®atlg Nome JniUtatrial Worker. I
Published Daily except Sunday
By Nome Mine Workers' Union, No. 210, International Union of Mine, I
Mill and Sm eiter Workers.
Subscription Price
6-ne Tear ... „ ,__ _ _ __ _ ___ _ — — — 120.OB
tii Months._ ____ —__ — —— — — $10.00
Dae Month .. .„ „ „ - -. --— t 2.00 |
Entered as second class matter March 1, 1111, al the poat office at:
ftome, ■ Alassa, under the Act of March I, 1871.
All changes In standing advertisements must reach thla office at six
o'clock each evening to insure insertion In the following Issue.
Advertising rates made ksoaa on application.
"To secure to each laborer the whole product of hi* labor, or as
nearly as possible, Is a worthy object of any good government."—
Abraham Lincoln
Address alt Communications to Dally Nome Industrial Worker,
Box 210 Nome, Alaska. Phone, Black 1IB.
Nome, Alaska, August Bl. 1!<17.
I M OMI- \TlIil!.I i 4 .
lSverj s ji >o> has heard and
read of the saying by Lincoln as
to the impossibility of a nation
existing half slave and half free.
That seemed ail right, an axiom
the truth of which was so self
evident that it needed no proof.
How many teachers of American
history reciting this saying will have
stopped to ask why not? What's
to prevent it? Why cannot slavery
for some and freedom for others
exist with some degree of perma
nence?
In point of fact such has existed
for almost two thousand years—al
most since the dawn of civilization
have there be' n in the same coun
try. the earn nation slaves and
freemen, lords and serfs and so
forth. It is true that they existed
without abs' nit- permanence; they
changed: bur they (hanged from
one similar s:at ■ to another so taht
those who were tree today were en
slaved norrow.
So it is all the more reason why
we should inquire why the nation
cannot ex;.-' half slave and half free
and niertly because such was de
< lared by a very great man. to by
no meals uk'- it for granted.
in the main it is true: there <an
ho no absolute stability in the na
tion where such a condition cii
i ■ : ’
a condition places a premium upon!
:.gi* dion and instability.
I’ake a look at Germany before1
the war. Germany had been order
ing its civilization along certain]
definite lines. First of till it had
organized an enormous military
machine. It was a gigantic affair
that required years and years to
perfect and perfected it was only
on or about some time in 1914
Prior to that time it had been
building up a system of industry
and agriculture which went to
make that nation self supporting
for that gigantic machine. It has
built military railroads which were
co-ordinated for t Ho industrial
needs; it had developed gigantic
farms in a most scientific manner
so that the prod . • iv. first
i lass American farm and the pro
ductivity ol a first class German
farm were in the ratio of one to
1000. It employed enormous
masses of labor in promoting the
perfection of its military machine,
great supplies in guns, munitions,
material, and carefully cared for
men.
In 1914 that job was complete.
The work for the army of eight
million men was finished to 1 lit?
smallest detail and as a writer
said “came a time when Germany
was completely modernized indus
trially and in a military sense for
that day, and the work of prepara
tion for war was perfected as far
as it can he perfected”.
The German industrial chiefs
were very wealthy and growing very
independent. They feared no com
petition. Their scientific work was
ten years in advance of America.
They improved American inventions
and they had German inventions on
a scientific plane even the Amer
ican experts could not hope to
reach. But there was the other
class: :.n Immense working class
which as a fighting material had
been carefully protected and fed
and clothed by government. They
bad been utilized on the works
which were to aid in the prose< u
1ion of a great \sar and these
works wore finished. So we had
a great and wealthy owning class
and a numerous and up to this well
cared for working class. Half
slave and half free you see
Thera was now the alternative of
putting it right up to the workers
to go without employment and ex
perience wnat the American work
ers experience ■ every decade or so
when “panics" strike the oonti
were to be employed
ner>t. Or th
in war.
We all know the consequences
of the derision reached and what
they will finally be, who can say?
The point is why could not the
German industrial and landed chiefs
take the other alternative: their
own profits might be lessened but
they could have provided for those
workers by shortening the work
day and extending to them a share j
of ownership. The war was not j
the only way out of course for
there was such a thing possible as
the elimination of the profit sy
stem and - inception of a svstem '
of coll.'(live ownership of the
means production and distrihu-1
tion. Tha* would have saved the
country much suffering and pre
served for human benefit tin pro- 1
duct of r-’sl German science and
German progress and inveniton. In
stead the;, ehose the alternative;
of war a in! war the nation has.
But why was this done? Why
did they insist that the country
should exist half slave and- half
free ev.-n it ihev had to chose be
tween freeing all or making war.
the later dreadful alternative?
It is in the answer to this we
find why there is always an instab
ility where the country is divided
intr dependent and independent
classes. Blasters and servants, free
men and slaves.
Such a condition develops in the
tli • minds of tHe one and the other
two distinct set of interests. The
interest of an owner and the inter
est of a non-owner and these are
inevitably antagonistic. What tlie
employer conceives good for hint
is .lot necessarily good for the em
ployee. What the employee finds
is good for him is regarded by an
employer ase very had indeed for
him The very well being of the
one conflicts with the well being
of tin other. And to eliminate the
dr w backs incidental to exploita
tion of one class by another there is
only way that that can lie done,
namely to eliminate exploitation
and to destroy classes .
it is, however, a selt evident pro
position that for billionairies to ex
ist there must be a multitude of
penniless paupers: there must be
an enormous mass of exploitable
mat. rial from whose labor great
wealth can be created through ac
to machinery and which can
he absorbed by those who own the
plants. It is a self evident proposi
tion that if the product of a plant
ill modern induslty Is divided among
the workers in proportion to their
socially necessary labor time ex
actly. there will he nothing more
for the boss. Consequently the
very existence of the boss pre
supposes many workers who are
paid only a tithe of the product of
their labor throughout a working
day. The more they demand, the
more will the profits shrink, the
more the profits shrink the less
money will be available for the
high standard of living of the em
ployer: for his yachts, for the
pleasure trips to the Continent, for
the Monte Carlo casinos, for tlic
daughter’s dowry, for the support
of the titled son-in-law, for the
junkottings and autos and man
servants and maid servants and
city and country and seaside
houses.
So it is that the great employer
as sucli inevitably looks at things
quite differently to the way em
ployees who aro living on their
day's wages will look at things.
There is a latent or evident anta
gonism between those two view
points and tlr’se find expression In
the class antagonisms that develop
and hence ensues the instability
due to such antagonisms which pre
vent the absolute permanence of
any satiety tha* exists half slave
and half free.
'n a measure that instability is
usually overcome by artificial means
It was the intention ot the German
employing classes to overcome that
instability which would lard to a
revolution otherwise, by a war, a
war which would continue to en
gage the activities of those work
ers who had up to its breaking
out been engaged in immense
works of uselulness, even it they
had military preparedness as the
direct end in view.
There is an uncertainty about
this condition of things which is
not so w 11 for employers, and we
can readily understand that the ap
prehensions of employing classes
who lightly approved the war are
growing as it extends and there is
even talk of extending reforms.
Moreover this aspect of the si
tuation affects every nation. It cer
tainly affects the I'nited States,
Great Britain, France a.s well as
Germany.
Now that these nations are also
involved thej have created im
mense industrial activities which
have tlm successful prosecution of
the war the sole reason for their
existence. When peace comes these
will automatically cease, and then
those powers wiF face precisely the
same situation that the German rul
ing classes faced in 1914, with no
possibility of war in sight to ease
the situation.
It is true that there will be a
period of enormous consumption
during a re-construction of the ter
ritory devastated hv war. But the
military now engaged in non-pro
ductive labor will easily supply ail
that, and then the limits of pro
ductive capacity are much more
elastic than the limits of '•onsump
tion which experience shows are
easily reached enough.
Five years after the war. five
years of peace will have restored
to the world a condition of abso-1
lute normality as far as the ab
sorption of the product of labor j
in mine, mill and factory is con
cerned, as far too as the feeding
and clothing of the world is con
cerned. The redistribution of many
millioned workers throughout j
society, men accustomed to have
their wants attended to will not
have rer.i lied normality in five
years nor in ten years nor in a gen
eration. The average soldier al
ways was a problem when he re
tired from his profession and the
fai t that he is a many millioned
problem will noi decrease the diffi
culty.
What then is to happen? The in
stability is made more acute; the
question of a free, independent
owning lass, aid tie- existence of
a solving, dependent. non-owning
els ss will press still more gravely
for solution and will be intensified
by the very insistence of the pro
blem. The social instability is
certain to be more and more
i marked and the situation is one
which no one can see the end of.
Before the war Germany fated
a grave problem. The problem
was this. Here wore many mil
lions of men who had been engaged
in work for wages making the mili
tary machine perfect. That work
was done in 1914. What was to
be done with them? Let them free to
follow their own uncertain devices
about which only one thing would
be certain that they would sooner
or later revolt? Was that to be
thought of as long as for an em
ploying clr.rs one could ‘Cry havoc
and let slip the dogs of war"?
After the war all the nations
wi.l face a graver problem and with
no such answer available as was
artificial means of solution to Ger
many. The problem is this. Here
are many million men, engaged to
fight who are paid and fed and
clothed and supported by govern
ment: here are enormous industries
developed to aid them Ir. carrying on
the war. After the war what will
be done with them? It is to be
sol'ed by employers or it will be
sohed by employees and the two
solutions are likely to be incomat
ible one with the other and the
result is.
NO \V.\H PRICES AT
HOLT’S CASH STORES.
Fresh snuff per Ih>y 5c.
Star Tobacco per pound 50c.
Large size canvas .gloves, blue
knit wrists two pair for 25c.
Pearl oil, can 91.90, case 93.75.
U inch gal. iron pipe, joint. 50c.
0 inch hluck stove pi|>e, joint 25c.
I.enox soap. 4 bars 25c.
Matches, all kinds 4 for 25c.
No. 17 heavy .Meddlecott I'nder
wear $2.25.
Spring clothes pins, 3 iloz. 25c.
Emit Jars, 5c., 10c., 15c.
Jar rubbers 10c. a do/..
Shoe Packs 94.50 a pair.
Rubber Boots 97.50 pair.
Stop Kicking at prices
BEY AT HOLT’S.
lilt; DISPLAY OE DRESSES.
\Ve will display and offer for
sale our entire line of Dresses.
Prices reduced so as to cover cost
only. Sale begins at 10 o'clock
today Tuesday, lasting three day's
or until the arrival of I'niatilla.
Everything reduced. Display and
sale moved to l'reeding Store, foot
of Steadman Avenue.
NOME GROCERY < ().
A. F. OESTRECCH, Mgs.
***#»!
*ra***<«*jiww******TO**vw** w*******************;******
S
North
Pole
Bakery
& Coffee
House
BREAD
10c. per it af
3 Loaves 30c.
Anvil
Bakery
and
Coffee
House
Why worry
About wash day
THAT’S OUK BUSINESS.
Satisfaction Guaranteed.
BOSTON
STEAM LAUNDRY
444 Front St. Fhone Main 53
BO ARD OF TRADE
Restaurant
and
LUNCH ROOM
George Modini,
_Proprietor
NOME BAKERY’S ICE CREAM &
SOFT DRINKS PARLOR
Now Open For Business
SPECIAL ROOM AMI ACCOMMODATIONS I’OR LADIES.
HOT DRINKS. —
Coffee, Ten, Chocolate, Reef Tea, Clam Tea Milk Toast, Chicken Tea
For Hot Drinks Cake, Pastry, or Sandwiches will be served.
NOME BAKERY MINED ANI) PLAIN DRINKS.
Plain Soda, Lemon, Strawberry, Ya nilla, Raspberry, Orange, Pineapple,
Coca-Cola, Root Beer Ginger, Cream ..Chocolate Sunshine, • Grape Juice,
Cider, Sweet Cow’s Milk, Hutterini! k, lemonade Arctic Phosphate,
Grape Juice Highball, Loganberry Highball, Egg, Malted Milk, Arctic
Milk Shake. We serve Rainer, NEAR BEER, just received.
WE RECOMMEND OUR FIRST CLASS STOCK OF CANDIES.
NOME IIAKERY ICE CREAM by the Cone, Ilish, Pint, Quurt, and
Gallon. ICE CREAM SODA.
ALASKA STEAMSHIP CO.
S. S. VICTORIA
LEAVE SEATTLE: LEAVE NOME:
Via Seward, Valdez and Cordova
Without Additional Charge.
SEPTEMBER 7 SEPTEMBER 19.
OCTOBEK «. OCTOBER 22.
SAILING SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
R. A. Carroll, Agent, Nome
From Nome
Sept. 3rd.
From Seattle
Sept. 15th.
SEPTEMBER 28.
OCTOBER 36.
SEPTEMBER 15.
OCTOBER 13.
RIGHT RESERVED TO CHANGE THI8 SCHEDULE.
PACIFIC STEAMSHIP CO.
ALASKA L. & C. CO.
AGENTS
At Dock.
F. J. O’CONNOR,
Commercial Agent.
Front St. and Steadman Are.
Charles L. Ross
Milling, Lumber, Contractor
HAVING TAKEN OVER THE FREIGHTING & TRANSFER
BUSINESS OF W. STEIGELMAJER AND OF LEO KENT,
FREIGHT ORDERS AND TRANSFER CONTRACTS WILL RE
CEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION.
3RD AND R STREET. PHONE BLACK 162.
S. S. Standard
Sails every SIX I>.\YS to
DIME A\I) WAY POINTS
weather permitting
From Snake River.
CHAS WECKMAN'.
INDEPENDENT
MEAT MARKET
W. H. Webb prop. Phone M.1B
CHANGE IN COAL PRICES.
On Aug. 10th, Wellington Coal will l>e $2:1.00 |>er ton in yard.
On and after September 2.Nth, Wellington Coal will be $25.00 pr
ton in yard, llriquets will continue at $18.00 per ton in yard.
We are experiencing great difficulty in securing anthracite
coal for winter use and cannot guarantee having any quantity
on hand.
Alaska Lighterage Comercial Co.
THE NOME INDUSTRIAL WORKER
is prepared to handle
all kinds of
JOB PRINTING
Let us figure on your
work. Call up Black
134 or call at
THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER OFFICE
wcruMUBMaiaa