :□
CANCER OF LANDLORDISM
(Cincinnati Enquirer)
Entirely timely is the disclosure made
before a national association devoted to so
ciology that rural tenancy is reaching such
proportions as to constitute a menace to
that element of the population devoted to
agriculture. It was stated that 37 per cent
of Ihe farms in this country are rented or
worked on shares hv men in immediate
charge. The last of the cheap government
lands are rapidly approaching occupancy,
thereby hastenin'! the time when the pro!)
lcm must be si lveil.
Landlordism, present or absent, lias never
worked well wherever tried, and the nation
can have no confidence in a future which
includes the prospect of a vast number of
•■mailt farmers, fn a degree it resembles
human slavery, the effects of which are
most disastrous to the proprietor class.
In the establishment of the federal rural
credits banks is seen an effort to prevent
the extension of tenancy by making it eas
ier for the small farmer to become the owner
if his holdings. If this is not sufficient in
itself, then other means of assistance must
be found, because, as every student of po
litical economy knows, the decay of the
peasantry is followed by the ruin of the
nation. It is unpleasant to learn from cold
and heartless statistics that as an industry
farming in the United States pays the av
erage farmer something less than day wages.
No drift of this question should he permit
ted. If the uninformed denizens of the cities
is skeptical concerning the serious aspect
of diminished production, let him view the
conditions in the war-torn nations abroad,
where the greatest crisis is not in men nor
ammunition, hut in the food supply.
At the risk of seeming to favor class
legislation and administration, everyth in
that makes fur agricultural development
should be promoted with the same zeal that
military enthusiasts are now striving for a
larger army and a greater- navy.
ANNIVERSARY OF PURCHASE
OF TERRITORY OF ALASKA
TO BE WELL CELEBRATED
Elaborate celebrations by citizens ami vis
itors in Alaska cities, in which an official
j arty of tourists, including a special delega
tion of eighteen United States senators and
fifteen representatives will join, a gay water
carnival in Seattle by the Seattle Yacht
■ lub. followed by a cruise to Northern
water, there are important features in a
11 rf'gr a in now beine arranged bv the Ala-k a
reuu of the Seattle Chamber of Com
merce and Commercial Club in observe nee
next summer of the semi-centennial of the
purchase of Alaska, according to advices
received here on the last mail.
At the sane time vetepn Alaskans now
living in the A akiiua valley have formed
an organization which plam; to provide for
rrlebrati. n of the semi-centennial in So
at;le. Eormre residents of the Northern
erritory now established in various cities
;i the Northwest are expected to take part
.n tins demonstration.
The ! hill as far as it relates to the Alaska
tour was decided upon by the Alaska com
munities when the .Alaska bureau of the
Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Com
n or i..l Club sent a representative through
that territory to learn the wishes of the
Alaskans a- to how ’hey desired to cele
brate this event, so that Seattle eouid co
operate and lend every assistance possible
to make it a big success. A' the negotia
tions for the purchase of Alaska extended
about six months, beginning in March, fifty
years ago, ami ending in October, it was
vecided that the plan as outlined would be
the most fitting i obtain il. hi ■■ r st It
With this end in view, the Alaska bureau
■ f the Seattle chamber has in hand the
i rgenization of a large ri presentative party
that will make a complete tour of Alaska
to participate in these celebration?. Con
arc-: is preparing to be represented by a
Urge committee. The last resolution to be
introduced by Senator Pitman provk.es 1 r
a delegation of eighteen senators and fifteen
congressmen.
As the brattle Yacht Club had plan:, 1
for this summer a water carnival to be fol
lowed by a cruise of the waters of South
eastern Alaska, the Alaska bureau co-oper
ated with the A'acht Club in fixing the date
of departure from Seattle on July 7, so that
the two parties will leave Seattle together.
The water carnival will furnish a source of
entertainment and a fitting send-off for the
Air ska party.
It is probable that the yachts will be abb
to be with the Alaska bureau party at their
stops in the Southeastern Alaska towns,
after which the A'acht Club party will re
turn to Seattle, The Alaska bureau party
will continue to the westward along the
coast as far as Anchorage, returning via
Skagway, where the bureau party will di
vide. part returning to Seattle and the
remainder going on into the Yukon interior
and covering all of Western Alaska. It is
estimated that the south coast portion of
the Alaska bureau tour will require twenty
two days, and the entire tour, covering the
Interior and Western .Alaska, about forty
eight days The .Alaska bureau party will
leave Seattle in two or more vessels that
will travel in company throughout the
southeast and south coasts of Alaska.
The Alaska bureau was asked by the
Alaskan committees to undertake the or
ganization of this party and the arranging
of the necessary details. This the bureau
has now in hand and expects so m to be
able to announce complete details as to itin
erary. The numerous celebrations and in
teresting events that will be staged in the
Northern localities for the benefit of this
party are being arranged in extensive man
ner. Those plans contemplate some thirty
odd special celebrations and events.
The anniversary of final transfer of Alaska
to the United States, October 18, probably
will be a reunion of all Northerners under
the auspices of the Arctic Club and the
Alaska bureau.
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A QUESTION ANSWERED
Water is, for all practical purposes, in
compressible; consequently its density is not
increased by the increase of pressure due to
depth; therefore iron, the density of which
is many times greater than that of water,
will not float in it even at great depths.
While it is true that at a great depth the
pressure on the under side of a body is
very great, it must not be forgotten that
the water also presses greatly on the top
of the body, and the one balances the other
so that the tendency to rise or fall remains
the same.—Cincinnati Enquirer.
-♦
Jack Keller was a visitor in the city on
Monday last. He will spend the coming
season mining on Moore creek.
HOW BISMARCK MADE PEACE
BY STARVATION METHODS
In tiie autumn of 1870 Bismarck found
himself face to face with a hard problem.
The scientifically-trained German armies
everywhere defeated the miserably-equipped
and wretchedly-led French troops. Never
theless the French fought on. They refused
to make peace, thus putting to confusion
the idea of Mrdtke and other German staff
officers that France would show the white
(lag as soon as German armies appeared be
fore Paris. Moltke’s correspondence shows
that he expected to join in the pleasures
of game shooting in Silesia by the end of
October, 1870.
Bismarck was anxious to find a way of
forcing peace upon a high-spirited and de
fiant people. And he soon found it in the
dcci.-ion to reduce Paris, the very heart of
France, by blockade. It was a rather slow
method, but a sure one. In September the
Gtrman armies began movements to en
velop the city. The iron ring closed in
upon the population of two millions. On
September 16, 1870, the last mail left Paris.
Two days later the gates were closed, and
from that hour no supplies entered the cap
ital.
As is well known, the "man of blood and
iron ' had scant respect for so-called neutral
and humanity rights. Bismarck brushed
aside in scorn anil jest a few timid protests
from neutrals, citizens of the United States
and Great Britain in the invested area, but
he cared nothing for that- Nor can we
find much more compunction in his suc
cessors. On March 4. 1892, Count < aorivi
who succeeded Bismarck as chanesliar oi
the empire, made this clear declaration witt
regard to cutting off food during a naval
blockade:
V. ar is a rouen ana lernrut* uunhcw.
This applies equally to warfare on land and
at sea. Whoever is engaged in the war
wishes to attain his object, and if he be vig
orr.us he will employ every means to attain
it. In a naval war the cutting off of die
enemy’s trade is one of those means. No
one can forego it. And really, is it any
:hing more than is done on land? If dur
ing the siege of Pari? someone had equipped
a train with foodstuffs for the Parisians
that train would simply have been stopped
... I must say that if states act in thi
1 way they use the only means which wai
; gives them. In such conduct I could set
i absolutely no barbarity, or any differenc:
from the measures taken in a war on land
And I believe that, inasmuch as no nava
war ha-; been waged on a lure" scale sincr
: the days of Nelson, views about naval w;,s
hav" arisen which underestimate its fo.-et
and power.”
German? should remember such dose a■:
herence to precedents when they raise tlieii
vr ices again?! the “inhumanity” of the
Franco British blockade.
In huge glee Bismarck talked of lettint
the Parisians “stew in th or own juice.” The
function of the German army outside Pari.
was simply to keep it isolated. It was :
mathematical certainty that the supply o:
food would give out in time. On the twdftl
day of the blockade the American minister
Mr. Wa-hburne, who remained within, no
iced.that the meat was growing scarce
Lack < f and proper food sent up the deatl
rate among the children of the poor. Th<
aged and sick also died rapidly The Ger
man- were : sked to allow the women am
children to Mave the city, but they refused
pointing out that their absence would put
iff the days of starvation.
Forage soon gave out and horses cold'
not be kept. They were sold at that date
for So to S10 and slaughtered.
Gradually general misery increased. Fuc
began to fail. After two months of siegt
butter cost S3.Si a pound, turkeys journeye*
to $15 and $20 apiece, chickens to So, rab
bits $3.50 and eggs S1.40 a dozen. Bre id til
remained cheap, as (he price was fixed bj
government order. A cat fetch.-1 $1.40 T
SI.75. a rat 36 cents, and fat dogs 50 cent.
a pound. By Christmas day pricei hat
climbed still higher; a goose cost $20 and
a chicken $7. Then all fresh meat vanishec
from the shops except horse flesh.
The blockade continued its pressure, but
it was slow. Bismarck grew impatient. FIs
v.i.hed to bring near the day of surrender
lie demanded of the German staff that the
city be bombarded. Like the American gen
eral. Sheridan, it was held that the enemy'.
people in war time should be left with onlj
their eyes to weep over the ruins. Bis
marck had his way. Nine days’ bombard
ment, resulted in comparatively little dam
age because of the limited destructive power
of the artillery of that day It w a? per
haps pqual to the mischief wrought by a
Zeppelin visit. But the relentless gnawing
of hunger was more, infinitely more, effect
ive than the cannon balls. Some time after
the bombardment an armistice was signed
It was virtually the surrender of Paris to
famine. The surrender of France followed.
Thus Bismarck obtained what he wanted
by blockade and starvation.—Illustrated
London News.
-A
UNDERWOOD’S NEW ROLE
Jack Underwood, long a member of the
Seattle Times staff, and specialist on things
Alaskan, has quit newspaper work and is
now associated with famous mining inter
ests of the North country. He is a stock
holder and director of the American Dredge
Building & Construction Company, which
operates five dredges in Alaska. -Washing
ton Newspaper.
^
Fresh Olympia and Eastern Oysters,
S1.50 per can. Iriitarod Meat Co.
TERROR OF TEDDY’S NAME
QUELLS BLACK REVOLUTION
Dispatches have been received at Wash
ington, D. C., from San Domingo which in
dicate that Roosevelt’s name carries terror
to the black men of the Island, and that the
mere mention of it quelled a revolution.
The reports state that the insurrection
in Han Domingo had assumed dangerous
proportions. Natives were flocking to the
standard of the bandit leader, Chaca, and
it seemed probable that a large force of
marines and soldiers would be needed to
disperse the little army.
While this situation was supposed to he
growing worse with each day the com
mander of the United States marines was
greatly surprised to have the bandit leader
announced as a caller. When he was
brought in he said that he had come to
surrender himself. On being questioned as
to what .Yd him to do this he said that he
and his men had heard the news thrt
General Roosevelt and his rough riders were
soon to come to San Domingo, an I that
there was no use in fighting against him and
his demon.-.
The bandit said that his followers had
dispersed in all directions to mountain fast
nesses, and could not be induced to fight
against a man who killed lions and tigers
with his bare hands and ate a whole bul
lock at one meal.
The terror of the blacks is stated in the
di-patches to have been genuine, and the
| mere name of Roosevelt is said to inspire
! fear amongst them.
| The United States commander stafes that
I he doe- not know how the rumor was spread
| among the revolutionists, unless it started
I from a chance remark which was made as
| a joke by some of the marines, and wu- re
j ported to the bandits in the hills by their
I -mies.
ALASKA’S GREAT SHOWING
l _
The annual report of the commercial and
industrial activities of Alaska during the
year 191G, lately issued by the customs de
partment, confirms the generally accepted
optimism over Alaska’s present c. ndition
and future prospects. The commerce of the
| territory, it appears, last year reached the
sum of $120,000,000, indicating an increase
of $37,000,000 over the record of 1015. It
is interesting to note that, though gold i.s
keeping practically at the level of produc
tion in former years, it has been surpassed
| r»y both copper and fish in point of v alue
j of annual output. In 1910 Alaska • ; ;-r
; roduction took the lead in the vine <,f
! tut'iut, with an aggregate of $35 5:: i o;;o .
j canned salmon \v;s second in point of
! portance. with a total value of $21,538,113,
j while gold and silver yielded $16.332,117.
j Th“ territory last year added $84,000,000
• lo the wealth of the world, a wonderful
i 'bowing from district possessing a popula
I ticn of 05.000 to 70,000.
In forty-nine years Alaska sea and Ian !
j >reducts have yielded the great total of
i *668,794.401. This from a territory tha:
i was acquired by the United States :.t a co^t
j if little more than seven million dollars,
j nd with natural resources not yet assayed,
j It is a record worthy of world attention.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
-❖
K't steam baths, go to the Snvuer House
I riat.
-»
Fresh Olympia and Eastern Oysters,
$1.50 per can Iditarod Meht Co.
Professional
Michigan, issi Alaska, 1919
Kentucky, 1891
George Woodruff Alsrectht
COUNSELOR AND LAWYER
IDITAROD, ALASKA
The Pioneer Attorney of Iditarod
E. M. STANTON
Attorney at Law
Office: Corner Willow and Second Sts.
Iditarod Pioneer Building
CHAS. E. TAYLOR
Attorney at Law
BANK BLOCK
First Avenue Iditarod
DR. MOORE
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
DR. M. E. AURINGER
Physician and Surgeon
Office: Flat City Hospital, Flat CKy
Consultation Ilours in Forenoons »nd by
Appointment
FLAT DRUG STORE
fFINNEGAN & CAMERON
| FLAT CITY
♦ Agency for Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs and Records
% TOBACCO CIGARS STATIONERY
% CONFECTIONERY AND BILLIARDS
♦ C. R. Cameron Jas. F. Finnegan
THOS. McMAHON
DEALER IN
General Merchandise
FLAT, ALASKA