Iditarod Pioneer
ONE dollar per month “ IDITAROD. ALASKA. SATURDAYJORNINC. SEPTEMBER I. 1917 23 cento per copy
SALVATION OP RUSSIA
DEFENDS ON DISCIPLINE
LONDON, Aug. 30.—The Russian provisional
government has decided upon a partial re-establish
ment of the death penalty to restore discipline in
the army, according to a dispatch received from
Moscow today, which quotes Premier Kerensky as
saying: “This hurts us to the very soul, but for the
salvation of our country we will kill with all our
soul."
Petrograd dispatches disclose disaffection among
the Russian troops on the southern Roumanian
front, where the Austrian and German armies are
menacing Moldavia. In the Fokshani region a Rus
sian division abandoned its positions and fled in dis
order, and the lines are still yielding in the Varnitza
••eg:on.
Momentous Council Convened
MOSCOW, Aug. 27.—A state council which prom
ises important results to the life of Russia opened
here Sunday. In a speech Premier Kerensky de
clared that the armed forces arrayed against the peo
ple's power will be crushed with blood and iron.
Wilson Pledges Mora! and Material Support
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28.—Expressing American
• onftdence in the triumph of democracy, President
iison today sent to the Moscow conference a mes
oge pledging both moral and material assistance to
Russia.
Reports have been received here to the effect
that the Russian provisional government has de
cided to abandon Petrograd as the capital of Russia.
Military Guard on Strike
PETROGRAD, Aug. 27.—The entire military
guard policing Petrograd has resigned, demanding
more pay.
Operations on the Russian Fronts
PETROGRAD. Aug. 28.—The German offensive
on the Riga front has been brought to an end with
out any important success, says an official announce
ment.
A war office announcement says that the Rus
sian infantry in the Boyany region left their trenches
before the enemy attacked, and retired eastward.
Vigorous Operations on the West Front
BERLIN, Aug. 25.—The war office announces
that the Germans evacua ted Hill 304.
BERLIN, Aug. 27.—The French attack east of
the Meuse at Verdun was repulsed in hand-to-hand
fighting.
PARIS, Aug. 27.—-The French, delivering a
smashing blow, have advanced a mile, reaching the
outskirts of Beaumont.
LONDON, Aug. 27.-—On Sunday the British ad
vanced half a mile east of Hardicourt.
PARIS, Aug. 28.—The w'ar office announces that
the French are holding all gains, in spite of desperate
counter-attacks by the crown prince’s forces.
BERLIN, Aug. 28.—The Germans today recap
tured the village of Beaumont.
Austrians Overcome by Italians
ROME, Aug. 28.—A desperate battle is in prog
ress on the Baisizza plateau, north of Gorizia, it is
officially announced. The resistance of the Aus
trians has been overcome at various points.
GENEVA, Aug. 28.—A dispatch from Vienna
says that Emperor Charles has gone to the Italian
front to try to stop the retreat of the Austrians.
_A._
ANOTHER TREASONABLE ORGANIZATION
STIRRING UP STRIFE IN NORTHWEST STATES
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 30.—Governor Hammond
inounced today that the “People’s Council of
America,” scheduled to meet in this city Sept. 1,
will not be permitted to hold its sessions anywhere
n Minnesota, as it would have the effect of aiding
the enemies of the nation.
Barred from Fargo Also
FARGO, N. D., Aug. 30.—The People’s Council
of America has called off its convention called to be
held here Saturday, after being barred from Minne
ota, according to a statement today by Mayor Stern
of Fargo.
An Assortment of Remedies Suggested
HUDSON, Wis., Aug. 31.—With cries of “Get a
;ope!” “Get tar and feathers!” and “Hang them!”
: itizens ran Secretary Lochner of the People’s Coun
cii of America and several subordinate officers out
of town last night. They had come here to arrange
for a meeting.
He Will Be More at Home There
MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 31.—Secretary Lochner of
• he People’s Council of America stated today that a
meeting of his organization probably will be held
in Milwaukee.
CITIZEN SOLDIERS FROM TRAINING CAMP
TACOMA, Aug. 30.—A thousand new commis
sioned officers arrived today from Camp Lewis, at
American Lake.
SHIPPING OF PACIFIC
MAY BE ENDANGERED
BY ENEMY SUBMARINES
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29—The board
of marine underwriters is ill at ease over the
unusual number of vessels overdue in the
Orient from this coast, and overdue at Pa
cific coast points from the Orient. Ihis
uneasiness indicates fear that the forces of
the enemy nations may be contributing to
upset schedules.
MASS MEETING*IN SEATTLE
WANTS I. W. W. STAMPED OUT
SEATTLE. Aug. 2S. A great patriotic
mass meeting held here last night demanded
that sedition and treason in Seattle be
stamped out. “We are for an American,
not a German peace,” was one of the an
nouncements made in the resolutions
adopted.
Bryan Sees the Light
CHICAGO, Aug. 2S. In an address de
livered here last night William J. Bryan
said that there could be but one end to the
War, and that was the overthrow of Ger
many.
WAR LORD’S ANIMOSITY
DIRECTED AGAINST ENGLAND
COPENHAGEN, Aug. 25.—England, the
arch-enemy of Germany, must be struck
down, Emperor William declared in an ad
dress to his troops on the Flanders front
Wednesday. He charged that the English
are spreading hate of Germany over the
world.
TEXAS GOVERNOR REMOVED
AS RESULT OF INDICTMENT
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 25.—Governor
James E. Ferguson, under indictment for
misappropriation of state funds, has been
suspended from office pending an investi
gation of the charges against him. Lieu
tenant Governor Hobby succeeds to the
governorship.
LARGE FUND AVAILABLE
FOR GOVERNMENT NEEDS
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.—Congressman
Kitchin said today that additional estimates
submitted by the treasury department con
templated that $1,021,000,000 would be
available for government expenditures dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918.
MONSTER SUBMARINE
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.—The gun crew
taken from the Navajo, arriving today, re
ports that a new 400-foot German sub
marine had engaged in a twenty-four-hour
rattle off the Irish coast.
POLAR EXPEDITION SAFE
SYDNEY, N. S„ Aug. 27—The relief
steamship Neptune arrived here Sunday,
having on board the polar expendition from
the steamship Maximillian.
-♦
SIGNIFICANT INDICATIONS
OF AUTOCRACY’S DOOM
A staff correspondent of the New York
World, writing from Stockholm, Sweden,
with reference to the German domestic sit
uation, says:
"‘Take heed; the masses of the German
people incline toward outspoken mistrust.'
“Such is the warning the Berlin Vor
waerts, the German Socialist organ, utters
to Dr. Michaelis, the new imperial chan
cellor.
“No German editor, with the possible ex
ception of Maximillian Harden, whose Zu
kunft has been suppressed, had dared to
diagnose more clearly the almost patho
logical state of popular opinion resulting
from the recent futile but peaceful political
revolution—recent but still fermenting.
“The chasm, which even now scarcely
can be bridged, continues to widen between
the opinion of the masses, which, instinct
ively, is sound, and that of the elite, who
still are fairly well fed.
“The masses, whose political ideas have
been sharpened by cruel food privations,
are beginning to be disillusioned regarding
the submarine war, discern no peace *in
sight, blame the old system for the hope
less outlook, and sense, more or less v aguely,
that salvation can come only through de
mocratization. The elite, who have not
felt the pangs of hunger, are blind to de
mocracy’s handwriting on the wall, are
rellying stubbornly to uphold the old sys
tem, and are still convinced the submarine
will end the war.
“So the psychological condition of the
German people is the most vital feature of
the political moment. They have emerged
from the last grapple between the forces of
reaction and those of enlightenment. Al
though the fall of Von Bethmann-Hollweg
from the chancellorship signalized the tem
porary triumph of reaction, credible in
formation pouring out of Germany proves
that the champions of democratization there
are so far from being disheartened that they
are girding up their loins for a figfd to the
finish against the autocratic regime.
Vorwaerts tells the new chancellor how
be must overcome the mistrust of the
masses:
“ ‘Great wisdom is necessary and demo
cratic understanding.’
“All reports from Berlin show the tem
per of the reichstag to be such that it will
not suffer itself to be shelved again, but
will continue to strive to influence deci
sively the destinies of the empire.’’
AMERICAN BANK OF ALASKA
FAILS TO WEATHER STORM
A news item contained in the dispatches
of Monday last contained the information
that the American Bank of Alaska, of Fair
banks, had that day failed to open its doors
for business.
The news created no alarm here, as it
had been known for some time that the
institution was in a precarious condition.
It appears that efforts have been made
from time to time for many months past
to settle up the bank’s affairs on a basis
which would insure payment of its liabili
ties, but opposition on the part of stock
holders located Outside prevented this. It
is believed that depositors of the bank will
be paid in full, and that the principal losers
by the failure will be the stockholders.
The recent entry into the banking field
at Fairbanks of the Farmers' Bank has, it
is said, made great inroads into the busi
ness of the American Bank of Alaska.
---«.
LITTLE CHANCE OF ESCAPE
FOR SUCH AS KINGDON GOULD
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.—The President
today declared that the first draft of citizen
soldiers should be made up of men who are
not the heads of families. In a letter to
Secretary of War Baker he said that the
only exception to this rule should be in the
case of a man seeking exemption wrho has
dependents but has enough income to sup
ply the needs of those dependent upon him.
TRUTH GENERALLY KNOY/N
CONFIRMED BY EVIDENCE
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28.—The state de
partment announced today that it is in
possession of evidence that Germany
had planned to make war on the United
States after defeating France and Great
Britain.
CHARGED WITH MURDER
HOUSTON, Texas, Aug. 29.- - Investiga
tion begun by the federal authorities into
the fatal rioting by negro troops indicates
that the disturbance was preceded by the
refusal of the negro soldiers to occupy the
seats set aside for colored persons in the
street cars. Thirty-four of the rioting sol
diers have been charged with murder.
COMMITS SELF-DESTRUCTION
SEATTLE. Aug. 25. George M. Taylor,
probate court clerk, committed suicide to
day by shooting himself while on board the
Lake Washington ferry.
FOREST FIRES IN IDAHO
MISSOULA, Mont.. Aug. 28.—Thousands
of farmers in the Clearwater country of
Idaho have been driven out by forest fires.
Many homes have been destroyed.
MORE MONEY FOR RUSSIA
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.—Another hun
dred million dollars has been advanced to
Russia for the purchase of supplies before
her ports are closed by ice.
PRICE OF WHEAT FIXED
—
CHICAGO, Aug. 31.—The price of wheat
has been fixed at $2.20 per bushel by the
government food administrator.
^
DRAFT EXEMPTION BOARDS
ARE CHOSEN BY GOVERNOR
AND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN
JUNEAU, Aug. 14.—Governor Strong
has designated Fairbanks as the divisional
headquarters for the divisional exemption
board under the selective draft act. He
has also appointed the men who are to
serve on the board. They are: Represen
tative W. T. Burns of Little Eldorado,
Luther C. Hess of Fairbanks, Theodore
•Johnson, Adolph Bruning and Dr. J. A.
Sutherland.
The members for the Fairbanks precinct
are: Mayor Henry T. Ray, A. R. Heilig
and Dr. J. H. McCallum.
It is announced that the governor is
working on the appointments for the genera!
exemption board for the territory. This
board will consist of himself and two others.
The local exemption board in each district
will consist of the registration boards. In
the case of each of the sixteen incorporated
cities the board will consist of the mayor,
the city clerk and the city health officer.
In the four judicial divisions, covering all
registration precincts outside of incorpor
ated cities, the board will consist of the
clerk of the court, the United States mar
shal and the divisional territorial health of
ficer.
The final exemption board will be ap
pointed by the governor and will pass upon
all protests which may be made against the
action of the local boards.
The governor states that this board must
be made up of men “who are fearless, broad
minded, and who will not let personal or
sectional questions enter into their delib
erations in any way.”
TO TAX WAR PROFITS
IN GREATER PROPORTION
IS OBJECT OF SENATORS
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29— An increase
of 8498,000,000 in war profits taxes was
decided upon today by the senate finance
ommittee. An amendment to the war rev
enue bill providing for this increase is to
be offered, probably this afternoon. The
committee made this concession to the
Borah-Johnson group, which is fighting to
make swollen war profits pay a bigger share
of the nation’s war bills.
-*
BOMB EXPLODES IN HOLD
OF SEATTLE MUNITIONS SHIP
SEATTLE, Aug. 25.—It develops that a
bomb was exploded on board the Seattle
built steamship Key West, on her maiden
>yage from Vancouver with Russian war
munitions for Vladivostok, causing fire
which came near to destroying the vessel.
Pieces of the bomb were brought back by
the Key West and turned over to the Cana
dian and American federal officials.
Yesterday the authorities ordered an in
vestigation, which is now in progress.
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT
WANTS EMBARGO LIFTED
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28.—The govern
ment has been advised that Japan, probably
this week, will tender the use of her ship
yards for the building of ships for either the
Atlantic or Pacific trade, on condition that
the United States lift the embargo on the
export of steel.
-jl
LEAVE WITH MATERIALS
FOR GOVERNMENT RAILROAD
SEATTLE, Aug. 27.—The steamship
Ketchikan, sailing Sunday for St. Michael,
took three hundred tons of rails ?nd four
flat cars for the Nenana division of the
Alaska government railroad. The army
transport Crook, sailing tonight, will have
fifty tons of rails for Anchorage.
JAPANESE FORCE AVAILABLE
FOR USE AGAINST TEUTONS
PARIS, Aug. 29.—Senator Lucieu Rubert
is quoted as saying that Japan is keeping
250,000 men under arms, and that the major
portion of this force is available for service
against Germany if it can be transported to
the zone of action.
GUNMAN KILLED
SEATTLE, Aug. 27. Yee Bing, head
gunman of four Hop Sing tongs, and him
self wanted for several shootings, was shot
and killed last night by two gunmen, both
of whom escaped.
MUST REMAIN IN JAIL
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 25. Mrs.
Mooney, recently acquitted on one count
of an indictment for murder in connection
>.ith the “preparedness” parade bomb out
rage, has been denied admission to bail.
--«
NEWS OF THE KUSKOKWIM
A1 Walsh returned Wednesday from the
Kuskokwm, where he spent a few days. He
reports that the steamship Santa Ana left
Bethel on her second and final voyage of
the season on August 12. The wife and
daughters of Captain Langley of the steamer
Tana were outgoing passengers, as was also
Mrs. Felder, wife of the trader at Bethel.
C. Felder has bought out the business
of the Kuskokwim Commercial Company
at Bethel. At Akiak Karl Thiele is build
ing two big warehouses, and he is also put
ting up a store building at the, mouth of
Crooked. Fred Bishop, at Sleitmute, is
building a tv.o-story house.
All of the material for the Candle creek
dredge has been landed at McGrath.
Contrary to previous reports, which had
it that gardens along the river had been
destroyed by the high water, Mr. Walsh
reports that they are in better condition
than ever before known, and that more
produce will be raised in that region than
in any previous season.
Jack Smeaton, the Donlin creek miner,
has had an excellent season, and will be in
Iditarod in a few days on his way Outside,
which he has not visited for fifteen years.
Harry Stevens and Joe Konechny, also min
ing on Donlin creek, are doing preparatory
work for next season’s operations.
At the cinnabar properties, a few miles
from Georgetown, Fuller, Willis & Millett
are doing fairly well, and have retorted
considerable quicksilver. Parks also has
three men working.
Duke E. Stubbs of Kolmakoff is now
the proud owner of the fastest boat on the
river, having recently received a new Buf
falo engine from the Outside.
STRIKE OF WOMEN
SEATTLE, Aug. 30.—Five hundred candy
and biscuit workers, mainly girls and
women, went out on strike this morning
for higher wages and recognition of their
union.
GERMAN RULER'S WORD
CANNOT BE ACCEPTED
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29.—President Wilson's
reply to Pope Benedict’s peace proposal was made
public today. In it the President says that the pope’s
plan does not lead to the goal he proposes, but would
lead to another war. He says that the object of this
war is to deliver the free peoples of the world from
the German military establishment, seeking to domi
nate the world. He says that above anything else,
a peace plan must be based on the faith of all the
peoples involved, “but we cannot take the word of
the present rulers of Germany as a guarantee of any
thing that is to endure.”
Wilson Hailed as New Leader of Allies
LONDON, Aug. 30.—The Times, commenting on
President Wilson’s reply to the pope, says: “It is
the answer of a practical statesman to a dreaming
Vatican, and it may be to other courts as well.”
The press generally hails the President as the new
leader of the allies.
May Lead to Downfall of Michaelis
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29.—Official Washington
is predicting that the President’s rejection of the
pope’s peace proposal will lead to the downfall of
Chancellor Michaelis, with Bernstorff as his succes
sor, and that the latter will at once offer a new
peace plan based on the German viewpoint.
PLENTY OF DEMAND FOR ALASKA’S COAL
BUT SCARCITY OF MINERS IS HANDICAP
SEATTLE, Aug. 30.—Manager Baxter of the
Alaska Steamship Company is touring the Vancouver
! island and other collieries with a view to determining
the certainty with which he will be able to secure
coal to fill the flood of orders from various sections.
Alaska mines are hard pressed for men, with the de
mand for coal increasing.
—-4-*
GERMAN FOOD PLOT UNEARTHED IN SEATTLE
SEATTLE, Aug. 31.—Assistant Federal Attorney
McDonald is unearthing evidence that German spy
agents are involved in a plot to divert shipments of
Washington condensed milk billed to allied countries
into Germany.
PUBLISHERS LOOK FORWARD TO RELIEF
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 I.—Newspaper publishers
predict that the President’s action in fixing the price
of the paper on which the Official Bulletin is printed
at 2/i cents per pound will pave the way for a much
lower rate on news print paper.
SAD BLOW TO COAST LUMBER INTERESTS
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.—Chairman Hurley of
the United States Shipping Corporation states that
steel vessels are far superior, both for war and mer
chant service, and announced that no more wooden
vessels would be built for the government.
-w
WISH MAY BE FATHER TO THE THOUGHT
COPENHAGEN. Aug. 31.—M. Kirkoff. a Bul
garian Socialist, in an interview in the Vosches Zei
tung of Berlin, predicts that another attempt at re
volt by the Maximalist faction in Russia will bring
them into power.
-♦-—
FIRST OF STANDARDIZED MERCHANT SHIPS
LONDON, Aug. 31.—It is announced that the
first of the many hundreds of standardized merchant
steamships being built fo rthe British government, to
replace the tonnage lost in the submarine campaign,
has been placed in commission.
—-♦
CREW OF TORPEDOED AMERICAN SHIP SAFE
LONDON, Aug. 31.—The American schooner
Laura C. Anderson has been torpedoed. Her crew
was picked up and landed at an English port.
---4
METROPOLIS OF NATION SHOWS LOYALTY
NEW YORK, Aug. 30.—Two million persons
cheered the National Guards from all parts of the
state, and numbering 25,000, when they paraded
on Fifth avenue today.
-4---—
ANADIAN CONSCRIPTION ACT EFFECTIVE
OTTAWA, Aug. 31.—The military service bill,
providing for the conscription of men between the
ages of 20 and 34, became law today upon its sig
nature by the governor general.
-4
DANGER OF SHIPYARD STRIKE AVERTED
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30.—The shipyard workers
of the Pacific coast will not strike, according to A. J.
Barnes, secretary of the metal trades department of
the American Federation of Labor, in a statement
made today.