NOME 1UST1L WORKER
iTM-WEEKLY
Published Tuesday. Thursday,
and i Saturday.
By Nome Mine Workers’ Union, No. 240, International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers.
Subscription Price
One Year .. $20.00
Six Months . 10.00
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"To secure to each laborer th» whole product of his labor, or as
ntarly as possible is a worthy object of any good government ”—Abra
A am Lincoln.
Address all communications to Tri -Weekly Nome Industrial Worker.
Box 210. Nome, Alaska. Phone, Black 134.
All changes in advertiscmeats must reach this office before 9 A. M.
on day of publication to insure insersion in same issue.
Advertising rates made known on application.
Entered as second class matter August 6, 1918, at the Post Office
*t Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
NOMK, ALASKA SATURDAY, OCTOBER, 5, 1018.
I’KEMATl/ItE CONDEMNATION
A whole lot of the family journals
-»jf this nation point to the Bolsheviki
and to Russia as a horrible example
that will follow the adoption of a soc
ialist program.
Suppose we grant that things are
chaotic in Russia; suppose we grant
that things are so evil that many can
not get enough to eat and hunger and
disease are very common. Suppose it
be admitted that there is a tremen
dous degree of internecine strife.
What then? Is socialism to blame?
Well, then why not blame capital
ism for the conditions that prevailed
anterior to the Bolsheviki. for the con
dition in Germany and elsewhere?
And mark this well enough also. In
all of Russia there is no preponder
ance of the population which wishes
to return to capitalism. The author
ity of the Bolsheviki may be ques
tioned; the government of the Soviets
may be opposed, but they are ques
tioned and opposed by the social rev
olutionists and the mennsheviki who
are themselves also socialists and
who differ with the Soviets on the
proposition ot’ war or no war.
Russia intends to remain socialist,
whether Russia is to be pro-AUv or
not.
And that is the most significant
fact of all.
STANDARDIZATION <>!■’ WAGES
The intention of the United States
■government to standardize wages in
■war industries could easily have been
foreseen. It had to come to that.
Labor reaches that market ultimately
wherein it will get the highest price
and if labor as a commodity is hot
and paid for at a higher price in one
than another, the market wherein the
lower wages are paid will find a dif
ficulty in securing men.
Now the only draw back to a
■standardization in wages would be
the possibility of adopting the lower
standard of wages. Labor could hard
ly regard that with equanimity. As
it is standardization is likely to keep
wages more stable and this in effect
means that wages will not tend to
keep pace with the costs of living.
While the machinery Ijas been provid
ed for the adjustment of labor ques
tions. especially the wages questions,
that machinery is very slow moving.
Whereas consumption of life's neces
sities is an immediate matter, the ad
justment by labor boards is method
ical and far from immediate.
The war's necessities are without
tloubt taking many of the economic
Yaws in hand and effecting changes
therein, and the iron law of wages
is next to he modified. Whether it
can be modified without disturbances
is of course a matter which time alone
will tell.
LOIIS K. POST SPEAKS
In his address in Tacoma the As
sistant Secretary of Labor, Louis F.
Post discussed the question of the
conscription of Labor. He said in so
many word3 that "we may have to
conscript labor. But if we do, let it
•be assured the government will not
- -conscript men into a place without
first that place being conscripted.
We will not conscript labor for pri
vate profit.” The report said that
Ike remark was greeted with loud
applause. Of course that might have
•been expcted.
However, Mr Post notwithstanding,
the assurance is by no means strength
ened when we consider the situa
tion that is existing in several pri
vately owned logging camps in the j
State of Washington where soldiers
are even now at work getting out
necessary spruce lumber for the Uni
ted States government, but for the
:*uccessful operation also by logging
companies of the Sound.
As a matter of fact present time
laws exist which give authority to
conscript labor if required in this
war. There is no use blinking that
fact and no use pretending that it is
not so. Furthermore if labor is re
quired to be used in any industry we
may be assured that whether it is
privately owned or not, that labor
will be forthcoming by government
direction, if free labor is not avail
able, then by conscripted labor.
The' Government has taken over
the railroads, the telegraphs and tele
phones and assumed control in other
directions of government industry,
but in all cases a standard of pay
ment, profit, has been arranged for
the owners in the premises. Mili
tary necessity has so far certainly
not interfered with the rights of prop
erty in any place. Government con
trol has in no case meant elimination
of private ownership. The control is
temporary merely and the govern
ment will have to give an accounting
of its stewardship in a very strict
manner indeed to the private owners.
A DOUBTFUL TEST
Cardinal Gibbons according to a
press statement is praying for the
success of America in this war and
is confident of the prayers being an
swered. And newspapers comment
ing on the pious and patriotic atti
tude of the cardinal believe too that
it will no doubt prove to an unbe
lieving world that prayers are effica
cious.
But it is hardly a convincing test.
Napoleon long ago pointed out that
Heaven fought on the side of the big
battalions and with all due respect to
the good cardinal, he is playing quite
safe when praying for America's vic
tory, for by the same token it is more
the strong right arm and the' stout
heart and the clear head of the Amer
ican soldiers, officers and men, which
will win the war than all the pray
ers that have been offered since the
war began.
It is true that thrice is he armed
who hath a quarrel just, but at the
same time wise natiorls take no
chances. They do well to carefully
arm head to fpot, equip with latest
machine guns and rifle, high explo
sive and air crafts and then leaving
nothing undone that might secure
victory turn thotfully to prayer to
cement the preparedness.
And in this connection it may be
advisable to point out that there are a
good many high officials in ecclesias
tical life in the Central Powers pray
ing for victory since 1914 and that
their prayers will reach a cold hear
ing we hope and believe. Yet it
would be manifestly uhfair to judge
because the prayers, of an Austrian
cardinal are unanswered, for that
rason in truth are players without
avail. The test is a doubtful one.
TIMK TO (iKT OFF
Spain has been sitting on the fence
in this great war so long that its pos
terior muscles are wearied. Several
times it lifted itself to a higher posi
tion and now the Teutons and now
the Allies thot the bull fighters were
about to enter the arena on their be
half. Spain merely bluffed and kept
its fence. But this surrender of Bul
garia makes the fence these days an
even more dangerous position than
the actual arena. The Allies have
much to settle with Spain; its pro
Germanlsm has been too ostentatious
Spanish territory provides the Ger
man spy system a refuge, it is about
time to get off or fare worse.
Remember purchasing a Liberty
Bond is not giving, it is making the
surest investment on earth.
. f >: ‘ •
.f (*
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
HON. CHAS. A. SULZER
(DEMOCRAT)
FOR DELEGATE TO CONGRESS
ELECTION, NOVEMBER, 5, 1918
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
JAMES J. BOQAN
(DEMOCRAT)
ELECTION NOVEMBER, 5th 1918.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
ALMER (Slim) RYDEEN
I (DEMOCRAT) of Candle.
ELECTION NOV. 5th, 1918.
For Re-election
JOHN A. WILSON
£ For Road Commissioner
Election, November 5, 1918
FOR ROAD COMMISSIONER
SECOND DIVISION
BARNEY GIBNEY
(DEMOCRAT)
ELECTION, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 1018
FOR TERRITORIAL ROAD COMMISSIONER
AL WINKLER
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
• f
ELECTION NOVEMBER ft, 1018.
S. S. VICTORIA
will sail from Seattle for Nom on her last trip 10 a. m. Oct. 10th.
Last Sailing of the Season
LEAVES NOME
OCTOBER THE 20TH ^
R. A. Carroll Agent, Nome
S.S.ABM. WATSON
LEAVES NOME
October 4th
(VIA KOPTAK AND ANCHORAGE)
Last Sailing of the Season
Schedule Subject to change
Without Notice
Pacific S. S. Co. »
L. C. Wolfe Agent^Nome
PAID ADVERTISEMENTS
FOR RE-ELECTION TO THK TERRITORIAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
t
JAMES P. DALY
(DEMOCRAT)
ELEC TION NOVEMBER 5th, 1918.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
E. B. -Duffy= O’CONNOR
1NDEPENDENT ( AN DIDATE
FAVORS EIGHT HOUR LAW, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM;
OPPOSES INDUSTRIAL MONOPOLY
ELECTION NOVEMBER 5, 1918.
—T
WASHINGTON STATE
FEDERATION OE LABOR
EXECUTIVE AMt LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
EVERETTE, WASH. Sept. 9th, 191C.
To Trade Unionists of Alaska,
Greeting.
Ordinarily wp would not think of making any sugges
tions to you concerning political candidacies in your Territory
but in the present situation we feel justified in doing so. The
intprests of’labor in the entire northwestern group of states
and particularly Washington, is closely allied with the interest
of labor in Alaska. We have watched with growing concern
the efforts of large corporate aggregations to tighten their
hold upon the wealth of your country and have watched the
splendid fight waged in Congress by your Delegate Mr Wick
ersham.
It is because we believe Mr Wlckersham is fighting In
Congress against the ^cploitation of labor and the great nat
ural wealth of Alaska^" powerful private Interests, that we
are taking the llebrty of urging our fellow unionists in^ Alaska
to rally to his support In his campaign for re-election.
Knowing that you will accept this communication in the
spirit in which it is written and assuring you the continued co
operation and good will of your fellow trade unionists, we beg
leave to remain,
» Fraternally Yours,
E. P. MARSH
President Washington State Federation of Labor.
<?HAS, R. CASE
Chairman Legislative Committee, Seattle Central Labor Council.
J. G BROWN
President International Shingle Wearers’ Union of America.
WILLIAM SHORT
Sec.-Trcas. Dist. No. 1§, United Mi«e Workers of America.