THE CORDOVA DAILY TIMES
Entered at the Postofflce at Cordova,
Alaska, as second-class matter.
H. G. STEEL
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
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MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Associated Pres%s is exclusively
entitled to the use for republication of
all news credited to it or not otherwise
credited in this paper, and also the local
news published herein.
All rights of republication of special
dispatches herein are also reserved.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1919.
i ONE YEAR AGO TODAY *
>(■ — ^
if Germans smother American if
if lines in Picardy under bom- if
if bardment of 15,000 gas shells, if
if Fierce fighting in Flanders if
if bends back Britsh lines. if
if Germans push across the if
if Aisne canal despite hard al- ^
if lied resistance. if
if Huns concentrating huge if
if reserves for final blow against if
if- Arras. if
if Americans rushing aid to >f
if the allies as fast as ships can if
if be found. Will the Yanks ar- if
if rive fn time? if
if Subscribe now to the Vic- if
if tory Liberty loan what you >f
if would have paid for victory if
if then. if
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A FEEBLE DEFENDER
Logic “pure and undefiled” is often
necessary in argument, but not often
exciting. Many apologists for the
Democratic administration find it
more thrilling to shun, logic and rely
on the emotional appeal.
Arthur Train, late major U. S. A.,
now a member of the New York bar,
has undertaken to defend the court
martial system which has been the
target for severe, even bitter criti
cism. In a recent number of Collier’s
he strives, among other things, to dis
pose of Senator Chamberlain’s charge
that “the records of the court-martial
in this war show that we have no mili
tary law or system of administering
military justice which is worthy of
the name of law or justice.”
Major Train should have kept in
mind that Senator Chamberlain was
directing his criticism against what
he deemed to be a defective system
incapable of acording justice, but the
administration apologist assumes that
the senator’s chief complaint is
against tjre severity of the sentences.
When the senator referred to a case
in which a soldier had been sentenced
to ten years for “sleeping on post”
and to another case in which a soldier
had been sentenced to twenty-five
years for being “absent without
leave,” he was trying to show that a
cour-martial system which made such
sentences possible was far from flaw
less. Major Train thinks it a suffi
cient answer to say that the sen
tences were reviewed and reduced and
that the two men had “actually been
restored to duty one week before the
senator made his speech.”
If our memory serve us the sen
tences had been criticised before (the
senator made his speech and, if it be
' true that the sentences were reduced
by force of public opinion, that does
not speak well for the perfection of
the system.
dui u ueurei ucuw in mugi^oi tw
Boning is presented in the following
l>aragraph of Major Train’s article:
"Moreover, the sketchy way in
which the cases complained of are
generally stated creates an utterly
false impression. One of the favorites
which have gone the rounds of the
press is the famous ‘potato-peeling
case’ of which it is alleged ‘a soldier
got twenty-five years for refusing to
‘peel potatoes.’ The facts are that this
soldier was a ‘conscientious objector*
who had from the outset of his ob
structive career refused to do any
thing whatever. He had been given
his choice to do practically any non
combatant work he wanted, but had
declined. At last, as a final conces
sion to humanity, he was asked if he
would object to helping peel the pota
toes in the kitchen. He did object.
It was the last straw, and he was
court-martialed—as he deserved. Even
then the judgment was set aside for
a legal error in the admission of evi
dence. He is out now, or shortly wil,p
be, walking around with an honorable
discharge entitled to full pay and a
$00 bonus! Severity? Brutality?
Candy and cigars!
"Is it not in fact quite possible that
we have erred too much upon the side
of leniency throughout?”
Will anyone who has even a nod
ding acquaintance with the canons
of logic that the apologists has met
the senator’s charge? Has he not
rather proved the charge by demon
strating that the conscientious ob
jector escape dus punishment?”
A system which, in the first place,
imposes a sentence too severe and,
finally, rewards the accused with an
honorable discharge and a bonus of
$6U a month is not worth the ecstatic
eulogy Major Train accords it. On
the contrary it oscillates the scales of
jUstice in an appalling manner.
But, says the major, “It is ridicu
lous to criticise any system of admin
istering justice because of the in
equality of sentences, or of the indi
vidual antics of judgets, etc.” Perhaps
it is not so ridiculous as the defender
of the system imagines. To the aver
age observer it will seem perfectly
reasonable to denounce a system
which grants a judge tried to sug
gest the dangers and pitfalls that will
remain after the Paris conference has
done its best to lay the foundations
of permanent peace. The suggestions
are riot offered in a spirit of confirmed
pessimism, but for the sole purpose of
ilumination. The American people
are anxious to know what kind of a
league they are asked to join and
what may be the consequences if they
do join.
PENNY ANTE
Beginning May 1, one-^cent pieces
will come into use on Douglas Island
and in fact all over Alaska. The rea
son for it is the government tax on
luxuries that goes into effect on that
date.
The law requires that the user of
a luxury shall himself pay the tax. On
ice cream sodas and other luxurious
drinks there will be a tax of one cent
and those who partake must tender
the tax to the amount of one cent.
Never in the history of Alaska have
the copper counters issued by the
government and known as 1-cent
pieces been recognized as legal tender
among the people in the North. They
have been accepted in the post offices
to pay for stamp purchases, but if a
cent-pieco or a handful of them were
offered to a child, the person Offering
them stood a chance of being called
a cheap skate or some other pet name
and the kid would ask for real money
instead of bingles.
It will be imperative after the law
goes into effect that the rounder who
starts out on a soda jamboree weigh
himself down well with several
handsful of copper money so he will
not be embarrassed when paving for
his drinks.
Shades of Soapy Smith and Swift
water Bill! What would they say to
Alaska, the land of gold and plenty,
it they could see the country after
May 1? What would the old-timers
say if they saw a friend coming in
from a trip to the mines with a poke
of dust, walking up to a bar, ordering
an ice cram soda and paying for it
with three nickles and a rusty-looking
penny? Soda water, which at one
tyne was used only by people with
a weak stomach as a chaser for their
hootch, is now a headliner and the
lowly penny, which was not even
given the name or dignity of “chick
en feed” in the olden times, has be
come a medium of barter and trade.
The penny coming into circulation
can be directly traced to the war, and
the tax for which it will be used is
a war tax. We are inclined to think
that the sourdough who despises the
penny and penny countries will after
May 1 often repeat with great fervor,
General Sherman’s definition of war.
—Douglas News.
FOR 10 DAYS ONLY
Special reduction on all stock.
Closing out corsets at nearly cost. See
the new grades, just arrived. Mrs. J.
C. Funk, Windsor Hotel. 7-tf
See the new Georgette waists at
the Cordova Dry Goods Co. 7-3t
A 3% horsepower Evinrude engine,
with new housing, gears, and shaft
for 75.00 at Northwestern Hardware
Co. 1-“
FUTURE HOPE
OF AMERICA
IS ON OCEAN
CHICAGO, May 7 (by Associated
Press).—The future dpvelopment of
the American merchant marine is at
stake and no more important econ
omic problem has ever presented it
self at one time to the American peo
ple, James A. Farrell, president of the
United States Steel Corporation, to
day told the delegates to the national,
foreign trade convention here.
“The ocean-going steel cargo ton
nage now held by our government
aggregates 555 vessels of 3,385,000
deadweight tons and there are under
contract 1,336 vessels of 9,275,000
tons,” said Mr. Farrell. “Should the
present program be carried to com
pletion there will be under the Ameri
can flag next year 16,732,000 dead
weight tons of shipping of which per
haps 14,000,000 tons can be classed as
ocean-going.
“In its initial stages the problem
is one of international co-operation
and stability of rates rather than of
international competition. A world,
one of whose most pressing needs is
ocean transportation, will have to
i-~ — > — —* —
cial and industrial reconstruction
with a merchant marine smaller by
5,000,000 tons of carrying capacity
than that which it possessed at the
outbreak of war. It will thus be seen
that the world is still short of ships,
especially those of general utility
suitable for offshore trades, and there
will still be work for shipyards for
vessels of this character until the
world shortage is made up.
“There is no escaping the fact that
we start in the race with higher costs
of operation. How much higher can
not as yet be stated accurately but I
think I may hazard the statemnt that
if in other respects we are able to
meet the competition of the world on
equal terms, especially the types of
ships built or to be built, comparable
with those of our competitors, the re
latively high wages of American offi
cers, engineers and seamen sufficient
in number to operate economically
with safety will not prove to be a
serious handicap.”
Mr. Farrell said it could be assumed
that American vessels should be man^
ned by competent crews and have
American seamen enjoy the best pos
sible conditions of life in service.
“But,” he added, “it must be equally
obvious that provisions of law which
require American vessels to maintain
larger crews than is the case with
foreign vessels and to carry as the
engine room crew 30 per cent more
than the steamships of any other na
tion necesarily subject American ves
sels to a very serious disadvantage."
Concerning government ownership
and operation of steamships, Mr. Far
rell said: “The temporary appearance
as a military necessity of the govern
ment of the United States as a ship
buildr and ship owner on a colossal
scale does not render It any less a
fact that the future of the American
merchane marine must depend on the
attractions which it offers to the em
ployment of private capital and the
application of private enterprise. Gov
ernment owned ship's in foreign trade
could only result in disorganization of
existing trade routes in which govern
ment ships might engage, while bring
ing about a complete paralysis of in
dividual effort to obtain from private
American ships a larger share of
Amican sea-borne commerce. Thus,
in the event of government ownership
and operation of merchant vessels be
coming a settled policy, the problem
of the future of American shipping
would solve itself by the extinction
of private endeavor.’’ t
Discussing the proposal to use
American government-built ships for
the benefit of the nation, Mr. Farrell
said:
“Any policy which places at the
disposal of any single class ot pro
ducers a fleet of government steamers
is bound to be unsuccessful. How,
for example, under the policy indi
cated, could it be determined in
whose interest the necessity for the
development of foreign trade was most
pressing; what section of the country
would it favor; and would it take ac
count of the transportation of manu
factures wholly finished, half finished,
or of crude materials?”
The chairman of the shipping board
In considering the adoption of a policy
controlling the nation’s involuntary
investment of billions in shipping, has
reached the conclusion that the ships
of the government-built fleet should
be sold to and operated by American
citizens under no restrictions other
than the terms of the bill of sale and
the fixation of maximum freight rates.
He continues:
“Mr. Hurley’s plan, with perhaps a
few minor exceptions, appeals to
many shipping men of experience
having at heart the upbuilding of an
American merchant marine as a plan
dictated equally by business sense
and equity and in the public interest.
There remains to be determined the
vital question whether the*p vessels
can be operated profitably umder the
American flag. America’s future is
on the sea, and it hears the call of
genius and initiative. If aided by wise
legislation, not necessarily such as to
SjkStoS-reprisals but rather such as to
render the enterprise competitive, our
ships will again be seen commercially
in ports that have forgotten them.”
■ . —■ --"i
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
FOR SALE—Edison Diamond Disc
Phonograph, with 55 records; all
for $70. Inquire C. H. Phillips, care
Blum, O’Neill Co., furniture depart
ment. 7-4t
WANTED — Finnish woman wants
work by day or hour. Address A.
L., Cordova. 7-2t
FOR RENT—Bachelor room. Phone
185.
FOR RENT—A large, well-furnished
room for housekeeping. Phone 129.
WANTED—To buy a launch about 26
feet long. Must be in good condi
tion. Apply at Windsor Hotel. 3-tf
FOR RENT—Rooms over Bank of
Alaska, formerly occupied by North
land Club. Will be altered to suit
satisfactory tenants. Apply Bank of
Alaska. 3-tf
FOR SALE—McCarthy Greenhouse.
Everything modern and up-to-date;
doing fine business; will sell cheap
if sold right away. Owner must
leave for states. Wire or write Mr.
Norman A. Erickson, Box 383, Mc
Carthy, Alaska.
WANTED — Woman for general
housework. Apply to Mrs. Geo.
Dooley. 16-tf
WANTED — Woman baker. Apply
Northland Bakery. 29-tf
L03T—Lady’s wrist watch, Hampden
made. Engraved Maisle. Return
Times office. 30-tf
FOR RENT—Furnished cabins. See
Dooley. > 81-tf
L08T—Two finger rings. Return to
Times office and receive reward. 30
WANTED—A marble slab. Inquire
Times office.
The Dally Times job plant is
well equipped for all classe of com
mercial printing.
Aunty
Keating’s
Wee Shop
Take a peep in the Wee Shop,
And I’ll bet you my all
You’ll want to atop in
If only to call.
There are lota of Toya,
Picture Booka and Gamea,
Marblea and Candlea and
Dolla without namea—
Silka and Lacea,
Ribbona by the mile—
And F/ancea Fraiaure there
To give you a amile.
I?,TT—..-..zzzzzz
WATCH THIS SPACE
ANARCHY DEALT
DEATH BLOW BY
SHIP WORKERS
WASHINGTON, May 8 (by Asso
ciated Press).—Fomenters of discon
tent and preachers of anarchy come
in for scathing denunciation in con
tributions by workmen appearing re
cently in various shipyard papers.
Revolutionary agitation has evoked a
veritable avalanche of letters, ar
ticles, poems and quips from men
whom the agitators sought to influ
ence, in which the writers arraign
imported doctrines in no uncertain
terms and demand ‘TOO per cent
Americanism” of every man working
on the ships which will fly the United
States flag.
A compendium of the various articles
makes a “vigorous,, common-sense
manifesto,” according to a statement
today by the shipping board, quoting
the verdict of the workmen.
The American citizen is ready at all
times to render justice when Justice
is dug, but if the Bolshevik! in this
country cannot see the American
point of view, they are liable to feel
it—on the way out!” asserts Speed
Up, published at the Newark Bay,
N. J„ yard of the Submarine Boat
Corporation.
Lincoln’s opinion on the rights of
property is quoted by a writer in the
Compass, of the Chester (Pa.) Ship
building Company, in refutation of
communistic agitation. The quotation
reads:
“Let not him that is homeless pull
down the home of another, but let him
work diligently and build one for him
self—thus by example he will be as
sured that his own will be safe from
violence.”
A committee of the workmen asked
for a page in the Riverside Review of
the McDougall-Duluth Company, Du
luth, Minn., and ran on it a denuncia
tion of some of their fellows who had
been scattering radical propaganda.
“When we want a revolution, we
can get it with our votes,” their state
ment said. "We are out and out, from
top to bottom, and through and
through against Bolsh^yism 'and the
I. W. W. When you find one, don't
wait. Lead him to the gate and tell
him to go. We will back you.”
From the South also come many
protests against agitation which
might cause the loss of important ad
vantages gained by labor during the
war.
“Labor—organized and unorganized
—has gained more substantial
recognition and progress further dur
ing one year and a half of war than
it did in several previous decades,”
declares the Moshico Log, of the Mo
bile (Ala.) Shipbuilding Company.
“The permanency of these forward
steps will in a large measure be de
termined by labor’s attitude in the
next few months toward the contro
versies that are bound to arise. In the
main, labor has acted very fairly thus
far in the readjustment period and,
barring the outbreaks of a few Bol
shevik! and I. W. W.’s in its ranks,
has played fairly.”
Virtually all Pacific coast shipyard
papers denuonce radical propaganda,
quoting experiences in the recent
Seattle strike as support of their ar
gument. The question from the stand
point.of the men who built the ships
necessary for victory, the Shipping
Board statement says, is summed up
in a pargaraph, printed in Over The
Top. published for the employes of
•the G. M. Standifer Construction Com
pany, in Seattle and Vancouver. The
paragraph asks:
“What was the use of building ships
to feed—the world and save civiliza
tion, if we are to have a paralyzed in
dustry, plundered and ruine homes,
famine, pillage, rapine and a riot of
lust, in America?”
Because they refrained from seren
ading a recently returned married
couple a short time ago, the young
folks at Seward were rewarded by
being given a large box of candy a few
days afterwards.
..iiitiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiMmiiiiiMititiMiiiMimiimiiinmmmmitnTfmtniRllflVj I
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