NOME INDUSTRIAL WORKER
TRI-WEEKLY
Published Tuesday. Thursday,
and' Saturday.
tfy Nome Mine Workers’ Union, No. 240, International Union of Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers.
•t
Subscription Price
One Year . $20.00
Six Months . 10.00
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“To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or as
wtarly as possible is a worthy object of any good government”—Abra
ttxm Lincoln.
Address all communications to Tri-Weekly Nome Industrial Worker.
Box 210, Nome, Alaska. Phone. Black 134.
All changes In advertisements must reach this office before 9 A. M.
«n day of publication to insure insersion in same issue.
Advertising rates made kncwn on application.
Entered as second class matter August 6, 1918, at the Post Office
«t Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
NOME, ALASKA THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 17, 1»18.
GOING OUTSIDE
Reports from Yukon end other in
fceiior point? indicate iha> there is
from those sections a general exodus
-outside.
They draw harrowing pictures of the
parting scenes and tell how house
holders in the smaller and larger
camps load up their goods and chat
tels and ship themselves and those
things outside. They tell how fine
homes are being deserted and how
.gardens planted with fine vegetables
•and potatoes are left untended and to
care for themselves a waste of weeds
and lack of cultivation. This all must
he lamented. But might not it have
heen expected?
The foundation of such industrial'
-activity as existed in the various cen
ters was the discovery and exploita
tion of gold placers. When thi3 ex
ploitation was no longer profitable it
followe'd as the night followed the
<lay, a matter of course, that the
camps would dwindle and become
more or less deserted.
Each camp surrounded itself with
a parasitic population. White col
lared anti with more or less outward
refinement, it was none the less
bailor made and highly artificial. It
was not made to wear. It founded
its interesting if rather amusing aris
trocracy of parasitism after the soc
ial antics of a four hundred grows
upon more permanent social struc
tures. It was essentially artificial
and “phony” in every way.
The storm of depression comes
and these parasitic groups miss the
basis of their livelihood. When pro
ductive labor had ceased, their means
■of living from the product of that
labor also ceased. Labor, always
more mobile, and always feeling the
effects of adverse industrial conditions
adjusts itself to the altered state
where adjustment is possible, with
the ease born of continual readjust
ments. With the parasitic interests
it is different. Losing their means of
livelihood that is material and sub
stantial, and which we have said is
founded upon productive labor, the
parasite lives upon hope anil onxy
removes himself to another sphere
when all hopes of a continuance of
his parasitism cease to be.
There has not been a camp in Alas
ka that has not evidenced in exact
ness everything which wo have been
saying. Alaska was the happy hunt
ing ground of the parasite. Fortvery
man engaged in producing gold, there
v.ere three to a dozen living off the
product of his labor. So keen was
this competition to live off the miner
ihat they fairly sucked every means
of sustenance from the very founda
tion upon which their parasitism was
based. Hence when the storm comes
a process of elimination begins.
Where the parasite flourished, he
flourishes no longer. He leaves the
-ground to sterner but mere self sus
.tabling stuff. Thfse natures that re
main are sterner and more forbidding
than the pleasant refinements that
usually accompany as a means of self
preservation the successful parasitic
•classes. But it is the more forbidding
natures that survive. They survive
to live off the country, to become at
Thome in the rigors of a deserted
Alaska as the earlier pioneers were
rat home amid those rigors and upon
whose ability to adjust themselves to
the altered conditions has been re
sponsible for such small development
as Alaska has reached.
We are returning in Alaska in effect,
to conditions that prevailed in ear
lier dayB and in reverting to a form
er condltiot| we may expect that his
tory in Alaska will repeat Itself to
Hho extent that thru the labors of
those who remain greater! discoveries
•of gold or other valuable metals will
fee made, opening up Alaska to the
l>»raaitlc social forces with more or
less permanence.
Alaska development is a theme
miiich beloved by speakers and espec
ially if those speakers be politicians.
It is only when we reach such con
ditions to obtain at the present time
we begin to realize how intimately
that development is associated with
an extention of the means of liveli
hood for parasitic social growths
which can live off the industry of
others and obtain a share of the
product of Alaska labor.
Indeed this is most remarkable,
and the aim of all the boosters and
the boomers is to bring about a con
dition of things wherein the parasite
can enjoy a life of pleasure, refine
ment and profit in perfect security.
We call such a condition civilization.
FRIGHTFULNESS
Once upon a time it was written
'that the evil that men do lives after
them. It is when it comes to make
peace Germany will feel this mosf
keenly, about those of her legions
who fell fighting a losing battle.
The battle for a place in' the sun
failed when the German legions halted
before the forts of Liege. The battle
failed no less when the citizens of
hapless Belgium were harried by the
invaders and subjected to every form
of atrocity in that wild policy of
frightfulness.
For there is no doubt that this
policy of frightfulness wa s systemat
ically carried out. Not because it was
a pleasure to inflict outrages upon
an already suffering and outraged
people, but as a war policy that might
weaken the strength of resistance to
an enemy did these things. That has
been an ancient policy with the most
barbarous and savage nations since
the earliest history of the world, and
it is not without some degree of in
terest for us and somewhat of a coin
cidence that of all the barbarous
tribes that brot this to first perfec
tion in Europe, the Huns in the earler
stages of our Era, excelled all others.
But there has been of late notice
able another form of. frightfulness.
This is not the cold, methodical, sys
tematic, carefully planned and pur
poseful policy pursued in the earlier
days of this Great War. It is found-;
ed upon quite another instinct. The!
old Romans had a proverb that said i
him whom the Gods would destroy!
they first make.mad. So with na-(
tions. When the desperation of de-j
reat is staring the German legions |
in the face, and ignoble disaster is [
clearly beheld as the finality of their I
ambitious dreams of conquest, the!
maddened commanders pursue a pol-!
icy of frightfulness is most truly the I
madness of the Gods who have destin
ed destruction for those who commit
these terrible acts.
Each characteristic phase of this
policy of fightfulnoss bore significant
lessons for those who would interpret!
them aright. The first was the index
to. the purpose of troops embarked
upon a war of conquest, themselves
provoking the hostility of a world
against their vicious designs and ex
citing an opposition which would fin
ally overwhelm that purpose, and the
second marks the arrival of that de
feat which may no longer be ignored
and tries hard to conceal itself in des
peration that only steels the feelings
of its Nemesis which has resolved
upon its anihllatlon for the welfare
of mankind.
Alaska, Day. In the words of the
Scotsman, here's tae us, wha's like
us? '
Now that the I. W. W’s are in Fort
Leavenworth, it may reasonably be
supposed that in explanation of the
Minnesota forest fires, we will have to
fall back upon the older notion that
they are the act of God.
PAID ADVERTEJKMENT
r
CUNEOIHST STUDIO
washimotom ac.
HON. CHAS. A. SULZER
(DEMOCRAT)
FOR DELEGATE TO CONGRESS
ELECTION. NOVEMBER. 5. 1918
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
JAMES J. BOGAN
(DEMOCRAT)
ELECTION NOVEMBER, 5tli 1918.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
ALMER (Slim) RYDEEN
(DEMOCRAT) of Caudle.
ELECTION NOV. 5tli, 1918.
For Re-election
JOHN A. WILSON
For Road Commissioner
Election, November 5, 1918
FOR ROAD COMMISSIONER
SECOND DIVISION
BARNEY GIBNfiY
(DEMOCRAT)
ELECTION, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 1918
FOR TERRITORIAL ROAD COMMISSIONER
AL WINKLER
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
ELECTION NOVEMBER 5, 1918.
PAID ADVERTISEMENTS
FOR RE-ELECTION TO THE TERRITORIAIi
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
JAMES P. DALY
(DEMOCRAT)
ELECTION NOVEMBER 5th, 1918.
FOR RE-ELECTION
A. A. =SCOTTY- ALLAN
(REPUBLICAN)
SCHOOLS—ROADS—8 HOUR DAY
—EQUITABLE FREIGHT RATES_
t
ELECTION, NOVEMBER 5, 1918.
FOR SENATOR
JAMES FRAWLEY
(DEMOtTIAT)
ELECTION, NOVEMBER 5, 1918.
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
E. B. -Duffy- O’CONNOR
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
I* A\ ORS EIGHT HOUR LAW, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM;
^ OPPOSES INDUSTRIAL MONOPOLY
ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 1918.
FOR REPRESENEATIVE
RUSSELL J. DOWNING
(DEMOCRAT)
ELECTION, NOVEMBER, 5th, 1918.
I WASHINGTON;STATE
FEDERATION OF LABOR
EXECUTIVE AM) 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 wo feel justified in doing so. The *
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 Wickersham is fighting in
Congress against the 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.
Krfowing 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. M\RSH
President Washington State Federation of Labor.
CHAS, R. CASE
Chairman Legislative Committee, Seattle Central Labor Council.
J. G BROWN
President International Shingle Weavers’ Union of America.
WILLIAM SHORT
Sec.-Treas. Dist. No. 10, United Mine Workers of America.