Bunking Our
Ex-Service Boys
By James R. Little
-x
Judging by various articles
that have appeared in several
magazines it seems that a fight
will be launched at the next ses
sion of Congress to deprive thou
sands of World War veterans of
their small monthly income The
object of attack is the disability
allowance act, passed by Con
gress in 1930, granting from $12
to $40 monthly to veterans un
able to prove their disabilities
are service-connected. Obvious
ly, it is often very difficult to
prove that the disability is ac
tually service-connected. The
above mentioned act needs no
derense as its subsequent work
ings have wholly justified it. But
cur ex-cervice men are entitled
to a square deal. The writer is
unaffected by any of the pro
posed changes in veteran legis
lation but as an American is
deeply interested in the welfare
of the ex-service men. The man
who sat at the head of the first
meeting of the National Econo
my League was retired from the
navy early in his career for phys
ical disability and draws ap
proximately $5,000 a year from
the Government. It is not a
“pension” or a “disability al-j
lowance,” of course that he re
delves; it is “retirement pay.” He
however is not so handicapped
that he is unable to do consid
erable flying. Will he voluntari
ly relinquish his pay in the in -
terest of economy? There is
much evidence that the real or
ganizer of the League is inter
ested in a corporation that re
ceived nearly $700,000 recently
from the Government—a gift! Is
his^desire for economy sincere9
Another member is paid $6,000
annually in “retirement pay”—
a nicer name for a “pension.”
That sum, however, is small com
pared with the salary he receives
from one of the country’s rich
est corporations. Of the other
members of the League, one is
forced to struggle along on a
mere $6,000 a year “retirement
pay.” One of his colleagues,
however, is allowed about $21,000
annually to live on, probably be
cause he has an office in the Na
tional capital! If these well
fed gentlemen are deeply con
cerned over high taxes, would
it not be fair if they accepted a
nice slash in “retirement pay”9
Probably a disabled enlisted man
is better able to lose from $12 to
$40 monthly! There are a few
other members of that organiza
tion that is so anxious to reduce
taxes but it is doubtful if any of
them have suffered much from
“Hoover Prosperity.”
Corporation lawyers for in
stance, usually earn enough to
| keep the proverbial wolf from
the door.
j In conclusion, it must be ad
mitted that the announced in
i' ention of the National Economy
I League can scarcely be criticized
To devise ways and means of
“inducing government economy”
is a worthy undertaking. I»,
would be much nicer, howeve\
and the American people might
,be much better convinced of the
| sincerity of the League members
if they would voluntarily accept
ja reduction of pay. Economy
|should begin at home, no less
than charity—not to deprive ve*
era ns of a miserable pittance
j and force them back on charily.
I “God be merciful,” and give our
j veteran's a square deal.
* *
THE MAGIC OF PAINTFD
LEAVES
The scattered flock of robins
in the city parks is a sign of fall.
That is like a bright pause be
fore deep, silent sleep, and Ine
vine-maples coolly burning, and
jcitleient kinds of birds in the
[cotton-woods talk it over. Some
have but lately learned flight,
almost all of these robins listen
for worms on the lawn and to
ticker and dash and exclaim
for pleasure in the moody,
snarp promise of autumn. And
when at last, on some near,
grave tomorrow, with a cloud
shaping and the harlequin
; leaves all fallen, the- flight of
j robins away to the forest, then
j autumn will be spent and her
days. All the signs are that
I soon, quite soon, it shall be fall.
Hooney-hued, thin-golden, with
j thistledown tumbling through it,
|soon it will fall! It seems to
rouse an old mood, as of sadness
that is not wholly sad:
I know Alaska Land has an af
fection for golden fall! The
I dancer that dresses in hued
leaves, and here and there on
, the hills, in the thickets, beside
streams that are languid with
summer, sorcery touches that fo
liage of small trees. The leaves
j begin now to burn, to consume
themselves, with the coal flame
ot beauty. And of such is her
garment when she comes smiling
toward us through the hills of
autumn, and by the blue can
yons that wild creatues have
groomed through the forest to
cance at the turn of the year.
: Yonder against the blue her
; geese are drifting, and soon it
■shall be fall. The land loves her
well and by most ancient affec
tion for it makes painted carni
val to greet her. She is the fall
of the year. There is much that
is urgent, that presses, that will
have today and tomorrow, and
these in haste nad possibly in
vexation—still the elder urgen
cies are best, and the hue of a
ripening leaf, the honey-huedj
j indolent, wistful softness of sun-f
shine- visit us with a meaning
beyond all others. It is real as
.revelation, and there is compas
sion in it, and calm joyousness, |
and something that, seeming to
I be sad, is not sadness—but there
j are no words for the meaning.
| . -X
Wickersham
Library
(Continued from last week)
-x
Native of Illinois
Mr. Wickersham was born in
j Fatoka, Illinois, August 24, 1857,
the son of Alexander Wicker
sham. He had a common school
education, and studied law in the
offices of Palmer, Palmer and
Shutt in Springfield, Illinois, un
| til he was admitted to the bar in
1880. October 27 of that same
year he was married to Deborah
S. Bell of Rochester, who died
November 23, 1926. They had one
s o n. Lieutenant Commander
Darrel P. Wickersham, U. S.
navy, retired, who lives in San
Francisco. Mr. Wickersham was
married again June 26, 1928, to
Mrs. Grace E. Bishop of Juneau.
They made their home in Ju
neau, but of course now live in
Washington, D. C.
Leaving Illinois, Mr. Wicker- i
sham came to the territory of '
Washington where he was elect- 1
ad probate judge of Pierce coun
ty, serving four years from 1864
In 1894 he was city attorney for
Tacoma. In 1898 he served a
term in the Washington house
of representatives. Next, he came
to Alaska. In addition to other
elective posts, he was sent fromi
the Territory as delegate to the
republican national convention
in 1928.
Mason For 51 Years
He is a life member of the
Asiatic Society of Japan. He be
longs also to the American An
thropological Association, the A
merican Ethnological Society of
New York, the Linguistic Society
of America—of which he is one
of the founders. In addition to
those organizations, Mr. Wick
ersham is a life member of the
Masonic lodge, and this year
marks the fifty-first of his mem
bership in that organization. He
belongs as well to the Moose, the
Pioneers of Alaska, and the Sons
of the American Revolution. He
is, as all Alaska knows, a repub
lican.
His studies and his long serv
ice for the Territory make Dele
gate Wickersham perhaps the
best informed of all on territor
ial affairs and history. He like3
Alaska and boosts Alaska. He
fights, and always has, for what
fie thinks right. He is a friend
>f the Alaskan native, and al
ways has been anxious to see
;hat the Indian gets fair dealing.
His railroad speech, delivered
HOGUE & TVETEN’S
MANY RARE VALUES remaining MUST GO!
f HERE’S WHERE THE FELLOW
WITH BIG FEET GETS A ’BREAK'
ONLY a few pair of rubber boots remain on
.hand all are large sizes 10s & 11s
Take away these $6.00 values at
BIB OVERALLS - UNIONALLS
OVERALLS - JUMPERS
Ail Standard Makes, some formerly priced to . . $4.50
IAKE THEM AWAY AT.$1.00
HI/AT/ PI? Q f Our remaining stock of ammunition
" ^***^* Take it at unheard of savings
TOYS! DOLLS! GAMES!
We have just taken our large stock of Dolls & Games, not prev
iously marked, and regardless of cost, we have priced these items* >
AT ONE - HALF THE FORMER PRICE
We are still overstocked on good Remington Pocket Knives » . . .
These had been reduced 40 per cent WeVe cut them another 10 per
cent. Take away yours at just one half of the former orice
We want to clean these
oat - extra large sizes,
odds & ends. These are
the best buy ever offered,
if you can be fitted.
Assortment of heavy
China PLATTERS,
£
' large & small some
' were priced to $2.50
} All Now Marked 30c
13
Men’s Hats two-thirds off
Men’s Leather Coats h alf off
LADIES BLOUSES
Values to $6.00, Specially
Priced For This Sale $1.00
ALL ART and GIFT SHOP
articles from our upstairs store have been
CUT EXACTLY IN HALF
NOTIONS, SILKS, UNDERWEAR ETC.