TRI-WEEKLY
Published Tuesday. Thursday,
' and Saturday.
By Nome Mine Workers’ Union, No. 240, International Union of Mine
Mill and Smelter Workers.
Subscription Price
One Year . $20.0t
Six Months . 10.00
One Month . 2.0(
“To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or a;
nearly as possible is a worthy object of any good government.",—Abra
ham Lincoln. „
A11 changes in advertisements must reach this office before 9 A. M
on day of publication to insure insersion in same issue.
Advertising rates made known on application.
Address all communications to Tri-Weekly Nome Industrial Worker.
Box 210, Nome, Alaska. rhone, Black 134.
Entered as second class matter March 1, 1911, at the post office a
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, IS79.
NOME, ALASKA THURSDAY, AUGUST, 15, 1918.
“AMEIUt ’A NIZATION”
When the United States of Amen
ta entered the war, a good many very
ardent and patriotic Americans were
astounded by the indifference of large
numbers of the alien population who
manifested supreme indifference in
the crisis. And when the selective
draft came into being they were still
further astonished to discover and to
be constantly discovering the very
large number who asked for exemp
tion because of their being aliens
and who evinced no very enthusiastic
anxiety to take up the sword upon be
half of the United States.
This state of affairs they deemed
unintelligible: they could not under
stand that the foreigners who mani
fested such a disposition could under
any circumstances fail to appreciate
the beneficient laws and the consti
tution which made the United States
what it was among the nations.
Manfully then, they tackled the
problem before them. And they have
begun to institute centers where
civics and citizenship is taught and
where the benefits of America may be
properly explained and explained may
be appreciated. This process is call
ed Americanization.
Without a doubt when one has to
•go to some length to the average mind
to explain the benefits that one re
ceives from anything, there must be
somethng wrong. And it seems to
be unfortunate that those who have
charge of this work, to whose pat
riotic zeal it owes its inception, have
riot gone to the trouble of perceiving
the reason why these things should
be. Offhand, it may be stated, human
nature quickly appreciates benefits,
it quickly enjoys good fortune and en
joying will go to some lengths to
signify its delight therein. Offhand
when the human being is transplant
ed from some miserable form of ty
ranny to one of freedom unalloyed,
one will make no secret of an intelli
gent knowledge and an equally in
telligent appreciation of that fortun
ate fact. Even animals not endowed
with power to reason to any great ex
tent will manifest this.
Consequently since those good
citizens enjoy to the full the benefits
of American freedom, they do not un
derstand and they cannot explain
why there are so many aliens who do
not, and who make no secret of their
views in this respect.
The problem which is faced is by
no means so simple to those who
glibly talk of Americanizing the
foreigner, and unless they grasp the
fundamental solution of it they will
be doomed to complete and contin
uous failure, however they may satis
fy themselves in the superficial suc
cess that may seem to follow upon
their effort.
The real solution is to be found in
the historic function performed both
by immigration and by the immigrant
upon his arrival here in American in
dustry.
Thanks to tariff laws more or less
efficient, American industry flourish
ed beyond the ability of the native
American population to meet its labor
requirements. American industry
had to depend upon the immigrant
for its extraordinary development,
and naturally enough in the process
vif satisfying the industrial demand
tor his labor, the immigrant often
enough ousted the American from his
stronghold in that industry as far
as his labor is concerned.
The American when working had
been slow to build up any form of
organization, but he developed one
somewhat archaic in efficiency, but
none the less pugnacious and defiant.
The industrial employers ran into
conflict with those unions, and know
ing that his immigration supply of
labor was practically unlimited, ho
toad no Industrial qualms of con
science in quelling the strikes o
American workers by the simple ex
pedient of filling their places by un
lettered workers from Europe whi
had no conceptions of labor organiza
tion at all. Even if he did have sucl
qualms of his industrial conscience
he absolved himself with the com
forting knowledge that the immigran
had a lower standard of living am
would be satisfied with less pay that
the American union man.
Especially was this the case in th'
American steel industry. That grea
industry grew beyond all recognition
piling up enormous profits and creat
ing a few enormously wealthy mill
ionaires. Its record for labor crush
ing by no means begins with Heme
stead, but Homestead marks wha
one may call the final defeat of th
American union man in that industrj
Then arrived the foreigner. He at
rived in hordes. And his passage t
this country was stimulated not onl
by the industrial demand, but als
by the lurid promises of wealth am
happiness which steamship compan
ies made part of their stock in tradt
The companies acted toward th
foreign labor that was employed e>
actly as if that labor came from
machine, and abundance of whic
was on hand for the asking. The
were not even given the consideratio
of domestic animals for their deat
or maiming meant no loss. Ther
were many more where that on
came from. The foreigner himse!
faced the grinding process in indus
try to which he could be subjecte
in no other country in the world. H
worked twelve hours a day for seve
days a week, and if some philanthri
pically minded legislator had passe
an eight hour law, some judge dt
dared it unconstitutional. The pa
allowed the foreigner something ove
and above his expenses provided h
maintained his European standard c
living, and if not he went in deb
How many so-called bohunks o
polaks lost their lives and their hai
piness in the steel industry of th
United States, one may not begin t
determine, but when some years ag
the Russel Sage Foundation’s surve
made its investigation of the lives an
circumstances of the steel worker:
those who read the report stoo
aghast at its horrors. Shacks, tent
ments, indescribably horrible dwel
ings and indescribably horrible cot:
ditions of life were tolerated by thes
for what else was before them. N
one seemed to have thot of American
izing them then at all and the onl
value outside their industrial func
tion, was their political function t
return Penroses and profiteerin
hirelings to office under the guidanc
of clever machines which voted ther
as they worked as if they were huma
automatons.
This condition did not confine itsel
to any one section. It spread thr
practically all sections which felt th
stimulus of industry.
And when in the course of time
industry stagnated owing to over pro
duction and under consumption, th
alien labor upon which it dependei
during prosperity, was cast adrift t<
hunt charity, to stand in bread lines
or to be harried from pillar to pos
and from chain gang to chain gang a
criminals and evil doers althougl
their only crime was their helpless
ness and their lack of a job.
Naturally enough with these peo
pie the beauties of American politic.!
institutions were wholly unappremat
■ d. ri hey did not realize the complet
values of our democracy and th
precious gift of citizenship to then
was as pearls before swine. It ma;
be unfortunate that this is so, bu
that it is so can hardly be denied
The condition can be directly tracet
to the industrial conditions whicl
were forced upon the foreign work
ers, and it is the duty of those whi
have undertaken the work of Ameri
canizing these who are in need of it,
to see that under no circumstances
shall they be compelled to endure the
same conditions which have resulted
in such a lack of enthusiastic loyalty
to the country in which they live.
Provided that decent conditions of
living are afforded these men, pro
vided they are not the prey of every
industrial harpie and every political
crook, provided that the American
courts deals out to these poor and
lowly and foreign, simple .find honest
justice, provided that it is made clear
that justice in industry and in poli
tics prevails, that they are treated
as human beings with human quali
ties that must be treated according
ly, the immigrants even though they
be unlettered and unknowing, will
not manifest a lack of concern for |
the nation in the day of its peril. To
hold that in any event, quite regrad
less of the conditions of life to which
they have been subjected, the facts
of their every day industrial exis-j
tence, they should be loyal and pat-!
riotic is to expect something that is I
almost beyond the generous impulses >
of human nature. But none the less. I
the manner in which these men ig- j
norant and unlettered have unselfish-j
ly and with no desire for gain stood
by the country in the country's need,
should not be lost upon any one, least
of all on those who are trying to
Americonize them.
PROFITEERING
A newspaper has made the import
i ant definition of criticism will be
, found valualbe these days to parti
- zans. ’’Constructive criticism is
t what you say, destructive criticism
l is what the other fellow says.”
i Likely enough the profiteers who
have been insisting that talk about
> their antics in the< war, is most de
t structive and ought to be stopped,
, will doubtless conclude that the Fed
- eral Trade Commission is made up
- of most ill-favored fellows, with
- minds seditionwards bent, and whose
- loyalty must be doubted. For how
t else is one engaged in the art of profi
; teering to explain that lengthy many
. paged indictment of the great profi
- teerse who accumulated profits any
> where from fifteen to five hundred
,• per cent?
> How else is one to explain the fact
1 that every possible device known to
. accounting has been used to con
ceal the immense profits made and the
3 fact that is exposed every possible
. method of distributing profits in the
j form of costs payment from huge
! salaries for an absentee president,
y vice president and officials large and
,j small to the gift of a fabulously ex
^ pensive auto charged to the advertis
e I ing account?
How else is one Swift to explain
that he wrote another Swift that he
had heard that government control
of the leather industry was possible
and suggested that a reappraisal of
their properties was advisable or that
one company in the refining of oil
made four percent in 1913 and made
70 per cent in 1917 without buying
more oil, selling a larger quantity or
enlarging its works in anw way?
In that lengthy report is furnished
the more damming indictment of
those whose God is the Dollar than
anything has been furnished as yet.
One might aptly term it "$idelights
on Capitalist Patriotism.” And they
are patriots, noisy, blatant and dem
onstrative in their patriotism, every
one of them.
Of course, in view of the Supreme
Court’-s decision on Child Labor, the
futility of political action by labor
is apparent to Mr Gompers.
NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS
All changes in standing adver
tisements must be handed into this
office the day preceding the issue
for which the change is desired.
Attention to this will save disap
pointment in not securing desired
changes with dispatch. _
NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
To John Ellis, your heirs, executors,
administrators and assigns:
You and each of you are hereby
notified that the undersigned has
expended in labor and improvements
the sum of one hundred dollars
during each of the years of 1914,
1915, and 1916, upon the following
described placer mining claim, sit
uate, lying and being in the Cape
Nome Recording Precinct, Alaska,
to-wit: —
The “Allie” claim on Snake river,
as described in location notice there
of filed for record in the offloe of
the Recorder of said Recording
district on the 4th day of January,
1904, and recorded therein in vol
ume 133, at page 344.
You are further notified that if
within ninety (90) days after the
publication of this notice you fail
or neglect to contribute your pro
portion of such expenditure, your
interest in said mining claim if any,
will become the property of the un
dersigned, your co-owner, under
section 2324 of the Revised Statutes
of the United States.
EVERETT SUTHERLAND
' Co-owner,
f Date of first publication June 13,
1918.
Date of last publication Sept. 12
1918.
PAID A DVEETISEM E NTS
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WASHINGTON STATE
FEDERATION OF LABOR
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
EVERETTE, WASH. Sept. 9th, 191G.
To Trade Unionists of Alaska,
Greeting.
Ordinarily we 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. Tho
interests 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 Wickersliam is fighting in
Congress against tho exploitation of labor and the great nat
ural wealth of Alaska by powerful private interests, that we
are taking the liebrty 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.
s*f: ■ >-• ■ CHAS, It. CASE
Chairman Legislative Committee, Seattle Central Labor Council.
;• ' 1 ' - J. G BROWN
President International Shingle Weavers’ Union of America.
Si«IifiT s '■ M WILLIAM SHORT
Sec.-Treas. Dist. No. 10, United Mine Workers of America.
FOR DELEGATE TO CONGRESS
HON. CHAS. A. SULZER
(Democrat)
ELECTION, NOVEMBER, 6, 1918
j.
ALASKA STEAMSHIP CO.
S.S. VICTORIA
Leave
Seattle
Aug. - ' - 20th
Sept.- I2th
Leave
Nome
Sept. - - - ist
Sept. - - - 24th
* OCTOBER SAILING DATE ANNOUNCED LATER
R. A. Carroll Agent, Nome
S.S.ABM. WATSON
Sailing: Schedule Season 1QJ8
Leave
Seattle
Aug. = = - 20th
Seqt. = - - 17th
Leave
Nome
Sept. = =
Oct. - -
3rd
1st
Last South Bound Sailing Oct. 1st
Schedule Subject to Change Withoui Notice
flake Reservations Now
_ Pacific S. S. Co.
L. C. Wolfe Agent==Nome
SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR
THE WORKER
Charles L. Ross
Milling, Lumber, Contractor
HAVING TAKKN OVER THE FREIGHTING & TRANSFER
BUSINESS OF VV. STEIGELMAIEIt AND OF LEO KENT,
FREIGHT ORDERS AND TRANSFER CONTRACTS WILL RE
CEIVE PROMPT ATTENTION.
3RD AND B STREET. PHONE BLACK 168.
♦ *
»Miners and Merchants Bank
Nome, Alaska
Capital $100,000.00
Workingmen’s Accounts Solicited
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^ 4* v 4* 4* 4* v 4* v 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* v v 4* v 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4
I*
The Dawson Hotel
(Includes THE DAWSON, GREEN TREE and THE LINCOLN)
Finest Rooms In Nome
HOMELIKE AND COMFORTABLE QUARTERS FOR TRANS
IENT OR PERMANENT GUESTS.
BY DAY, WEEK OK MONTH.
BARNEY G1BNEY.Proprietor
v -I- *i*»!«•!♦ -I- -!* v *!* -I* -I- *1- -I* -J- -J- -J- 4. •$.A .j.
■!' -!• v 'I- *!* *!* 'I* -I* v *1* 4* 'I* -I* +4" *1- -I- *;* A -j. ,j. .j.
North Pole Bakery
& Coffee House
BREAD
15 cents per loaf
2 Loa\es 25c.
E*4#4*4,4*4*4*4*4,4,4*4*4*4*4,’5*4,4*4*4',*tf“4#4*4#4*4*4*4*4,4i
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