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5 THE ALASKA EVENING POST
Volume XI Number 224. SEWARD, ALASKA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1917. Ten Cents the Copy
GERMANY NOW
FACES FAMINE
Scarcity Throughout Empire of Ne
cessities of Life Reach
Famine Stage
RERUN. Sept S. (Delayed) Food
and fuel scarcities, amounting almost
to famines, confront the German peo
ple. according to Vorwaerts. an inde
pendent Berlin newspaper that boldly
discusses existing conditions.
The German press and public are
now more keenly interested in the ne
cessities of life than in political ques
tions or constitutional reforms,
cept for occasional angry references
to President \\ ilson’s efforts to ar
raign neutral countries against Ger
many. the nation is giving its atten
tion to efforts to remedying the con
ditions of livelihood.
Of the food products, potatoes con
stitute the most important object of
contention. The government is urged
to abandon the administration o: the
crop and the fixing of selling prices
and return to the operation of the law
of supply and demand.
■ A ■ «
Warn increaseu .\nowiimc
Vorwaerts insists that in any event
the government should immediate!)
increase the food allowance, and that
in doing this the amount of potatoes |
permitted to any individual should be
increased to ten pounds weekly. I he
neswpaper declares a person can not
wotk and sustain life on the present
weekly ration of* five and a half pounds
of potatoes and 1,^50 grams oi bread. j
fifty grams of meat and eighty grams
of fat. Vorwaerts states that this
year’s scanty harvest of oats and bar
le> will not permit folks to supple
ment the government rations with oat
meal and grits, as was done last win
ter and spring.
In regard to fuel, the government
is considering limiting supplies to
only those establishments absolutely
necessary for the existence of the peo
ple. Stores, it is believed, will be com
pelled to clo.se before nightfall.
Every indication points to the hard
est winter of the war throughout Ger
many.
The news of the success of German
arms in the Riga sector has occasion
ed some enthusiasm in Berlin and
other parts of the empire.
BREAK IN I
CABLE FOUND
While digging in the sand on the
beach at the Seward dock. Messenger
Fathers came across a piece of cable
and upon investigation it was found
to be the cable running into Seward,
the other end being out in the bay.
The Alaskan Engineering commis
sion will endeavor to grapple for it
today in an effort to raise the end
for splicing. Upon good authority,
it is stated that there will be no pos
sible chance to make use of it for
transmission of messages or means to
splice it here until the arrival of the
regular cable boat. It is probable that
cable service will be resumed the first
part of next week.
_.*w_
SPRUCE TIMBER FOR
MASTERY OF AIR
♦
Whichever side attains complete
mastery of the air will win the war.
That is the view of aviators of France,
Great Britain and Italy who visited
Tacoma recently and addressed an au
dience in the Stadium high school au
ditorium. It is the view, too, of a
great many who are not aviators, but
who have paid close attention to the
essential part the fliers have taken in
practically all the important engage
ments.
The Pacific Northwest, because of
the supply ofr spruce, which is sover
eign for planes, can exercise a mark
ed influence on the world conflict. That
is the chief reason the foreign avi
ators came here to talk to the people.
They wished us to know how vital it
is that spruce be promptly supplied.—
Tacoma New*.
BIG SHORTAGE
j IN AMERICA
Milk and Nutter Supplies Decrease
Wlule Population Shows Marked
Increase
El.GIN", 111.. Aug. 80.—Milk and
butter supplies are decreasing in the
United States, while the population is
increasing. The dairy herds of Eu
rope are diminishing rapidly because
of the conditions created by war, and
there is no probability oi improve
ment in these conditions. I he dairy
problem in this country, there!ore, is
not only a war emergency problem but
one that will continue after the war.
World’s Supply Decreasing
The world’s dairy supplies are de
creasing rapidly tor two important
1 irst, the dairy cattle of Europe are
diminishing, for Europe is being driv
en to eat its cattle for meat; second,
the diversion of labor to war has de
creased the fodder supplies, and the
shortage of shipping has limited the
amount of imported fodder, and there
fore the cattle which can be supported
and the productivity of the individual
cow have been reduced.
Even American dairy supplies are
not keeping pace with growth of pop
ulation. for the percapita milk sup
ply has fallen from ninety to seventy
five gallons annually in the past fif
teen years. Vet today' America must
ship increasing amounts of dairy prod
ucts to her European allies.
>everal l hases oi rmuaiion
The dairy situation resolves itself
into several phases.
First, it is to be hoped that the
forthcoming abundant harvest will re
sult in lower prices of food and di
minish the impetus to sell the cuttle
for meat.
Second, the industry needs encour
agement, st* a> to increase the dairs
herd, and thus American dairy sup
plies, for the sake first of the Ameri
can people and second of the allies.
The people must realize the vital de
pendenee of the well-being of their
children, and tlui.s of the nation, upon
the encouragement anti upbuilding of
the indusrty.
Third, Americans must save the
wastes in milk and butter if milk is
to be supplied to all. especially the
children of the crowded districts of
large cities.
_A_
WEATHER REPORT
Following is the weather report
from the Department of the Interior.’
A. E. C., at time of observation, 7
A. M. this morning, for points along
the government railroad:
A nchoruge—M issing.
Summit Roadhouse—Missing.
Gird wood—Mix., 60; min., 3s; mean,
38. Cloudy; calm.
Seward—Mean, 34; Clear; north
wind.
mean, 38. Cloudy; calm.
King—Max., 56; min., 34; mean, 42.
Light snow; calm.
Deadhorse—Max., 52; min., 36;
Talkeetna—Max., 44; min., 36;
mean, 40. Cloudy; s. w. wind.
Caswell—Max., 44; nun., 34; mean
36. Cloudy; calm.
-A
KOOSEVEI.TIAN ANXIOUS TO
JOIN FRENCH ARMY
A. J. Edmiston, of Roosevelt, is in
the city stopping at The Sexton. Ed
miston is proprietor of the saw mill
at Roosevelt, hut on account of the
high water which well nigh swamped
the boilers at his mill, he was forced
to close down and will not resume op
erations until the water recedes.
Edmiston is exceedingly anxious to
get into the fray over in Europe but
realizing that it will be difficult for
him to join Uncle Sam’s forces on ac
count of the age limit, he states that
he will travel to Europe as a free
lance on his own resources and join
the French army in some capacity. If
he can straighten out his business af
fairs in time, it is his wish to be on
his way to France by the first of the
year.
MOTOR STALLS AND
I AVIATOR FALLS TO
INSTANT DEATH!
(By Wireless via Anchorage)
PARIS, Sept. 15.—Corporal W. Henry Meeker, Amer
ican aviator, was instantly killed yesterday while making
a flight in the capacity of scout, the only reason assigned
being that his motor stalled and he fell to his death from
a height of several hundred feet.
24,000 THREATEN STRIKE IN SAN FRANCISCO
• SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15—Twenty-four thousand
men affiliated with the California metal trades association
threatened to strike on Monday unless their demands for
higher wages are granted. Much government work is
involved and officials of both sides to the controversy arc
in conference, the outcome of which will not be known
until tomorrow.
KORNILOFF ABOUT TO SURRENDER
PETROGRAD, Sept. 15, (Official).—General Korni
loff ha? not yet surrendered but is preparing to do so and
will lie completely powerless to act in any capacity. Twelve
companies of KornilofFs troops have already surrender
ed and say they were grossly deceived in taking up arms
in the capacity they did. More of these troops are ex
pected to surrender at any time.
MARINES TAKE OVER SHIPS AT MONTI VIDEO
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Sept. 15.—Marines have
boarded all ships interned in the harbor here and havi
taken complete charge, preparing for any emergency that
may arise and subject to call for duty at any time.
BUSS INVASION
OF ROTTERDAM
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Aug.
15, (By A. P. Mail).—A Russian in
vasion of Rotterdam is causing the
city fathers some concern, and the
burgomaster has just had an interview
with the Premier, Cort van der Lin
den, on the subject. As many as (>,
000 Russians have been added to Rot
terdam’s population since the out
break of war, most of them refugees
from Germany and others escaped
prisoners of war. The former’s stay
in Germany dates from before the
war. They were employed in the
mines there, and were not permitted
to leave when hostilities broke out
Ultimately food scarcity drove them
to seek refuge in Holland, but they
are in many cases even pro-German
in their sympathies. In Rotterdam
their wants are supplied by the Rus
sian consul.
The authorities now complain of the
habits of the newcomers and the trou
ble they give the police with their
street lights and the like, while a
large number are said to be sufferers
from diseases and thereby constitute
a danger to the public health. More
over, the invasion still continues, and
in the absence of further accommoda
tion in Rotterdam some 3,000 have
been recently sent to the small neigh
boring town of Schiedem, where they
are even more unwelcome. Efforts have
been made to get the Russians ship
ped to England, but the British gov
ernment made regulations that are
said to have amounted to a refusal to
receive them. The Netherlands gov
ernment is now being urged to deal
with the problem.
_tt_
ITALY LOWERS MILITARY
HEIGHT TO I FT., G IN.
ROME, .Aug. 15, (By Mail).—The
-decree which goes into effect next
month, lowering the military height
from 5 feet 2 inches to 4 feet 6 inches,
includes all the men born between
1876 and 188S who had been excused
from duty previously because of their
short stature.
VOTE DELAYED
ON INSURANCE
Administration Leaders Consent to
Extended Time for Debating
Measure
WASHINGTON, September 10th.
(Delayed) — Although administration
leaders were anxious that the bill pro
viding government insurance for sol
diers and sailors in the service of the
nation should be put on its final pas
sage in the House today and an
agreement to this effect had been ar
ranged several days ago, they have re
luctantly acceded to the demands ol
the opponents of the measure to ex
tend the time for debating it, and no
attempt will be made to enact it until
toward the end of this week.
There is a small but determined op
position to any legislation at all along
the lines of federal insurance for men
in the army and navy, but this oppo
sition of itself is not sufficient even
to delay action.
Added to it, however, is a (action
that, while not opposing the principle
of federal insurance, objects to the
propdsed maximum amount of the pol
icies and to the premium rates.
The bill as reported by the commit
tee and as advocated by the adminis
tration, would enable any officer or
enlisted man in the army or navy to
take out a policy for any sum up to
$10,000 at premium rates considerably
less than would be charged for poli
cies in similar amounts by regular in- j
' suranee companies.
In explanation of the low premium •
rates, the government 'contends that |
its conduct of the insurance business
will be at much less cost than private
companies can operate their business,
i The government, it is explained, will
1 avoid nearly all the heavy overhead
! expenses so burdensome to private
concerns. Its treasury department
1 and clerks, without much, if any, aug
i mentation, will be able to care for
I the insurance business. There would!
be no branch offices throughout the
United States nor no army of high
salaried officials and solicitors.
NEW SEAMAN
WAGE SCALE
Agreement Is Amicably Effected In
Regard to Pay and Conditions
of Labor
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, (Delay
ed).—An agreement has been reached
concerning wages and working condi
tions for men to man the merchant
fleets of the country. The agreement
was the result of negotiations which
have been in progress between the de
partment of labor, department of com
merce, the shipping board, sixteen men
representing employers, employes, and
the three government agencies. This
committee was named by all interests
concerned at a conference in Washing
ton city.
It is believed that the agreement
renders easy the task of obtaining suf
ficient qualified men to operate the
large number of merchant vessels now
building.
Term of Wage Scale
The wage scale, which will remain
in force until a year after the war
ends, is as follows:
Sailors and firemen, $f>0 per month;
coal passers, $50 per month; oilers
and water tenders, $(55; boatswains,
$70; carpenters, $75. Overtime pay
for cargo work is figured at 50 cents
an hour, and for ship work 40 cents
an hour. A 50 per cent bonus is to
be paid crews entering the war zone.
Employers will pay each seaman $100
compensation for loss of personal ef
fects when a ship is sunk. The scale
of wages and bonus for stewards and
cooks is unchanged at present.
In order to increase the number of
men available for work, each ship will
carry a certain number of hoys in pro
portion to number of seamen carried.
The number of able-bodied seamen
will he reduced; the deficiency will lx*
made up by employing more ordinary
seamen. Representatives of the sea
men's organizations will lx* given ac
cess to docks and decks.
Termination of Agreement
The committee agrees that bonus
and other conditions arising from the
war shall terminate with the war, but
the wage scale named above shall re
main in force for a year after the war
terminates. Employers and seamen
will unite in an appeal to men who
have left the sea to return, and to
young men to go to sea as a profes
sion.
The provost marshal general’s office
will be requested to exempt seamen
from military service wherever it can
be done, on the ground that the scar
city of sailors makes them more valu
able in that capacity than as soldiers.
-*
TRAINS WILL BE RUN
SOON ON THE A. N. RY.
We are told upon good authority
that trains on the Alaska Northern
will be running in a few days, repairs
to bridges and tracks damaged by the
recent heavy floods having been al
most completed. Large gangs of work
men have been busy night and day
and the officials are to be congratu
lated upon the excellent work done.
That trains will be running within a
few days goes to prove that the of
ficials are equal to almost any emer
gency. The road is practically open
through to Mile 23 and from that
point on it* will be but a short time
until all repairs will be made.
_♦!.
LEAVE ON FISHING TRIP
TO CHICKALOON RIVER
Major John E. Ballaine, F. R: Feit
shans, A. A. Baird, E. K. Klauber and
George Sexton left yesterday for the
Chickaloon river district on a few
days’ fishing. Upon their return to
Seward we expect not only to see one
of the largest but the finest catch of
fish this season. Of course the usual
fish stories will be the order of the
day also, but judging from the past
experience (according to their stories)
there will be few fish left and several
trips will have to be made by boats
in order to bring in the catch.
HOHENZOLLERNS
MUST SURELY GO
GENEVA, August 15, Associated
Press Correspondence).—“The Hohen
zollerns and the Hapsburgs must go
in order to have a durable peace in
Europe," declared Jean Sigg, member
of the Swiss National Council, chief
of the Socialists in Geneva and one
of the most influential members of
his party in Switzerland, in an inter
view with The Associated 1 ress coi
respondent.
“The hour of the Hohenzollerns anti
the Hapsburgs has sounded," he con
tinued. “The tide of democracy which
is sweeping across Europe will also
sweep them away, not perhaps dur
ing the war, but soon afterward. Mil
lions of men will not agree*, will not
allow in future, that their destinies,
their lives, should be ruled by a hand
ful of autocrats. In this sense this
has opened th eyes of the people. The
Russian Emperor has gone, more Em
perors will follow."
Mr. Sigg has the greatest faith in
new Russia, if allowed to rebuild its
own regeneration without foreign, es
pecially German influence. He con
siders the Stockholm Conference more
or less a farce owing to the diver
gent views of the socialist delegates
from the different countries. He flouts
the work at Petrograd of Robert
Grimm, the Swiss Socialist, who en
deavored to make peace between Ger
many and Russia, who, he says, never
represented Swiss socialism and who
acted like Hoffman on his own author
ity without consulting his colleagues."
“German socialists, with few excep
tions," said Mr. Sigg, have betrayed
international socialism by following
like a flock of sheep In the footsteps
of German Junkerism, but they are
now beginning to awake from then
false dream.
“Though, like all Swiss, I ardently
wish for peace, 1 don’t see it in sight.
A peace treaty—I say this as a neu
tral—would be all in the favor of Ger
many, a status-quo ante. The Allies,
backed now by America, rightly will
be difficult to solve—but wait first un
tif the war is finished."
-n
SPAIN TO GIVE
UPJANKER
NEW YORK, Sept. 11, (By Mail
via Anchorage).—Extradition papers
have been taken out at Albany for
William A. Kennedy, who was arrested
several weeks ago in Vigo, Spain, on
a charge of grand larceny, following
three indictments that were found
against him here after he had sud
denly closed his banking house and
sailed for Spain by the way of Ha
vana.
As soon as the papers receive the
president’s signature in Washington
a detective will go to Spain to bring
back Kennedy. He did a banking busi
ness here under the ifirm name of
Kennedy, Mitchell & Co., and is al
leged to have misappropriated funds
intrusted to him by foreigners to be
sent abroad.
-A
*
MARRIED WOMEN WHO
NEVER TALK TO STRANGERS
CORFU, Aug. I, (By Mail).—The
little Greek island of Fano near here
has become known to the Entente
fleets and armies as a place where
women are forbidden to talk. The isl
and has normally a population of 1824
persons, but most of the men are in
the United States where they work as
waiters.
The custom of the island for many
years has been for the young men to
marry the girl they love best and
then, after a brief honeymoon, go to
America to make their fortunes, re
turning in a few years to their brides.
During this period of the absence of
the husband, it has become a custom
for their wives, women traditional for
their beauty, never to talk to men. It
is the business of the older women to
watch over the young wives, and when
strange men approach, as has hap
pened frequently since the war, they
are met with*a shower of stones.
i