Iditarod Pioneer_
~~~ dom.au P^Tu^. ID [T A ROD, ALASKA, SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 18, 1015. _Two Bits Rku Copy
ROOSEVELT AND BRYAN
TREATED TO A GRILLING
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.—Chairman Tillman of
the senate naval committee in a hot speech today
roasted Roosevelt as a man “simply obsessed, and
compared Bryan to the giant of the Mother Goose
stories. He praised Secretary Daniels navy pro
gram, and stated that the attacks made against the
defensive program were outrageous. The question
of preparedness for war required grave considera
tion and prompt action, he said, and the army should
be increased. But the navy was the first line of de
fense.
Emergency Tax to Be Continued
The house Democratic caucus has agreed to the
extension of the life of the emergency war tax for
another year. It is predicted that it will pass both
houses this week.
Wick on Important Committee
Delegate James Wickersham of Alaska has been
appointed to a place on the military committee.
To Prevent Flooding American Market
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.—Secretary of Com-j
merce Redfield in his annual report urges a plan to
prevent the dumping of foreign goods on the Ameri
can market as soon as the war ends.
The house today passed the emergency war tax ‘
measure.
GERMAN AGENTS INDICTED
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 14.— Baron Von
Brincken, C. C. Crowley and Mrs. Margaret Cornell,
a secret agent for Crowley, have been indicted on
two counts each for trying to destroy commerce and
using the United States mails to incite arson and as
sassination and murder. The bail of the prisoners |
lias been fixed at $5,000 on each count.
Johannes Van Koolbergen, now in Canada, has;
given the federal authorities evidence that he as-:
sicted Von Brincken in the making of bombs.
Details of Pro-German Plots
PROVIDENCE, Dec. 15.—The Providence Jour-j
nal today prints an affidavit to the effect that Von ;
Brincken was hired by German Consul Bopp of San
Francisco to destroy railroad tunnels, wreck trains
carrying ammunition for shipment abroad, muni-1
tions factories, etc., and received money from Bopp.
The affidavit goes into minute details. Von;
Brincken and others have been released on $10,000
bonds each.
To Impeach District Attorney
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.—'The impeachment of
United States District Attorney Marshall of New
York is sought in a resolution introduced in the house
of representatves today by Congressman Buchanan
of Illinois. Marshall, who is prosecuting the cases
of violation of the neutrality laws, is alleged to have
failed in his duty, and to have slandered and de
famed innocent persons. He is also accused of
allowing steamships which violated the neutrality
laws to escape.
MOBILIZE OUR RESOURCES
COLUMBUS. Ohio, Dec. 1 1 .—President Wilson
made two speeches here yesterday, in which he
urged preparedness by business men to mobilize the
resources of the nation as in the nature of national
defense. He declared that if the United States pre
serves its self-possession during the present crisis it
will have breat influence in the reconstruction pro
gram and in directing the peaceful course of the
world and bringing the warring nations together
again.
Daniels’ Naval Program
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 1.—Secretary of the Navy
Daniels, in his report to congress, recommends an
appropriation of half a billion dollars to carry out
the navy-building program under a five-year con
tinuing plan.
GREEKS’ UNHAPPY POSITION
LONDON, Dec. 15.—Advices received here state
that Greece is having a hard time with the Bul
garians, who have been stopped on the border and
prevented from pursuing the retreating allied forces
further. The Germans are demanding the right to
cross the territory in pursuit of the allies, as the
same privilege has been allowed the entente powers.
Greece Will Demobilize
ATHENS, Dec. 1 I.—The government has made
all arrangements to demobilize her army. The de
cree will be issued shortly. The entente powers are
slowly retiring from Serbia. _
PLANNING FOR THE INVASION OF EGYPT
LONDON, Dec. IV.—The Turko-German invasion of Egypt
is developing. Railroads are dow being constructed to carry the
«rf<iier«.
SIR JOHN FRENCH RETIRED
LONDON, Dec. 1(>. Field Marshal
Sir John French, at his own request,
has been relieved of the command of
the British forces in France and Flan
ders, and has been succeeded by Gen.
Sir Douglas Haig.
AMERICAN INVENTIVE GENIUS
ABOLISHES USE OF POWDER
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 11. An electric
gun designed for the projecting of huge
shells without the use of powder has been
perfected.
CHICAGO TO BE SCENE
OF G. 0. P. CONVENTION
WASHINGTON, Dee. 15. The Republican
national convention will be held at Chicago ;
on June 7 next, according to the decision of
the national committee.
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YIELD OF AMERICAN FARMS
PRODUCES IMMENSE SUM
WASHINGTON, Dec. lti. The harvest !
of American farm products this year is val
■ a! at $5,570,000,000. and is the largest in '
the nation’s history.
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SUICIDE OF AN ARMY OFFICER
HONOLULU, Dec. 11. Lieutenant Colo- i
nel Bromwell. head of the army engineering
corps here, committed suicide today by firing I
a bullet into his brain. His act is believed to |
be the result of a nervous breakdown, caused j
by
COLD WEATHER IN TRENCHES
LONDON, Dec. 14. Germany is forming j
a strong line of defense along the Bug river.
Blizzards are checking operations. On the j
Gallipoli peninsula both allies and Turks ;
have been hard hit bv the cold.
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Assurance From Secretary of the
Interior—To Clear and Grade
Frora Nenana South
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Dec. 14. -The fol
lowing message was received today from
Delegate Janies Wickersham:
“Secretary of the Interior Lane’s esti
mates contain an item of $225,000 for the
purpose of clearing and grading twenty-four
miles from Nenana south. On Monday,
December 6, I strongly urged that the work
north of Nenana be undertaken. I am now
awaiting the arrival of Chairman Edes of
the engineering commission, when I will
again urge the proposition. Secretary Lane
told me to assure the people that the gov
ernment railroad will be built to Fairbanks.
The dispatch further says that United
States Marshal Erwin of Fairbanks had an
interview with Secretary Lane last Friday
and was “knocking.” but that he exerted no
influence. Wickersham urges the people of
Fairbanks to put a stop to the “knocking.”
TROUBLE ON PEACE SHIP
NEW YORK, Dee. 11. A wireless dis
patch received here states that resolutions
condemning President Wilson’s program of
preparedness for war have been under dis
cussion by the delegates of the Ford peace
commission on board ship, and brought a
protest from the majority of the members.
Open rebellion has been caused.
En Route to Christiania
LONDON, Dec. 17. The F'ord peace ship
has been released at Kirwcll and is now en
route to Christiania.^
AMERICAN SHIP IS HELD UP
NEW YORK. Dec. 11. The American
steamship San Juan was held up and
searched by a French cruiser while en route
to this port from Porto Rico.
France Also Gets In Bad
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.—The United
States government has demanded from
France the release of six Germans and Aus
trians taken from American vessels recently
upon the high seas by French cruisers.
PIONEERS ARE PREPARING
BIG TIME FOR NEW YEAR’S
It begins to look as though there will be
considerable doing on the night of December
31, when Iditarod Igloo No. 10, Pioneers of
Alaska, celebrates its first New Year’s eve.
A live committee, both in Iditarod and on
the creeks, is now working up a splendid
program of music and entertainment. Many
clever and original stunts will be staged and
some new talent already is enlisted. This
part of the program will be short and
snappy, and will conclude with a laughable
comedy sketch now being evolved by the
versatile James Farrell. A selected cast of
actors and actorines will achieve undying
fame on this night.
An interval of dancing to soul-entrancing
music will then follow until midnight, when
1916 will be appropriately ushered in with
a twenty-minute carnival of noise, joy, frolic
and gladsome greeting. Then supper. And
oh! ye gods! what delicacies will await the
hungry. Chef Frank Keenan, with a corps
of assistants, will produce a meal that will
really be a banquet.
Then dancing until the terpsichorean en
thusiast cries enough.
Altogether it will be a gleeful night—a
get-together night—a night on which the old
sourdoughs will entertain their guests in
jolly and informal style. They want every
body to start the new year happy and care
free, and, judging from the success of their
last endeavor, they will accomplish all of
that 3nd—then some.
MAIL FOR OPHIR
Why the People of Adjacent Min
ing Camp Did Not Receive
Mail From Iditarod
Complaints from subscribers of The Pio
neer at Ophir that they were not receiving
their papers started an inquiry which re
vealed a rather peculiar situation in the
local postal service, which is another tes
timonial to the red tape methods that sur
round every action of government officials
in Alaska.
At the inception of the mail service over
the Seward-Iditarod trail on November 1
last it was announced that the route would
follow the trail from Iditarod to Ophir, and
thence to Takotna, thus shortening the dis- I
tance to be traveled by many miles. Ophir I
is not mentioned in the contract with
Colonel Revelle, which merely states that |
the mail shall be delivered at Takotna, l'lat
and Iditarod. In order to place Ophir on j
the route it is necessary to secure the de
sired change by communicating with the j
Washington authorities. It was understood
here that this had been done, but as yet j
Acting Postmaster Baker has received no j
notification to that effect.
Why Mail Was Delayed
In the meantime the carriers on the Sew
ard-Iditarod route have no dealings wdiat
ever with the Ophir postoffice, although they
pass through that town on both the out
going and incoming runs. The mail for
Ophir has been consigned from Iditarod to
Takotna, and apparently has lain there until
the carrier on the Ruby-Takotnu route ar
rived to carry it back over the same trail
to Ophir. I
The Iditarod postoffice is not authorized ;
to consign mail direct to Ophir, but upon
the earnest solicitation of The Pioneer, and j
having in mind the conveneince of the peo- .
pie of Ophir, Mr. Baker has consented here j
after to place mail for that place in the way i
sack of the mail carrier, to be dropped off j
at that point, in the same manner as is j
0ie custom with the roadhouses located at
points remote from postoffices.
Hereafter the residents of the Ophir dis
trict should be able to receive their mail
from Iditarod promptly. It is regrettable
that the matter was not brought to light |
sooner.
Divided Responsibility
As tending to make more difficult the
straightening out of entanglements such as
the one above mentioned, it must be borne
in mind that the route between Ruby and j
Takotna is under the direction of A. R.
Randles of Tanana, chief clerk of the rail
wav mail service, while the Seward-Iditarod
route is supervised by Alvah Eames of
Cordova, also chief clerk of the railway
man service. It probably would be :• mat
ter of much delay, judged by past experi
ences, to secure authorization for an intelli
gent handling of the mails between the
noints named.
' The Seward-Iditarod contractors are ob
ligated to carry 475 pounds of mail from
Seward for Kiiik, Takotna, Flat and Idit
arod. Seventy-five pounds of this is sup
posed to be for Knik. In case they have
less than the contract consignment when |
they leave Takotna, they bring the Ruby i
mail from that point to Iditarod, which |
comprises consignments from the upper and :
lower Yukon river in Alaska and Canada,
as well as the Tanana valley and Fairbanks, j
and Nome and St. Michael consignments. ;
It may so happen that full loads from the
coast will prevent the Seward-Iditarod car- ;
riers from taking the Ruby mail from Ta- !
kotna for weeks at a time, as was the case j
last winter. In that event it is the custom !
to take up a collection to assist Uncle Sam j
in supplying Iditarod with its belated mail. ,
Improvement in bervice Denied
Evidently this matter has penetrated the
mate of official red tape, for some time ago, j
a telegram was received here making in- :
piiiry as to the cost of transporting the j
mail' from Takotna to Iditarod twice a j
month. The information was furnished,
but it appears that is as far as the matter
is destined to go at present.
Acting Postmaster Baker has received the
following from Chief Clerk Randles:
“Tanana, Alaska. Nov. 10.
“On October 19 this office received wire j
from superintendent’s office, Seattle, th3t J
stated: ‘Ascertain and advise cost round i
trip emergency service, Ruby or Kaltag to
Flat and Iditarod, twice monthly, weight
two hundred or four hundred pounds trip.’
On November 9 received the following 1
wire from same: ‘No authorization for han
dling Iditarod mail from Takotna or Ruby
beyond regular service Seward-Iditarod
route.’
“Please kindly advise persons who put in
proposals that as far as this office is ad
vised this is now a closed matter.
“A. R. RANDLES, Chief Clerk.”
Mail Matter Lost
From Chief Clerk Eames, at Cordova, the
following has been received, dated Cordova,
November 5:
“All Postmasters: About October o, lylo,
the steamer Mariposa, route 78081, with six
days’ mail from the States aboard, was
wrecked between Seattle and Ketchikan. A |
considerable portion of the paper and par
cel post mail was damaged by water. Some
of this was reduced to pulp and could not
be delivered. Many of the addresses were
undecipherable. This for your informa
tion. “ALVAH EAMES,
“Chief Clerk.”
PRESIDENTIAL NUPTIALS
SURROUNDED WITH M YSTERY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.—Although only
forty-eight hours away, the wedding of the
President and Mrs. Galt remains a mystery.
It is believed, however, that it will take place
! at 9 o’clock on Saturday night.
I _
The Preliminaries
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.—The President
today secured his marriage license, and it is
announced that Rev. Herbert Smith of the
Episcopal church will officiate at the wed
: ding ceremony
HELD UP BY WEATHER
SKWARD, Dec. 17. The shipment
of gold from Iditarod, which left that
city on November 22. has been delayed
by unusually cold weather northwest
of Rainy pass. Fifty-eight degrees be
low zero is registered, with cold winds.
SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA
MAKES SENSATIONAL SPEECH
WASHINGTON, Dec. lfi. Senator Works
of California, in a startling speech in tin*
senate today, said that the Pacific coast was
at the mercy of thirty thousand well-trained
Russo-Japanese war veterans, who are ready
to mobilize instantly. The Hawaiian islands
also, he said, were populated by Japanese
war veterans posing as laborers.
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THREATENS TO HANG SEIF
IF GIVEN ENOUGH ROPE
El, PASO, Texas, Dec. 17. Villa, the
Mexican rebel chief, threatens to bombard
El Paso regardless of consequences if the
Americans permit Carranza to land forces
on Mexican soil through American terri
tory.
ITALIAN AIR SQUADRON
SPREADS DESTRUCTION
ROME, Dec. 17. An Italian aerial squad
ron consisting of forty-eight aeroplanes has
spread destruction upon the Austrians in
tlie Chiapenvane valley. Dozens of military
camps were annihilated.
POSTMASTER AT SEWARD
WASHINGTON. Dec. 17. William Root
has been nominated by the President to be
postmaster at Seward. Alaska.
MERE BOYS CALLED
BERNE, Dec. 14. Austrian youths of the
age of IS years have been called to the
colors.
1110117
Drastic Legislation for Punishment
of Offenders Against Neutrality
Laws of United States
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.- That congress
is to be asked to enact drastic legislation ,
governing violations of the neutrality laws
of the United States is the inference drawn j
from the President's message. Acts have been
committed by foreigners and American citi
zens since the outbreak of the European
war that- are not now prohibited by the
statutes, but which have embarrassed the
administration and caused trouble for the ,
state department. These acts, it is said
by officials, will be made criminal offenses.
Officials of the department of justice for
months have been investigating charges al
leging tlie commission of acts detrimental
either to private interests, government
plants, or to peace and good order, and have
discovered with amazement that there is
absolutely no statute under which offenses
complained of can be prosecuted.
To Prepare Amendments
As these matters have been investigated,
a digest in each instance has been prepared
for the department’s legal experts. Prom
this digest the experts will prepare a series
of amendments for submission to Attorney
General Gregory, who in turn will submit
them to the President for recommendation
to congress.
The recent German propaganda, with all
its ramifications, pertaining to the inaugu
ration of strikes in munition plants, the
crip] ling of American foreign trade through
the purchase and cornering of raw’ materials
essential to certain lines of manufacture,
correspondence and personal intercourse be
tween agents of foreign government? and
American citizens with a view to interfer
ing with the right? of American manufac
turers, producers and-merchants, have been
found to be not in violation of any statute.
It is said by department experts to be
questionable even if James F. Archibald can
be prosecuted under the existing penal code
for attempting to take into Germany the
correspondence that caused the recall of
Ambassador Dumba of Austria, and which
also is to send Captain Franz von Papen,
the German military attache, out of the
country.
Eyes Opened by Laxity
The laxity of the laws in this respect
has opened the eyes of the department of
justice to the necessity of providing against
such a situation in the future. When the
amendments are submitted to congress the
entire chapter of the penal code governing
offenses against the government practically
will have to be rewritten.
Congress is asked to give early consider
ation of the matter, but government offi
cials do not anticipate that there is to be
an early cessation of hostilities, and as the
war goes on these attempts to violate Ameri
can neutrality are expected to increase
rather than diminish.
It is said that the files of the division of
investigation of the department of justice
are filled with a mass of interesting and
confidential reports bearing upon the ac
tivities of the agents of belligerents and of
the attempts of American citizens to co
operate with htem
RELATIONS WITH AUSTRIA
APPROACHING A IREK
LONDON, Dec. 16. -Austria-Hungary has given
the American ambassador at Vienna a reply in the
Ancona case. It is thought to express opinions which
criticize severely the American stand, and to declare
that the evidence submitted is weak.
Reply Received
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 7.—The Austrian reply to
the Amreican note has been received. The demand
of Austria for a bill of particulars will be granted,
but the reply hardly will allow of further parleying.
Will Not Tolerate Delay
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.—Although cable advices
have been received of the receipt of the Austrian
note by the American ambassador. President Wilson
says he will not tolerate delay by Austria in replying
satisfactorily to the American note.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.—The Austrian reply to
the American no!e on tire sinking of the steamship
Ancona is looked for by the end of the present week.
The present status of the matter makes possible a
breach between the two nations.
The text of the American note to Austria reveals
that a formal demand was made for the prompt de
nouncement of the illegal, indefensible act, the pun
ishment of the submarine commander and reparation
by the payment of indemnity for the killing and in
juring of innocent Americans. The shelling of the
liner Ancona is characterized as an inhuman, bar
barous and wanton slaughter of helpless women,
men and children.”
Submarine May Have Been Lost
VIENNA, Dec. 1 I.—It is reported that the reason
why the Austrian government has not replied to the
American note on the Ancona matter is that the sub
marine commander has faded to make a report and
the authorities are unable to get into communication
with him.
Austria’s Position !s “Moderate
VIENNA, Dec. 17.—The Austrian newspapers
claim that America must see the justice of Austria s
position as outlined in the note just submitted, and
must realize the moderation of Austria's position.
The Submarine Was in Danger
VIENNA, Dec. 16.—The entire admiralty indorses
the action of the commander of the submarine which
sank the Ancona. The submarine is said to have
been in danger, and no other course was open except
to sink the steamship. The foreign office, however,
has sent a conciliatory note to the United States.
LONDON, Dec. i 4.—The kaiser is rushing a hun
dred thousand machm.e guns to the Bulgarian and
Turkish armies. The evacuation of Doiran and Ciev
gell is complete, and the Bulgarians are reported to
be wiihin five miles of the Greek frontier, following
closely the retreating allies. The latter are being
beaten back, fiercely fighting;.
A.ngb-French Line Broken
BERLIN, Dec. 14.—The Bulgarian troops have
broken through the Anglo-French line in Serbia and
have cut off the French. The latter are suffering
heavy losses. The pursuit of the allies is being con
tinued.
Entente Powers More Hopeful
ROME. Dec. 17.—The Italian forces have landed on the Al
banian coast. The entente powers entertain a more hopeful feel
ing regarding the Balkan situation.
King of Serbia Is a Refugee
ROME, Dec. 16.—King Peter of Servia will soon arrive here
fr'-m Scutari, and the royal Villa Caserta has been placed at his
dsiposal by King Victor Emmanuel.
Anticipate Attack cn Saloniki
ATHENS, Dec. 16.—The allied forces, retreating from Serbia,
are fortifying Salor.iki in anticipation of an attack on that city by
the Germans.
GERMAN ATTACHES RECALLED BY KAISER
WASHINGTON, Dec. I I .—Secretary of State
Lansing has been informed by German Ambassador
Bernstorff that Captains Boy-Ed and V'on Papen,
the military and naval attaches of the German em
bassy whose removal was asked by President Wilson,
have been recalled by the kaiser.
Trouble-Makers Will Soon Be on Their Way
NEW YORK, Dec. 17.—Captains Von Papen and Boy-Ed, the
recalled German attaches, will leave New \ork on Tuesday next
for home. _
FLOWERY KINGDOM ESTABLISHES DYNASTY
PEKIN, Dec. 1 1.—Flags are flying and buildings
are decorated to celebrate the fact of Yuan Shi Kai
having accepted the throne, which was tendered to
him by the council of state.
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PITIABLE PLIGHT OF SERBIAN REFUGEES
ROME, Dec. I 1.—From eight hundred thousand
to a million Serbians are dying of famine and pesti
lence. Men, women and children have been driven
from their homes and are taking refuge in Monte
negro, Albania, Roumania and Greece.