THE ANCHORAGE WEEKLY TIMES
ANCHORAGE PUBLISHING CO., PUBLISHERS.
CHAS. E. HERRON.
President
SUBSCRIPTIONS RATES
Single Copies $ .10 Six Months .$1.50
'U* roe Months 1.0*' One Year .2.50
Application for entry as second-class matter at
the post cilice at Anchorage, Alaska, pending.
Address All Communications to Anchorage Weekly
Times
Make all Checks and Money Orders p ayable to Anchorage Publishing Co.
MAY BENEFIT ALASKA.
A recent law passed by tlio national congress may result in
an improvement in conditions in Alaska. Wo have not tlio
complete text of tlio law before ns at this timo, but trom what
wo can gather from tin* dispatches relating to tlio mattor, it can
bo employed to briny about desired rosnlts. W e are reierring to
tlio law giving tin* president largely inoroasod powers, with
especial reference to oo-ordination among departments and
buroans of tho government. As we understand it. this law
gives tho chief executive almost plenary power in these mat
tors. Tho law was parsed as a war measure, designed to elimi
nato tho “red tape” that has prevailed for a long' time in gov
ernmental affairs. Congress, from time to time, has created a \
Humber of departments, bureaus and commissions, and with
tin* passage of tin* bills creating' them, certain prescribed du
ties wore imposed. This has created confusion and endless
red tape, because matters had to pass in review before a num
ber of those departments or bureaus, each .jealous of its own;
particular authority. It was likewise the cause of almost end-j
less delay.
The war revealed this state of affairs, as nothing else;
could do. The confusing condition and mixed authority slowed
down war preparations. Tin* president urged the passage ot ;
the new law, presumably so he could make a complete reorgan-1
ization of the various departments, bureaus and commissions,
rearranging their duties, or giving specific duties to each, to
avoid future conflicts, and to fix responsibility in all govern
mental affairs.
IIow will this benefit Alaska, you may ask. Well, Alaska
is governed by seventeen different departments and bureaus,
to say nothing of a territorial legislature with limited powers.
About sixteen of these departments and bureaus could be very
well eliminated. Take, for instance, the government road con
struction work in Alaska. This is now. in part, under the con-j
trol of the war department. It should be placed under the di- j
rection of the department of the interior, which is building the |
Alaska railway project. For the most part hereafter, roads]
and trails should be built as feeders to the railroad. I lien* is J
no further use now for dumping the major part ol the annual
appropriation into tin* obsolete \ aldez-Fanrbanks overland
trail, because this interior road, which lias served a useful pur
pose in the past, will be almost entirely abandoned in tin* near
future, as the railroad reaches toward the same objective point
in tin* interior.
W'e believe it would be well for tin* Alaska legislature, at
its next session, to look into the new law, to determine it il
comprehends changes as suggested. If it does, then it would
be advisable for tin* legislature to make recommendations to
the president, advocating that tin* department of the interior
have complete authority in federal matters in Alaska. It is
our belief that the federal commission urged by Secretary of
the Interior Lane to handle Alaska matters, could be created
under the largely increased powers given tin* president. We
believe there is food for thought in these brief suggestions.
ALASKA’S NEEDS.
(Fairbanks Citizen)
There is no doubt that Alaska needs many things from
congress, or. rather, legislation from congress authorizing these
things and to pick out the most pressing needs would be difti
enlt. The statement issued by the geodetie survey from Wash
ington that the immediate preparation for charting Alaskan
waters and harbors is Alaska’s greatest need, is by no means
used figuratively.
There is son* need for an adequate chart of Alaskan waters.
Tin* number of vessels wrecked along the shores of the terri
tory, mostly because of uncharted lines and unprotected danger
zones, is increasingly large every year, 'Fader present condi
tions there is no question that this rate of increase will itself
take an upward jump, as more and more vessels are plying the
Alaskan waters.
With the coal mines of the territory being thrown open
for entry and several large mines being developed, with the Pa
cific coast cities preparing to substitute Alaskan coal largely
for the product of the mountain states, it is almost a necessity
that the funds for canwing forward this work be secured as
soon as possible. To withhold funds now because of war con
ditions would bo extremely unwise, since it would have a con
*
*
■*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* *
* *
********************
“A RED CROSS PLEA.”
By C. Edward Cone
There are voices that are calling, calling:
Insistent! Again and again.
There art* eyes from which hot tears are falling
And eyes dried by fever of pain;
They an* calling for help and for pity—
Let us not be deaf to their call.
Help the Red (Toss League of your city
(Jive something, though ever so small.
Remember, it may be your brother.
If not yours, it may be mine,
Who is suffering some place or another
On France’s grim battling line.
And the dollar or dime you art* giving
May help to dispel the despair
Of some soldiering boy who is living
In the i b‘11 that is raging there.
********************
siderable tendency to keep Alaskan coal off the outside mar
ket, thus cutting off a big source of relief from the fuel admin
istration.
For years, in fact since the territory was purchased from
Russia, this work has been allowed to drag along from pillar
to post without anyone caring much whether funds were avail
able or not, and the survey people were let work as best they
could with what they might be able to extract from unwillin
congresses. In more than fifty years under the American fla
only $4,000,000 has been appropriated, in small amounts scatter
ed along over years in such a manner that practically nothing
could be done. During the last twenty years of this time over
l!00 vessels have been lost in these waters, yet it is only recently
that much interest lias been shown in charting them.
POLITICAL POT STEWS.
jq Ofq
George Grigsby, attorney-general for Alaska, recently
made a speech at. Ketchikan, which called forth this epistle
fiom a resident of that community:
“In last Saturday’s Miner Mr. Grigsby is quoted as say
ing that “All the republican party has left Alaska,” Murane
having located in Wyoming, Shackleford in California and
Gilmore4 and Schofield in Seattle. According to this viewpoint,
it' Donolioe, Jennings, Sulzer and Grigsby were to leave Alaska
iliey would take the democratic party with them and while this
would, likely, improve the political situation considerably, it
might work a temporary hardship on the people to have the
export political manipulators to suddenly “fly the coop,” leav
ing our political guidance in inexperienced hands, but we be
lieve the Hough Xeck style would do until some one were train
ed to do all the skullduggery and political trickery hitherto
practiced, when conditions would fast assume their present
standard. But don’t leave us now; there is such a dirty stew
prepared, lot the pot boil and finish the mess before you quit.
You will feel more like quitting after the approaching election.
(Signed) ONE CONCERNED.
Mr. Grigsby now belongs to what is rightly termed the
“democratic ring” in the territory. Under the republican na
tional administration, this smooth gentleman sucked a hind
ieat of the government sow, for years drawing salary as an as
sistant C. S. district attorney in the Nome division. But Mr.
Grigsby apparently believes in changing his political beliefs
to accord with the party in power, and he now holds a fat job
by grace of the democratic party. While it may be all right for
a man to change his political views, it does appear rather pre
sumptuous for such fellows to step right in and assume the
leadership. They should serve on probation a little while, the
same as they do in the churches. But George “butted” right
in and crowded his way to the “pork barrel.” When the next
national administration assumes the reins of government and
Col. “Teddy” Roosevelt sits in the president’s chair, we shall
expect George to suddenly remember that his respected father
was the originator of the “Rough Rider” idea and claim politi
cal recognition on this ground.
In asserting that “all the members of the republican party
tv have left Alaska,” just because a few of the “leaders” of
that party have taken up their residences in the states, Mr.
Grigsby reveals, unwittingly perhaps, his belief in “boss”
rule. As the correspondent points out, according to this view
point, if tin* little gang that assumes to control the democratic
party in Alaska were to depart, the party would suffer com
plete disruption.
Now as a bald matter of fact, the members of the demo
ciatic ring. Grigsby, Jennings, Sulzer and Donolioe and lesser
lights, are in politics solely for the profit that may accrue to
themselves. They cannot deceive those who know them.
WE SHOULD ACCOMMODATE THEM.
Our business men particularly recognize the value of the
very desirable trade that comes to us from various Took inlet
settlements and camps. A score or more of launches and pow
er boats ply between these various points and Anchorage,
bringing; us visitors, as well as orders for merchandise and the
like. What makes Anchorage a commercial center for the
Cook inlet country lies in the fact that it is so accessible by
water.
Recognizing the value of this trade that is coming to us.
it is fairly up to this community to do something to nourish it
and to make vigorous protest against anything that will tend
to discourage it.
Hence it is that it behooves us to bestir ourselves in a sit
uation that now confronts us. We are threatened with a loss
of at least some of this trade unless these power boats have a
place to tie up to when they reach this port. We can not ex
pect them to lit* in the channel and be put to the extra trouble
of taking their freight and passengers off by means of small
boats. There should be a suitable dock built and placed at
their disposal, or some other effective means employed to rem
edy the present difficulty.
Here is a matter that concerns the business interests of
this town. We have refrained from going into details, but we
have said sufficient to adequately warn those concerned in the
well-being of Anchorage.
McADOO COMPLIMENTS THE NATION.
Governor Thomas Riggs, jr., of Alaska, has received a
message from dames Lynch, governor of the federal reserve
bank of San Francisco, in charge of the recent liberty loan
campaign in the twelfth division, which requests him, through
the press, to convey to the Alaska public and banks, the fol
lowing message from Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo:
“Please accept my warmest congratulations on the mag
nificent success of the third liberty loan. It is a triumph of
sound war financing, and is highly creditable to the intelli
gence and patriotism of the American people. I hope that every
purchaser of bonds will keep them for his own good and for
his country’s sake. 1 am proud of the great work the officers
and employes of the Federal Reserve bank of San Francisco
have done. To the patriotic men and women of the liberty
loan committees and organizations throughout the country who
have served with such extraordinary unselfishness and enthusi
asm, too much credit cannot be given. I wish I could express
to each of them personally my grateful appreciation, but as
this is impossible, will you kindly send this message from me
■ ^ni dfo ejnl i3ju 2n3 c 3n! cifi c3fi e2iu 3 ll snl Snl «/u «irfl «snl 3/o sn» «n) «n»=fii Sr u Sly i
i
m
BANK
WITH
THE
m
m
m
m
BANK OF
ALASKA
29E9
si
s
m
s
m
s
s
i£
HR
m
m
m
i
1
sisiiiisisissrasa
to all liberty loan organizations in your district ! Great are
the resources of America, but greater are the unconquerable
soul and spirit of her people.”
PUBLICITY AGENT FOR ALASKA.
i / _
The last session of the Alaska legislative assembly created
the office of publicity agent for the territory and appropriated
an annual fund of $15,000 for the use of this agent, in the con
duct of his office. The agent is appointed by the governor.
Xow, the idea of a publicity agent for Alaska is a good one.
This territory surely needs to be advertised broadcast through
out the nation. But it appears to us that this appropriation is
a useless expenditure of the public funds, unless the right kind
of a man is appointed to take charge of the office. Up to tiiis
time we have heard nothing about the office or the fellow that
fills it. We are informed that J. J. McGrath, former editor of
the Seward Gateway, was the first occupant of the office, but
lie resigned because “there was nothing to do.”
We take it that there is plenty to do in this office, if the
right man is found to fill it. He will very quickly create some
thing to do. if he is of a constructive turn of mind, which he
should be to adequately fill the job.
For the good of Alaska, we hope that Governor Riggs
will find the right kind of man for this position—a man famil
iar with Alaska, and who is constructive in his ideas, who
will be able to find plenty to do. It’s a big job for a big man.
THE DRIVE IS ON.
The Red Cross drive started this morning-—that is, it
started oftieially this morning, but as a matter of fact, it began
several days ago in Anchorage. The quota for this community
has been placed at $2,500, but we’re not going to stop at that.
We're going to go “over the to]),” so to speak. The campaign
is in good hands. The various committees are on the job. The
various lodge organizations and societies are taking an en
thusiastic part. In fact, the whole spirit of the drive is highly
commendable and encouraging.
The member of The Times’ staff who made such a hit at
the show last night will know nothing about these few lauda
tory lines until they appear in print, as he belongs to another
department. We refer to Mr. John F. Coffey, one of the four
minute speakers. We have heard dozens of these four-minute
speakers in New York, Washington, New Orleans, San Fran
cisco and Seattle during the past ten months, and not one of
the outside speakers excelled Mr. Coffey’s effort. In virility,
in thought and in language, he is far above the average pub
lic speaker. He’s got the punch that made “Teddy” Roose
velt so popular before an audience.
***********************
ALL TOGETHER *
This is the day they give dollars away, *
That the Red Cross its work may pursue; *
That our boys “Over There” may have every care *
While tliev battle for Freedom and you.
Our part of the job is to dig up a gob.
That Humanity’s light may be kept burning;
That the Angels of Mercy may continue to aid
The souls that for succor are yearning.
You can stand off the butcher and baker,
And your rent can come thirty days late;
And the folks that you owe, won’t be peeved if you’re
slow
If you tell ’em the Red X can’t wait.
Don’t keep a “slacker” dollar in your pocket;
It is “yellow,” if it don’t come forth and work;
And its owner is a fellow who is also streaked with
yellow,
If this important duty he would shirk.
-H. R. MILLER, Bircliwood.
**********************