V
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< VOLUME NO. 2
The Nenana News
NENANA, ALASKA SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1918. WHOLE NUMBER 66
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CAPTUffiB GERMANS
m u to p
ROME, Jan. 5.—The condition of
German soldiers captured by the
French during the ofensive opera
tions of the past week on the Italian
front, indicates that the kaiser’s
fighting men are not as well fed
and cared for now as they were dur
ing the earlier days of the war. The
“prisoners were a miserable lot of
bumans when brought into camp by
the Frencl. Officers and men alike
were unkempt and devoured food like
starving c.ogs. They admitted that j
they were all tired of the war. Re
garding the French offensive, the
Germans said that the fire of the
French guns was new to them and
had taken them completely by sur
prise. The sudden change, which
had followed the arrival of the
French troops, had bowled them
over, they declared, and thrown
their ranks into confusion. The
drive resulted in the capture of
1400 Teutons and a number of guns.
JAPAN WILL REJECT
SEPARATE PROPOSAL
MEXICO CITY, Jan. 5.—Baron
Fugitaro Otori, new Japanese min
ister to Mexico declared, in a state
ment made today, that the Japanese
government would reject any pro
posal of separate peace made by Ger
many, no matter how advantageous
the terms might be to Japan. This
attitude on the part of his country,
he said, had been fully determined
upon and that it would be useless
for the Central powers to talk peace
until all the Allied nations were in
cluded in the proposal.
WANT IRELAND RECOGNIZED
WASHINGTON, D. C., JanJ. 5.—
Representative Jeanette Rankin has
introduced a bill providing for the
recognition, by the United States, of
Ireland’s right to political independ
ence. Ireland, the woman lawmaker,
points out, is among the nations for
whose freedom and democracy Amer
icans are fighting. Miss Rankin has
also introduced a bill providing that
women who are called upon to do
the work of men, receive men’s
wages.
RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS
DISCREDIT REPORTS
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Officials of the Russian embassy
refuse to give serious consideration
to the reports received from London
to the effect that the Allies will
recognize the Bolsheviki government
because of the rejection of the Ger
man peace terms.
CZAR ASKED FOR HELP.
PETROGRAD, Oct. 5.—The Bol
sheviki has given publicity to secret
documents in which it is purported
to be shown that the former czar
appealed to the kaiser before the
war for assistance in curbing the
growth of Socialism in Russia.
WOULD OWN ROADS.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Senator Hiram Johnson, of Cali
fornia, is leading the campaign for
permanent government ownership of
the railroads of the country.
NEWLAND’S SUCCESSOR
CARSON CITY, Nev., Jan. 5.—
Chas. B. Henderson, of Elko, has
been appointed by the governor to
succeed the late Senator Newlands,
whose d»ath occurred during the
holiday recess of congress.
FINLAND IS RECOGNIZED
STOCKHOLM, Jan. 5.—The inde
pendence of Finland was given re
cognition today by the ministry of
Sweden.
BRITISH ATTACKS REPULSED
BERLIN, Jan. 5.—The war office
announces that British attacks east
of Ypres and north of Labasse canal
were repulsed by the Germans last
night and thi3 morning. A number
of prisoners and machine guns were
captured.
NCREASE GRACED;
MEN BACK ON JOBS
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5.—The
strike of Pacific Coast metal work
ers, which was called a week ago
and which compelled 250 plants in
this and other coast cities to close
down, was called off today, following
the announcement that the demand
of the men for a ten per cent ad
vance in wages had been granted.
The strike involved fifteen thousand
workers.
WAKE BOARD PROPOPSED
TO REGULATE WAGES
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Secretary McAdoo and representa
tives of the Trainmen’s brother
hoods have agreed upon the plan
of creating a wage board to have
jurisdiction over the wages of rail
road workers, during the time that
the roads are under the control of
the government. The business of the
board will be to adjust disputes that
may arise. The board probably will
be appointed within 30 days.
LAWMAKERS DISAPPOINTED
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Members of congress declare tha1
the latest address of President Wil
son was a disappointment to them
inasmuch as it appears that the presi
dent desires congress to solve th<
proble of dealing with the railroac
situation.
ALLIES LOSE AIRPLANES
BERLIN, Jan. 5.—German avia
tors and gunners have downed 2'
British and French airplanes anc
balloons on the Western front dur
ing the past four days, accordinj
to a statement isued from the wa:
office this afternoon.
BLAMES WAR DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Jan. 5.—
Frank Turnbull, president of the
Roges Peet company, declared be
fore the senate investigating com
mittee, that the shortage of army
clothing had resulted from the fail
ure of the war department properly
to mobilize the clothing industry.
FISHING BOATS NEEDED;
MAY BE ORDERED SOUTH
SEATTLE,, Jan. 5.—Owners of
Alaskans canneries have been noti
fied that it may be necessary for
the government to commandeer all
of their sailing and other large
boats, in which event it is under
stood that the vessels will be used
for carrying nitrates from South
America to New York.
COAL SHORTAGE GROWS
SERIOUS IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK, Jan. 5.—The short
age of coal in this city is growing
more critical daily and there does
not appear to be any relief in sight.
It seems probable now that many
large office buildings will be com
pelled to close and the suffering
among the poor residents of the city
is most acute.
Secretary McAdoo explains that
the delay in making coal deliveries
is due to the shortage of skilled labor
in various sections of the country.
CROWDER PREDICTS AGE
MUST BE CHANGED SOON
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Provost Marshal Crowder expresses
the belief that it will become nec
essary, before the war is ended, to
increase the draft age from 30
years to 40 and possibly 45. Draft
ing of the older men, however, will
be mainly for skilled war labor and
also to distribute the burdens inci
dental to the war.
THIRD LIBERTY LOAN
TO START NEXT MONTH
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo
is authority for the statement that
the Third Liberty Loan capaign will
be started about the middle of Feb
ruary.
RYUS SAYS BROAD PASS
IS NATURAL MAIL ROUTE
Townsite Manager Fred S Ryus,
who returned from the coast this
week, is enthusiastic over the pro
posed construction of a wagon road
between the ends of steel on the
| government railroad. Mr. Ryus
made the trip out by way of the
j Broad Pass route, leaving Nenana
| on November 16 and arriving at
I Anchorage sixteen days later, and it
I is his opinion that the route pre
i sents a splendid opportunity for the
construction of a good road, which
! would connect Lignite and Indian
. river. As a mail route, such a road
. would bring Nenana and the coast
; four days nearer each other, and
' it would enable Fairbanks to receive
mail two days quicker than at pres
! ent.
| Mr. Ryus made the trip out in
; company with L. R. Ebert, Dan
Hartwig and E. Henderson. They
had no difficulty in following the
j trail but encountered considerable
! open water and thin ice, dangers
| which later were eliminated by cold
| weather. The trip, Mr. Ryus says,
| should not be undertaken until after
i the first of December, by which time
I all the streams usually are frozen
solidly.
| The trail had not been marked at
| the time the Ryus party crossed the
“gap,” but they met Engineer Dose
and his party, who were engaged
in the work, headed . award Lignite.
Mr. Ryus was most favorably im
pressed with the appearance 1’ An
chorage, with its many graded
j streets, cement sidewalks and fine
buildings. The location, he says,
is splendid and the climate much
better than any he experienced else
where on the coast. The present
population of Anchora; is about
3,50'.'
The stretch of reconstructed road
out of Seward also impressed Mr.
Ryus most favorably. He and
Mayor Watts, of Anchorage, were
the guests of Engineer Weir on a
trip over the line, and the work
appeared to have been most thor
oughly done. By the first of June
the gap between Seward and \n
chorage probably will have been
closed, and the line extended north
of Anchorage to Montana creek, giv
ing the mainline on the coast end
a total mileage of 204 miles.
Mr. Ryus attended a meeting cf
the Anchorage Chamber of . "*n
merce for the purpose of interesting
the businessmen of the railroad
town in yie wagon road project
and securing their co operation in
the proposal to have the Interior
mail routed via Anchorage. The
Anchorage club holds its meetings
at the various cafes ar.ii restaurants,
during the afternoon, a plan that
appears to have stimuateld the in
terest of the members greatly in
their work of the organization Mr.
Pyus found the Anchorageites most
responsive to his appeal f< r co op
erating and it is his opinion that
the two town, Anchorage and Ne
nana, can accomplish a great deal
by working together.
Hartwig and Henderson, who ac
companied Mr. Ryus to the coast,
continued to Seldovia to look over
that section of the coast. Mr. Ebert
went to Seattle. On the trip out
the members of the party were com
pelled to “siwash” it five nights,
owing to the absence of roadhouse
accommodations.
LONDON, Jan. 5.—In an address
delivered yesterday before the Brit
ish Trades unions, Premier David
Lloyd George outlined the war aims
of the Allies. “We are not fighting
a war of aggression against the
German people,” he said, “the de
struction or disruption of Germany
or the German people has never been
our aim since the first day of the
war. Our wish is not to destroy Ger
many’s great position in the world,
but to turn her from her course of
oppression and domination. Only
the clearest, the greatest and the
most just cause could justify con
tinuing, even for a day, this un
speakable agony of nations. We de
mand the restoration of Belgium,
reparation for the devastated towns
and cities, centralization and nation
alization of the Dardanelles .con
sideration for the great wrong done
France in connection with Alsace
Lorraine, the establishmen of a Po
land composed of Polish elements,
| separate national conditions for
; Arabia, Armenia, Mesopotamia, Sy- j
i ria and Palestine. The Russian con
j ditions we believe, should be de
cided by the Russians themselves
and the African colonies must be
placed under an administration ac
ceptable to the colonists. We will
stand by the French republic until
death.”
Continuing, the premier said that
it was apparent that the kaiser does j
not intend to surrender any of the
Russian provinces or cities. They i
are to be ruled by the Prussian
sword and the rest of the Russians
bullied or enticed into political and
economical enslavement.
Referring to the pronouncement
made by the Austrian foreign min
ister at Brest Litovsk conference,
the premier said that it was im
possible to believe that any per
manent peace could be erected on
such a foundation as the Central
powers proposed.
ALLIES MAY RECOGNIZE
GOVERNMENT OF LENINE
LONDON, Jan. 5.—The opinion is
freely expressed in this city that
the Allies will recognize the Lenine
government, as the result of the out
come of the peace negotiations at
Brest Litovsk This action will be
taken it is asserted, to forestall fur
ther attempts on the part of the
Germans to control Russian senti
ment.
Maxim Llivinoff, official repre
sentative of the Bolsheviki govern
ent in England, made the following
statement yesterday: “My task as
ambassador will be to disseminate
truth concerning Russia. It is gross
ly mischievous to represent Bolshe
viki as a pro-German, an anti-Ally
or as a mere pacifist.” Trotsky
and Lenine, he declared, are con
tributing to the downfall of kaiser
ism more effectually than the Allied
armies which are fighting in the
West. The Bolsheviki warfare, he
said, consists of appealing directly
to the German troops.
PACKER SELLS PIANO
William Packer has disposed of
the player piano which he won on
Christmas at the Simson store. C.
J. Sellander is the new owner.
? C
BIG HOBOKEN INDUSTRY
IS REDUCED BY FLAMES
HOBOKEN, N. Y„ Jan. 5.—A six
story manufacturing plant in the
heart of the industrial center of this
city was reduced to ashes yesterday
by a fire of mysterious origin. For
a time the flames threatened the
entire district and it was only
through the combined efforts of fire
men, soldiers, fire boats and civil
ians that the flames were gotten
under control. The destruction of
the structure represents a loss of
a quarter of a million.
WM. SMITH ARRESTED;
TAKEN TO FAIRBANKS
Wm. H. Smith, well known attor
ney of this city, was taken to Fair
banks this morning by Deputy Mar
shal John Woods, to answer to the
charge of embezzlement, the corn
plait having been filed in the upper
town. Smith is alleged to have made
a collection for a client and failed
to make return.
GREENE IN FRANCE
CAMP LEWIS, Jan. 5.—General
Greene, former commandent of the
local camp who put the lid on
Seattle, is reported to have arrived
in France.
ACTION OF SLAVS
BERLIN, Jan. 5.—Referring to
the demand of the Bolsheviki gov
ernment that the peace negotiations
be continued at Stockholm, instead
of Brest Litovsk, the German chan
cellor announced today that Ger
many woudl not permit the Russians
to prescribe where the deliberations
sould be held. The announcement
was provoked by the action of Bol
sheviki’s representatives, who left a
note at Brest Litovsk for the Ger
man conferees, stating that the Rus
sians would be found at Stockholm,
ready to continue the conference.
PIONEERS TO INSTALL
OFFICERS MONDAY
Nenana Igloo, No. 15, Alaska
Order of Pioneers will hold their
grand installation of officers on
Monday evening at Labor Union hall.
The charter and books were secured
by Secretary Kenyon on his recent
trip to Fairbanks, and everybody
is, in readiness for the occasion.
John H. Flower has been appointed
as deputy grand president and or
ganizer and will have charge of the
installation ceremony.
Authority for Mr. Flower's ap
pointent is contained in the follow
ing letter, received by Secretary
Kenyon, from the grand president:
Fairbanks, Alaska, Dec. 28, 1917.
“W. E. Kenyon, Secretary Nenana
Igloo, Pioneers of Alaska, Nenana,
Alaska.
“Dear Brother:
“Answering your leter of the 20th
instant. I hereby appoint John H.
Flower as deputy grand president
and organizer for the purpose of
organizing Nenana Igloo and aciing
as installing officer under our con
stitution in the installation of offi
cers to be held on January 7, 1918.
“It is a great pleasure to learn
of your success so far in organizing
a new igloo of Pioneers, and on be
half of the grand igloo and all
Pioneers everywhere, we extend to
you our congratulations and best
wishes for your future success and
prosperity in the great work you
have undertaken.
“Extending to you and through
you to all Pioneers the compliment?
of the season, T am,
Yours f r tternallly.
“ CECIL H. CLEGG,
“Grand President, Grand Igloo,
Pioneers of Alalska Fair
banks Alaska."
Attest:
HENRY T. RAY,
Grand Secreary.
The meeting will be called to
order at 8 o’clock sharp.
Following the installation a short
business session will be held, after
which the social committee will en
tertain the members with a speciaby
prepared program until the refresh
ments are ready.
RUST HOME IS SCENE
OF JOLLY GATHERING
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Ed
Rust was the scene of a pleasant
gathering last night, many residents
of the town being present to enjoy
the hospitality of the popular hostess.
Games provided the chief form of
entertainent, followed by an elabo
rate luncheon.
CROWDER SAYS MANY
ARE DODGING DRAFT
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 5.—
Provost Marshal Crowder, in a re
port submitted to Secretary of War
Baker, estimates that there are
fifty thousand slackers in America.
An average of ten men in each
registration district, he says, have
escaped service without being caught
This dodging of the draft will in
crease, he believes, as tne additional
calls are made and he suggest0
remedial measures to reduce the
number of slackers to the minimum.
NORWAY SUFFERS LOSS
LONDON, Jan. 5.—Twenty-two
Norwegian vessels were lost during
the month of December, their de
struction resulting in the loss of
75 lives.
PERSHING PREPARING
10 START SOMETHING
PARIS, Jan. 5.—American avia
tors who have been serving with
the French forces, are being trans
ferred to the Pershing army, a move
that is regarded as indicating that
the Americans are getting ready to
begin active offensive operations
against the enemy.
The war office announces this
afternoon that violent artillery ac
tion is in progress on the Champagne
front and in the Verdun sector. It
is also announced that a German
attack in Upper Alsace was repulsed
by the French this morning. The
Germans also made an unsuccessful
attempt to capture the French
trenches north of St. Mihiel and in
the Fliry region.
The French report the destruction
of eight German airplanes and one
balloon as the result of yesterday’s
aerial operations on the various
fronts.
LABOR RESERVE PLAN
10 HELP INDUSTRIES
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Jan. 5—
Official^ of the department of labor
announce that the co-operation of
organized labor has been secured
in the proposal to create a federal
public service reserve, which is de
signed to make unnecessary the con
scription of labor in the United
States. The plan has been generally
endorsed by labor organizations
throughout the country. 1 he plan is
to mobilize all the workers in the
country into a resrve force, |o be
drawn on when men are needed to
fill the ranks of industries engaged
in war work.
TACOMA JAILOR 'AILED;
CASH IN OFFICE STOLEN
TACOMA, Jan. 5.—The safe in
the office of the county jail was
relieved of the sum of $5,000 late
yesterday afternoon by four pris
oners who succeeded in making their
get-away from the place. They
first assaulted the jailor, Peter Mc
Cabe, and after making him fast
to the bars of a cell with ropes,
proceeded leisurely to loot the of
fice safe of its contents. They then
left the jail unobserved and are still
at liberty.
CHINK TROOPS HELPING;
MORE READY FOR FRONT
NEW YORK, Jan. 5.—Chinese
Ambassador Koo declared, in an ad
dress delivered in this city last night,
that China now has 125,000 soldiers
fighting with the Allies in France
and Mesopotamia and that more
probably will be sent to the Euro
pean front within the next few
months.
LONDON, Jan. 5.—Reports re
ceived in this city from the main
land state that German Chancellor
von Hertling is seriously ill at Ber
lin. It is also reported that Prince
von Buelow, former chancellor, is
to relieve von Hertling at an early
date.
Ike Michem, who was taken to
Fairbanks recently to answer to the
charge of making seditious remarks,
was tried before Commissioner Reed
Heilig and a jury this week and
found guilty. He was sentenced to
a term of ten months. Michem acted
as his own attorney.
Mrs. Carlton D. Ross, who under
went an operation recently at the
Government hospital, expects to be
able to return home within the next
few days.
In the publication of the names
of contributors to the Orphan re
lief fund, the names of Dicky Foster
and E. D. Gray were omitted. The
former contributed the sum of 50
cents and the latter $2.
—
The regular weekly meeting of
the Nenana School board will be
held tomorrow evening, instead of
Monday.