Or. Spencer Tells American Legion Its Place ]
In American Politics
-x
state and national organization
needs to distinguish nicely be
tween self- and selfish-interest,
and to eschew the latter as it
would disloyalty itself.
In Position to Aid
The third purpose for political
concern is one that may be
termed selfless patriotism—
where the Legion has no other
interest than the good of the
nation. Tins is rrgnuuhy patri
otrsm of the hrgnest motives
dominating those wiio volun
teered ior service in the Woria
War. Here is where the Legion
has opportunity to become, as
one of our commanders has said,
“tire cradle for the whole future
or America.”
The ideals of the Legion are
high enough and its nnereots
luiiuamentai enough to enabje
it to toucir. benent ana upnit
e»eiy teach of society. True,
our membership approximates
cuu,ooo nr a country of liJU.UUO,
Ouu persons; but the nature
and eincacy of our organization
manes the society a potential
power in government. And God
nelp us—the Legion and the na
tron mike—if our ieaders fail in
the responsibility of direction
that is theirs.
i nave in mind a specific in
stance of this type oi political
patriotism that is rightly of con
cern to the Legion, but one in
wliicn our leaders have been
ratner lacking in genius of lead
ership. I reier specifically to th'j
national stand taken by the Le
gion in favor of compulsory mi
litary drill of the type new in
our colleges and universities.
1 am aware how dangerous i£
the ground on which I tread
when I touch the subject oi
compulsory drill. I speak, how
ever, as a Son of the American
Revolution, a Legionaire, a re
serve officer in the Army, and
one of a family that boasts there
has been only one American war
in which some member of the
family has not taken part. I
speak, too, with a sense of re
sponsibility for high and effect
ive leadership in the Legion and
with a very acute sense of the
need for sane preparedness in
our country.
I may add also that I speak
as the representative of an insti
tution whose period of military
instruction on its campus totals
forty-five years. It was from
the University that the first
trained military unit left the
state during the last war. For
the past four consecutive years
our University Unit has received
a rating of “Excellent,” thf
highest distinction given by the
Army. And this year our rifle
team not only won the Western
Division Hearst Trophy; it led
all the units of the 9th Corps
Area and placed second nation
ally.
Must Take Stand
For all these facts, however,
the ground on which I am tread
ing is dangerous, because of inr
highly controversial nature of
the whole military instruction
question. One must be either
for or against compulsory train
ing. One is not allowed to see
both strength and wfeakness on
each side of the argument. One
who attempts a dispassionate
review of the entire problem is
liable to become persona non
grata to both sides. Sometimes
I am inclined to exclaim, as
Mercutio did to the Montagues
and Capulets, “A plague o’ both
your houses.”
“I am not in sympathy with
the pacifists who interpret mili
tary instruction solely in terms
of the art of killing human be
ings. I revolt equally strongly
against those who fail or refuse
to recognize such instruction as
a necessary effort at national
perparedness. Yet I am in suffi
cient sympathy with the oppo
sition of military training to de
clare that the hundreds of peti
tions and protests from students,
labor groups, churchmen, soci
ological societies and other or
ganizations may not be dismiss
ed as so much propaganda. Some
thing, is. fundamentally wrong
with our basic program* and if
we fail or refuse to discover and
right this wrong, I predict nUi
mate elimination of compulsory :
training from our college.
Morale Called Vital
On the other hand, I lack
sympathy with the militarists
who fail to recognize the extent
of the growing opposition, thins
ing to hold compulsory military
training in our curriculum b,y
dint solely of aggressive organ
ized support and consequent in
timidation of those who are re
sponsible for the education o:
tomorrow’s citizens. I lac’:
sympathy with these because
they are reckoning mere num
bers as a criterion for an arm;' |
If they think dispassionately,
they must know that numbers
never yet made an army, any
more than they make cities o.
nations. Morale makes a mili -
tary corps.
I had rather have a corps of,
750 at the University of Wash
ington, every man’s son of whom;
believed to the death in the]
worth of his military education
than 1,500, half of whom wer.‘
indifferent or hostile to the
training. It is a rare day in any
year of our Lord when yon can
expect to make a pacifist an ef
fective member of combat
troops. He can be used else
where, however. The war prov
ed this point.
* * * Finally, to be fundament
ally logical, I must object to mil
itary training as at present ad
ministered, because it discrim
inates against the women—or in
favor of them, according to the;
point in view. If military train
ing is unnecessary for women
it is not needed for men; if it i?;
needed for men, then it is ne
cessary for women, because in
any future war every available
resourse of the nation will be
conscripted, and the women will
be included. They were used ef
fectively in the last war. though
in nothing like the proportioi
they might have been, or will be.
in event of another outbreak of
hostilities. In the meantime J
while so much is being said;
about compulsory drill for men.
the women are ignored.
* * * I would like, to sec. the
State of Washington take the
lead in a solution of our militarv
education program. The coun
try is crying for its solution. Ou
biggest men should be on the Le
gion Committee. It is not a job
for small minds.
Legion Influence Powerful
I return now to my general
topic, “Politics and the Ameri
can Legion,” having considered
military education as an illus
tration of the type of politics
that must be the prime consid
eration of the Legion. I have
chosen this illustration because
of its significance in our nation
al life and because of its evi
dence of need for high construc
tive leadership within the Le
gion.
The Legion has a place in the
politics of the counntry. But
having this place, its members
cannot merely sit in their re
spective commandery meetings
and pass resolutions on matters
of national importance. If they
do, America will suffer. What
is more, so far as we personally
are concerned, our own sons and
daughters will suffer; because
the Legion, organized as it is,
has a voice that is being heard
in legislative halls throughou*
fhe country, and a consequent
influence that is powerful.
Political Power Feared
* * * I have only a few sen
tences to utter by way of conclu
sion and of caution regarding
that next war. If it comes, ve
ourselves probably will not be in
it; but our children will. May
it be caused, if it comes, by the
unrighteousness of some other
nation than our own. May our
Legion leaders never do any
thing to make America respons
ible for subjecting our children
wrongfully to the horrors thru '
which many of you within sound
of my voice have gone. The pre
sent world depression is but a
a financial reckoning day of the ,
last war. In another war there \
will probably be no such reck
oning day. I expect that war
to mark the end of the civiliza- j
tion that you and I knew.”
)
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\ American Legion-Alaska Department-August 26, 27, 28, 1931
i -X
THE AMERICAN LEGION
Department Officers—1931
Commander - J. A. Talbot, Ketchikan
1st Vice Commander, Ralph R. Reeser, Fairbanks
2nd Vice Commander - E. M. Campbell, Wrangell
Adjutant - - - - J. T. Petrich, Juneau
Finance Officer - Myrven H. Sides, Juneau
Service Officer - - Leroy J. Vestal, Juneau
Judge-Advocate - - Clyde R. Ellis, Cordova
Historian - - - - Homer G. Nordling, Juneau
Chaplain - Joseph O. Rude, Petersburg
Sergeant-at-Arms - - Oscar Shineman, Sitlei
Nat’l Exec. Com. - - David Adler, Fairbanks
Alternate - Dalton L. Barr, Cordova
Dept. Exec. Com. - Ernest M. Policy, Juneau
Dept. Exec. Com. - - Dwight Chase, Ketchikan
-X
THE AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY
Department Officers - - 1931
President - Mrs. Laura Johnson, Petersburg
1st Vice President Mrs. T. J. McKinnon, Fairbanks
2nd Vice President Mrs. Edith F. Sheelor, Juneau
Sec.-Treasurer - Mrs. Hazel D. Petrich, Juneau
Chaplain - Mrs. Hiram Campbell, Wrangell
Historian - Mrs. Blanche MacGillvary, Ketchikan
Nat’l Exec. Com. - Mrs. Ruth Beran, Anchorage
1st Alternate - Mrs. Harry O’Neill, Cordova
2nd Alternate - Mrs. Edith Thoady, Seward
Dept. Exec. Com - Mrs. Mildred Clark, Juneau
Dept. Exec. Com. Mrs. Elizabeth Nordling, Juneau
-X
PREAMBLE
To The American Legion’s Constitution.
For God and Country we associate ourselves to
gether l'or the following purposes:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of
the United States of America; to maintain law
and order; to foster and perpetuate a 100 per
cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and
incidents of our association in the great war; to
inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the
community, state and nation;to combat autocracy
of both the classes and the masses; to make right
the master of might;, to promote peace and good
will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to pos
terity the principles of justice, freedom and de
mocracy; to consecrate and sanctify our com
radeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.
-X
Tuesday, August 25th, 1031
Arrival of Delegates, Registration, assignment to
quarters.
8:00 P. M., Visitors guests of Coliseum Theatre.
The Convention Badge is your ticket.
Wednesday, August 2<Sth, 1931
9:30 A. M.
Opening of the Convention, — Joint Assembly,
Sons of Norway Hall.
Call to Order - - By Department Commander
Invocation - - - - Department Chaplain
Advancement of Colors. ....
“America,” by Assembly (1st verse)
Convention Call by Department Adjutant
Address of Welcome - - -Hon. E. N. Ohmer,
Mayor of Petersburg.
Address of Welcome - - Mr. T. S. Elsemore,
Vice President, Petersburg Commercial Club
Response - Department Commander
Vocal Solo - - - - Miss Lillian Swanson
Address - Hon. Geo. A. Parks, Governor of Alaska
Violin Solo - - - Miss Florence Tobin
Greetings from The American Legion Auxiliary,
By Mrs. Laura Johnson, Department President.
Welcome - H. J. Hasbrouck, Commander of Pe
tersburg Post No. 14, American Legion.
Introduction of Department Officers, Past and
Present.
Announcements.
Intermission to permit retirement of Legion De
legates to Dug-Out. .
1:30 P. M.
Everybody reports to Dug-Out for photographing.
2:00 P.M.
Business Session.
7:00 P. M.
Convention Parade. - (Assemble at Dug-Out).
9:00 P. M.
Informal Mixer given by Petersburg Unit. Much
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monkey business furnished with aid from
Legionnaires.
Drum and "Bungle” Corps Contests, Sons of
Norway Hall, Second Floor).
Thursday, August 27th, 1931
9:30 A.M.
Forenoon Business Session.
12:30 I*. M.
Shrimp Luncheon given for all visitors by the
Petersburg Commercial Club, S. of N. Hall.
2:00 I\ M.
Afternoon Business Session.
4:00 P. M.
All aboard for the Big Salmon Bake. (Take
Boats at The Trading Union Float).
Friday, August 28tli, 1931
9:30 A. M.
Forenoon Business Session
2:00 P .M.
Final Business Session.
3:30 P. M.
Joint Installation of Department Officers.
Adjournment of Convention.
6:30 P. M.
Convention Banquet, Sons of Norway Hall, Ah
Visitors invited.
10:00 P. M.
Convention Ball, - Sons of Norway Hall, For
Everybody.
Saturday, August 29th, 1931
Trip to Alaska’s largest mink farm; other trips
via gasboats hunting, fishing, scenery hunting.
10 P. M.
Big Dance in Sons of Norway Hall. The Town
of Wrangell is moving over for this dance.
Note: The Legion’s business sessions will l»e held
in the Dug-Out. The Auxiliary’s business meet
ings will be held in Sons of Norway Hall, on the
Second Floor.
Order of Business:
Call to Order.
Advancement of Colors.
Roll Call.
Report of Committees.
Unfinished Business.
New Business.
Retirement, of Colors.
Adjournment.
Au Devoir !
Petersburg Post No. 14 is happy in its
role of host to the Twelfth Annual Department
Convention. The people of Petersburg are also
receiving much pleasure from your visit. We all
hope that our pleasant duties have been executed
in such manner that we may expect to have you
all here for another convention some future day.
We are glad you came. We are sorry to see you
leave. Au re voir !
THE FLAG OF FLAGS
"Whene’er I see the tlag go by,
It thrills me thru and thru;
I stand “attention” and salute
The Red, the White, the Blue.
God bless the land o’er which it waves,
Its men and women, too.
And may it always be their pride,
The Red, the White, the Blue.
Then "God of Nations” hear us now,
While we in pledge renew
Allegiance to that Flag of Flags,
The Bed, the White, the Blue.”
AVWWWWUVVVWXWXWVWvw v-* * «
“Whose Hooand How and “Y” Ab Scatterat Um
-X---I_
Oscar Shineman of Sitka with
an unrivalled record for attend
ance at Department Conven
tions. was late but arrived nev
ertheless on the Alameda atj
neon Thursday to attend half of!
the sessions.
I
G. H. Walmsey is manager of
the Pacific Coast Thermal Heat
Co., and secretary of the Juneau j
Commercial Club. He will sell]
you coal by the sack, ton or ship
load.
Homer G. Nordiing is chief
electrician for the Alaska—Ju
neau Gold Mining Co.
Mrs. E. M. Polley is wife of
Policy the Territorial Tax Col
lector.
Mrs. Bob Kaufman’s goodlook
ng half caters to the inner man
n Juneau. Very filling is his I
juisness.
Claude Helgeson runs up and
town columns of figures in Ju
teau.
If in Juneau and in need of
>il, M. S. Jorgenson will serve
mu with a smile at the Standard
Dil Co.’s dock.
The Territorial Cadastral En- 1
lineer, Juneau, is a widower |1
srhile Mrs. C. P. Seelye is here. 1
The largest poolroom in Alas
ka owns Warren Taylor of Cor
dova. He is a Past Department
al Commander.
Peter Knutsen and Ed Hansen,
partners in the boat ‘'Sveta Ana”
spend their time looking for the
once plentiful herring. They al-J
so hail from Sitka ,the Land of
Nod. i
“Seward, the Hub of Alaska’
to make sure it got the dope on
this convention, sent along Mr.
Leonard Hopkins of the U. S.
Signal Corps station. He also is
post commander of the Seward
Post.
Mrs. O’Neill is the better half
of Cordova’s air-minded mer
chant whose name she bears.
J. A. Talbot, Departmental
Commander, hails from the 1st
City and is a member of the
firm of Talbot & Spaulding,deal
ers in coal.
“Jack Talbot dabbles in coal,!
wood, Chamber of Commerce,1
dynamite, School Board, powder,
(not face) and many other
things. j
Gill Cleaners of Ketchikan is'
sort of,the in the dumps with'
VIrs. Valencia Gill away from 1
lome, but Charles B. will just 1
lave to plug along. j.
Mrs. Mary Campbell of the'
town that makes the Stikeen Riv
er famous is Past Department
President of the Auxiliary and
the best looking member of the'
family of Ernie Campbell, Camp-'
tell Bros., Merchants.
Charley Moore is old timer
in Wrangell but a lot younger in
years than most of the old tim
ers.
Leonard M. Campbell, more
generally known as “Len” is a
member of Campbell Bros., Mer
chants, Wrangell and otherwise
interested in civic affairs.
“Deac” Brown, more seriously
hailed as “E.W.” Prop’s the Alas
ka Creamery of Ketchikan and
is a former City Dad.
Irl Thatcher, proprietor of :
Thatcher-Adams Hardware Co, :
will sell you most anything in
the hardware line.
Barney Hanson, owner and
master of the halibut schooner ^
‘McKinley” brought his pilot,
Mrs. Hanson along with him
from the First City. ^
1
Mrs. J. F. Krause knows some £
vhat about paint for her hus- i
sand is owner of the Krause 1
\uto Paint Shop, Ketchikan. 1
Fred Rockhill of Petersson &
Rockhill Garage has an eye on
Petersburg’s fine roads.
Mr. Hannum, executive offic
er of the Alert is no stranger to
Petersburg, nor is Capt. Nelson |
rs they have made a number of
iitops in port in the past several
months.
Ira (Bud) Anderson, Post Ad
jutant at Ketchikan has been
Past Commander of Cordova and
Past Departmental Chaplain.
Paint when and where you
want it is the slogan of the Kes
ler Paint shop. J. Vier Kesler.
Mi Clyde Ruth Morgan, accom -
ps iiied by Mrs. Lois Ellswort h,
her sister-in-law, is the bettor
half of Clyde Morgan of Smith’s
Plumbing Works.
Leith J. Russel, is Post Com
mander of the Ketchikan Post
and is with the mechanical force
of the Ketchikan Chronicle.
Ralph A. Bartliolmew, agent
Railway Express, Canadian Na
tional Steamship Co., Black Mfg.
Co., is proprietor of the Ireland
Transfer is accompanied by Mrs.
Bartholomew. »
U. S. L. H. S„ Ketchikan, i ; a
’ot of letters, but that is where
you will reach Miss Florence To
bin. The can surely make that
king of instruments talk when
she swings the bow across the
strings.
Dwight W. Chase, Assist. Supt.
of the U. S. L. H. S.. keeps ou ■
channel lights and buoys in line.
He is Department Committee
man at Large.
Chet Johnson, member Peters
burg Pest, representative of Na
tional Grocery, went up in tha
air with Doc Walker to get here.
Lieut. Teague, U. S. Army, is
supervising construction of the
new U. S. Radio station at Ket
chikan.
J. T. Petrieh comes from the
Capital City, is Departmental
Adjutant, edits the Alaska Le
gicnaire and is attached to the
office of Collector of Customs.
Mrs. Laura Johnson, President
of the Legicn Auxiliary, resident
of Petersburg.
The coast guard cutter Alert
arrived in port for the Legion
Convention.
The new flag pole raised in
front of the Legion Dug-Out is
getting full use these day.:.
The Legion emblem on the
front of the Dug-Out is a very
excellent piece representing the
Legion emblem in blue and gold,
made of many pieces of wood,
a work of art. “A thing of beau
ty is a joy forever.”
Mrs. Hazel D. Petrieh, Secre
tary, hails from the land of the
Big Mine.
Ralph R. Reeser and M. 8.
Jorgenson come from Fairbanks,
the town of the Alaska College.
Ed Locken, assistant cashier
of the Bank of Petersburg, P. R.
Vernon, deputy collector of cus
toms and A. B. Holt, of the Men’s
Shop, Petersburg represent the
town that makes famous shrimp
crab and halibut meat in world
markets.
Ketchikan Legion Auxiliary is
represented by Ethel Anderson,
Mrs. R. Bartholmew, Mrs. Clyde
More, Inga Martin, Valencia
Gill, Elaine H. Talbot, Agres R
Sayres, Louise Ellsworth, Flor
ence Tobin.
Mary Walmer comes from Sit
i?a, the land of the totem poles
ind harbor of a thousand is
lands.
The delegates from the Capi
tal City are: Mrs. Esther Seelye,
Mrs. Edith F. Sheelor, Mrs. Dallie
Xaufman and Mrs. Eliazbeth
STordling.
Mrs. Sibyl Locken, Mrs. Minnie
Dawes, Mrs. Amy Rude and Miss
Lillian Swanson represent the
ocal Unit.
Lem McKay will have a chance j
vhile in Petersburg to look over
he Anderson Bros., Shipyards
md the Petesrburg Marine Ways:
or he is owner of the McKay
Jarine Ways of Ketchikan. With
dm is Mrs. McKay.
The Ketchikan crowd came up
on Sunny Point cannery tenders.
Capt. (Bill) W. H Barton of the
U.S.L.H.S.S. “Fern,” was on the
bridge of one of the vessels.
Mrs. Inga Martin has for her
friend husband, Capf. Ragnwald
Martin.
Mrs. Jessie Anderson and Mrs.
Delia Sarff are alternates to the
local delegates.
The coast guard cutter “Aler+”
with Capt. Nelson, three officer*',
| JO men, Bos’n Hammond and
Bcs’n Mate Fuller, were on the
minute for the opening sessions.
“Doc.” Norman R. Walker,
Mayor of Ketchikan, Legionaire,
Hew here in an Alaska-Washing
j ton plane piloted by Anscei Fek
i man who is a member of the
(University Post of the Legion.
! Seattle.
' Thanks to deputy marshal
Hans Wick and his crew, the
flag pole is in p!ace and the flag
hauled up to the peak on Tues
day morning.
The Hazel B. is expected over
from Wrangell tomorrow with a
record crowd to wind up the so
tcial end of the convention at the
(Sons of Norway Hall.
} CONVENTION COMMITTEES
I Legion—Frederick Nelson, Har
jOld F. Dawes and Andrew John
son.
i
! Auxiliary—Miss Lillian Swanson,
(Mrs. Delia Sarff and Mrs. Jessie
i Anderson.
I Mrs. Edith F. Sheelor, 2nd Vice
j President. Juneau, clerical, has
jbeen connected with department
I offices a number of years.
I
i
!
By Ronald Bean, Kake
x
i In the olden days before the
j ccming of the white people to
'Southeastern Alaska, the Native
people lived according to then
old customs. Most of the villag
es in this district, including
Kake, were ruled by a local
chief. Chief Tom was the last of
these men who ruled the people
of Kake.
The people made “moonshine"’
in their homes, were drunk al
most every day, and sometimes
they had terrible fights.
[ During these days a mission -
ary by the name of Moon w .
jsent here. Sometimes when IV .
| Moon and Jimmie Coffin wou 1
j go through the houses preachii
'and praying with the peep" ,
they would get thrown oi
which shows how bad the poop •
were when the old customs we '
among them. On Sundays win 1
he would ring the Church be a
some of the people would go t o
church while drunk. Win i
church was over the peer- ?
would go home and give feasts
and spend a lot of money arid
get drunk again.
Finally, his preaching and
praying began to take effect on
the people and they commenced
to see how foolish it was < o
spend all their money cn such
things as funerals, potlatches,
and drink just to show off.
In 1910 there were no board
walks in Kake; graves and to
tem poles were scattered all
through the town, and it was in
such an unsanitary condition
that the people were always sick.
That year Charles Gunnock, a
Native was given federal power
as a policeman. With this au
thority he influenced the peo
ple to move the graves for sani
tary reasons. This was the first
step taken at Kake to change
from the old to the new life.
They dug up all the coffins and
burned them up, totems and ail.
Some of the people were against
this, but the leaders did not lis
ten to them and stuck to their
job until it was cleaned up.
In 1913 Haynes DeWitte. Chas.
Gunnock, John Howard, Pat
Cooday and Dan Skeenay, all
Natives, decided to organize a
government and to educate the
people to better ideas. Thus on
October, 1913, without any out