Food— The Weapon that will Win the War—Help to Save It
Then enana News
VOLUME NO. 2
NENANA, ALASKA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1918.
WHOLE NUMBER 75
I
AGAINST RUSSIANS
WITHOUT BATTLES
LONDON, Feb. 23.—The German
advance through Russia is not a
march of conquerors, according to,
dispatches received in this city. The
reports indicate, on the contrary,
that the invaders are meeting with
practically no resistance, the Rus
sians being chiefly occupied with
their own safety. The Germans are
gathering immense stores of weapons
munitions and supplies as they move
steadily forward along the entire
front, and while it is not known
how far they intend to penetrate1
Russian territory, there is apparently
nothing to prevent them from reach
ing Petrograd. If they desired, the
invaders could easily reduce the city
by famine, which is already making
itself felt upon the people there.
The reports indicate that the Ger
man army, although covering a
front of hundreds of miles, is not
strong in number and could easily
be checked were the Russians dis
posed to fight.
Russians May Resist.
PETROGRAD, Feb 23.—The Bol
sheviki government has issued a
proclamation demanding resistance
to the German advance and calling
upon Russians to defend their coun
try. The proclamation also declares
this city in a state of siege. The
proclamation was issued last night
at the order of the peop'es’ com
missionaires and is signed by 1 re
ntier Lenine and Ensign Krylenko,
the Bolsheviki commander in chief.
The advance of the Germans is;
being watched calmly by the resi
dents of this city, many of whom
would welcome German occupation,
as it is feared that the < ity will be
overrun by anarchists. The Bol
sheviki government is preparing to
move to some point in the interior
and it is stated that foreign diplo
mats will move at the same time,
it being their unanimous decision
not to break relations with the Bol
sheviki, whatever may happen. They
will aid the Russians in every way
possible in opposing the German in
vasion.
It is reported here that the Ger
mans are not taking many prisoners
in their advance through the coun-1
try. They are merely disarming the i
troops as they encounter them.
BRITISH CAN INDUSTRIALS
LONDON, Feb. 23.—Two Ameri-!
can representatives of the Industrial!
Wjrkers of the World, who were ar
rested in this country on the charge ■
of spreading pacifist propoganda, j
have been sentenced to six months
imprisonment, with a recommenda
tion for deportation.
WILL GIVE WILSON POWER
TO REGULATE FOOD TRADE
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 23.—
Convinced that the compulsory con
servation of food is necessary, the
members of the house agricultural.
committee have submitted a favor
able report on the bill giving the
president of the United States power
to regulate public eating houses and
the general distribution off food
stuffs throughout the country. The
measure does not, however, affect
householders directly.
LABOR IS AGREED
LONDON, Feb. 23.—The Inter
Allied Labor conference, which has
been in session in this city for sev
eral days, has reached an agree
ment to support the British war
FT. GIBBON SOLDIERS
ARRIVE FROM TANANA
A detachment of ten regular sol
diers arrived from Fort Gibbin dur
ing the week to take up their tem
porary residence in Nenana, where
they will act as guards on the gov
ernment reserve. Two of the party,
Sergeant Smith and Corporal Drury,
arrived in town on Thusday night
and the others followed with their
equipment on Friday. They are now
quartered on the reserve and will
take up their new duties immediately
The boys report a very hard trip
up river, having been accompanied
by a storm the entire distance. To
illustrate the difficulties of traveling,
they were compelled to abandon
their team of mules at Hot Springs
and completed the trip with a team
of horses which they secured there.
And the borrowed team were pretty
well exhausted when the outfit
reached town.
The detachment is composed of
Sergeant Smith, Corporal Drury, and
Privates Fury, Gallagher, Miller,
Lopsides, Turk, Phillips, Osbourne
and Songer.
GERMAN IN PIGHI
American Army in France, Feb.
23.—In a hand to hand encounter
with a German, an American trooper
captured the Hun single handed and
delivered him safely behind the
American lines. The encounter took
place on Friady night during an en
gagement between opposing patrols,
the details of which have not yet
been disclosed beyond the fact that
it occurred on a portion of the
French front hitherto supposedly
unoccupied by Americans.
The American who captured the
Hun is a young officer from New
England. He discovered the Hun
in a shell hole and dropped on top
of him before he could use his fire
arms. When the incident was „]ge
ported to the French general com
manding the sector, a veteran of
the Marne, the old fighter greeted
the young officer and his patrol as
comrades in arms and fervently
kissed the American flag.
The only incident of note, which
has occurred during the past sev
eral days is the explosion of a Ger
man trench mortar shell which drop
ped into an American position, kill
ing two men and wounding four
others. Reports from various points
along the Western front indicate
that the Huns are becoming very
active with poison shells, but thus
far they have been unable to do
a great deal of damage.
CALL MAY COME SOON
TO POPULAR SURGEON
According to information received
from Washington during the week,
there is a likelihood that Dr. Mal
colm E. Smith, chief surgeon of the
Fairbanks division of the Alaskan
Engineering commission, will soon
be called to active service abroad.
The telegram informed Dr. Smith
that he might expect the call about
June 1, in which event he will leave
for the Outside on one of the first
outgoing boats.
In the meantime, he is making pre
parations to leave for the front and
will be all ready when the call comes.
During his absence, or until his re
turn to Nenana at the end of the
war, Dr. David H. More, associate
of Dr. Smith, will have charge of
this division.
POLES ARE ASSISTING
GERMANS IN THE EAST
AMSTERDAM, Feb. 23.—Advices
received in this city state that Uk
rainian troops are nearing Kiev,
which is held by Bolsheviki soldiers.
It is also reported here that the
Poles are assisting the Germans in
the advance against the Russians,
having been of material help to them
in occupying Minsk.
AMERICA AND HOLLAND
CONCLUDE AGREEMENT
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 23.—
The state department has announced
that the governments of the United
States and Holland have reached an
agreement which will enable the for
mer nation to utilize Dutch tonnage.
In return for this concession, the
United States will supply Holland
with a certain amount of food, there
being a strict understanding that
none of the food is to reach Ger
many.
FOOD SHORTAGE
IN EASI GRAVE;
GETTING WORSE
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 23
National Food Administrator Her
bert Hoover has issued a statement
in which he declares that the short
age of food in the eastern part of
the United States is assuming ser
ious proportions. The situation, as
he sees it, is the most critical in the
history of the nation and Eastern
ers are warned to save every scrap
until their larders can be replenished
The situation is particularly acute in
the larger consuming areas, where
the stocks of stores and supply
houses are at the point of exhaus
tion.
In the opinion of the food admini
strator, it will be at least sixty days
before adequate relief can be pro
vided. A few weeks ago the resi
dents of the famine centers were
without coal to prepare their food
and now that they have fuel in lim
ited quantities, there is the danger
that their food supply will become
entirely exhausted.
FRANCE PIAHSIUCKV
IN DUNG U MS
PARIS, Feb. 23.—The admiralty
has issued a most gratifying report
of shipping conditions, obtaining
during the past week. The state
ment says that not a single Frnech
merchant ship or fishing craft has
ben sunk by U boats during the past
seven days, notwithstanding the fact
that there has been many arrivals
and departures at French ports dur
ing that period. A total of 1603
vessels successfully avoided the sub
marines, of which number 619 enter
ed French ports and 876 departed.
SUPPLIES GOING FORWARD
TO RELIEVE THE ALLIES
—
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 23.—
Secretary McAdoo has given assur
ance to Earl Reading and other
British representatives that six trains
of packing house supplies for export
to the Allies, will be moved east
ward daily during the next thirty
; days. McAdoo declares that the
I railroad situation has been improved
sufficiently to permit the shipment
of a large quantity of supplies from
i the West.
DANCE AT UNION HALL
—
Union hall will be the scene of
another one of those popular in
i formal dancing parties tonight and
I the indications are that a large
! crowd will be on hand to enjoy the
affair. Good music has been en
gaged for the occasion and dancing
will continue until a late hour. The
price of admission will be on dollar
for gentlemen, ladies being admitted
free.
SIMSON STORE ANNOUNCES
POTLACH FOR EARLY DATE
In response to a popular demand
for another potlach, the Simson store
announces that three prizes, with an
aggregate value of $150, will be
given away absolutely free on the
evening of May 11, the contest be
ing in every respect similar to the
big Christmas Potlach, which created
widespread interest among Nenana
ites during the holiday shopping
season. Like the Christmas contest,
the first prize in the May Potlach
will consist of $75 in cash; the
second prize will be $50 in mer
chandise and the third prize $25
in merchandise.
Commencing Monday morning,
each cash customer will be given a
ticket for every dollar’s worth of
merchandise purchased, and a public
drawing at the end of the contest
will determine the three lucky num
bers.
Employees of the Alaskan Engin
eering commission enjoyed a holiday
yesterday in honor of Washington’s
birthday.
SUBMARINE SINKS
BUI CREW ESCAPE
MADRID, Feb. 23.—The Spanish
steamship Marcaspeto, enroute from
this country with a cargo of cork
for the United States, was sub
marined this week a short distance
off the Spanish coast, according to
reports sent to this city by the
captain of the Spanish steamship
Claudio Lopez, who rescued the crew
from the destroyed vessel.
After having picked up the mem
bers of the crew of the divered craft,
the Lopez was proceeding on her
way when a submarine suddenly ap
peared a short distance away and
commanded the steamer to lay to.
The captain was questioned regard
ing the nature of his cargo and
when he reported that he had bn
board a number of cars, consigned
to the Spanish-Northern railroad,
the master of the U boat wanted to
sink the vessel. It was with great
difficulty that the Hun commander
was persuaded to permit the steamer
to continue unmolested.
ARMY WEIL SUPPLIED
WITH GUNS AND SHOES
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 23.—
The ordnance bureau of the war de
partment has announced the manu
facture of seven thousand army
rifles in the United States since this
country entered the war. It was
also announced that the army now
possesses over a million service
rifles and that about fifty per cent
of the soldiers carry rifles.
The war department also has more
than fifteen million pairs of shoes
for American soldiers, but Secretary
Bakers says that a million more
pairs must be delivered before the
end of the year, to meet the demand
of General Pershing, who has asked
for nine pairs per man annually dur
the fighting in France.
DATE OF SECOND DRAFT
MATTER OF UNCERTAINTY
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Feb. 23.—
There is considerable uncertainty
regarding the probable date of the
second draft, reports having various
ly stated that the draft was sched
uled for March, April and May. It
now seems probable, however, that
no action will be taken until early
summer, statements made today by
officials of the provost marshal gen
eral’s office indicating that he draft
will not take place until June.
SKIPPER IS CAUGHT
Seattle, Feb. 23.—Captain L. J.
Schage, of the steamer Nome, has
been placed under arrest in this city
on the charge of violating the pro
hibition law. The arrest resulted
from the discovery of fifty quarts
of whiskey on board the vessel. The
skipper has been released, pending
his hearing, on bail in the sum of
$500.
MINERS OF KANTISHNA GET
ENCOURAGEMENT ON ROAD
Encouragement for the residents
of the Kantishna district, who are
laboring under the handicap of ab
solute lack of transportation facili
ties, is contained in a letter just re
ceived by John C. Murphy from H.
H. Ross, chairman of the Fourth
division branch of the Territorial
Road commission. Mr. Murphy has
written a number of letters in an
effort to interest the federal and
territorial government in the Kan
tishna road project, but until Chair
man Ross was heard from, very little
encouragement had been received.
The letter is dated at Fairbanks,
and is as follows:
“John C. Murphy, Esq.
“Dear Sir:—Your communication
of recent date, containing petition
and map relative to need of road !
from Mile 43, on Government rail
road to Kantishna country, is re
| ceived, for which accept my thanks,
j In reply will state that I hope to
j Stive this matter more complete in
; vestigation in the early spring, but
I I doubt if the Commission will have
'sufficient funds to build the road
this year. However, if we find that
! we are unable to build, still we may
I be able to start some preliminary
! work this year.
“Thanking you for your interest
in road matters, I remain,
“Yours truly,
“H. H. ROSS,
“Chairman.”
UNDER ARREST ON
—
CAMP LEWIS, Feb. 23—Four sol
j diers who have been training here
for some time, have been placed un
der arrest on the charge of treason,
i the specific complaint against them
being that they conspired to shoot
their own officers during the first
i engagement on the French front.
They are said to have also planned
to deliver the American troops into
, the hands of the enemy at the first
opportunity. In the opinion of the
judge advocate general, the men are
guilty of treason and are liable to
the death penalty.
The plotters, whose names have
not been made public, are being held
in the guard house, awaiting presi
dential warrant directing their ar
rest and trial, or internment as
enemy aliens. The evidence against
the men is said to be conclusive.
_
FRENCH TAKE A FEW
PARIS, Feb. 23.—The war office
has authorized the announcement
that French troops raided a German
position north of the Ailette river
during the night, taking a number
j of prisoners and a quantity of war
and food supplies. The Germans
were taken completely by surprise
and were driven from their positions
in confusion. The raiding party re
turned to the French lines in safety.
J. Hampton Miles, who is inter
ested in a wood contract south of
town, was a visitor in Nenana yes
terday, having come into town on
business. He reports that a con
siderable portion of his wood has
been covered by water and ice near
20-Mile and that he has been com
pelled to move his camp twice s'/.cc
the first of the year.
Carl Schmidt left for Wood river
this morning, to be absent from town
a week or ten days.
Dad Ingram, the traveling man,
j passed through Nenana during the
j week enroute to the lower river
on his annual selling tour. lie is
making the trip with Roy Lund.
Little Leona Robbins, the eight
year old patient at the Government
hospital for whom a benefit was
given last week, is very much im
proved in health, having been per
mitted to leave her bed during the
week.
Miss Mildred Anderson, who un
derwent an operation Thursday at
the Government hospital for the re
moval of a goitre, is resting easily
after the ordeal and gives promise
of an early recovery.
Harry Huston underwent a minor
operation at the Government hospi
tal yesterday, having taken advant
age of the holiday c,o undergo re
pairs.
General Storekeeper Howard P.
Curtis made a trip out the line,
south of Nenana, during the week,
on matters of business. He went
out as far as 43-Mile.
Lynch brothers, diamond drill men,
recently left for the States, after
being employed by the B. L. Thane
interests at Juneau. Eight men arid
outfit accompanied the Lynch broth
ers to their destination.
FRENCH DIPLOMA!
PAYS TRIBUTE TO
NATION’S FATHER
WASHINGTON, D. C., Fob. 23.—
In the presence of a monster gath
ering of patriotic Americans, Am
bassador Jesserand, of France, de
livered an inspiring memorial ad
dress yesterday, in which he assured
Americans that his countrymen a
cross the ocean were ready to fight
to the last drop of blood. He re
called how the French nation had
gone into mourning when Washing
ton died and said “the fight is on
and we shall no more desist than
the great Washington did, even at.
this most perilous hour. The result
is certain. The work must be done
now so that it will not have to be
done all over again at sorpe future
time.”
WANT TO SEE WILSON
LONDON, Feb. 23—The Chronicle
is authority for the statement that
a delegation of Allied Socialists will
go to Washington at an early date
to confer with President Wilson.
EXPERIENCES HARD
TRIP OVER TRAIL
In a letter recently received from
Mrs. J. C. Funk, formerly in the
ladies’ furnishings business here, she
tells of her experiencs on the Valdez
! trail, through what seems to be the
worst weather ever encountered dur
ing one of those trips. The stage
was four days late, as over thirty
inches of snow fell, making the trail
impassable im some places. From
I the Rapids to Miller’s, says Mrs.
| Funk, they encountred several over
flows and had to lay over at Millers,
while it took all day and the next
night to make Yosts. After their ar
rival at Yosts the wind started up
with such force that it was impos
sible to get to the barn to water the
horses.
After leaving Paxson’s they had to
leave the stage and go ahead for
help to get out of the drifts, and
the members of the party left in the
stage were forced to go twenty-four
hours without anything to eat, un
til the party got back. Finally,
when the weather cleared, they trav
eled two nights and a day, stopping
only to eat, in order to catch up.
This is probably the worst trip made
over the trail, according to the stage
drivers.
Jack Smith is planning to leave
fcr France with his mascer, it being
his ambition to enter active service
as a war dog.
POPULAR LILLIAN GISH
IS ATTRACTION SUNDAY
Lillian Gish, the talented and beau
tiful movie star, who made her de
but on the stage at the tender age
of six years, will be seen at the
Coliseum on Sunday evening as lead
ing woman in the Triangle Fine Arts
production, “Sold for Marriage.”
‘Sold for Marriage” is the story
of a poor Russian girl whose beauty
leads her unscrupulous uncle to
bring her to the United States to be
sold into marriage to a rich old man
whom she had never seen. Fortu
nately, her young Russian sweet
heart has embarked for America on
the same ship; and when he arrives,
he learns to his surpise that the
Yankee police, unlike those of his
native land, are not oppressors of
the poor. On the contrary, they aid
him in securing the release of his
beloved Marja. The events leading
up to the climax on this side of the
ocean form a sequence of thrilling
scenes, and the end is a happy one.
As an added attraction, the man
agement will present a one-reel Es
sanay comedy, entitled, “Cupid’s
Bath.” Regular feature prices will
prevail, fifty cents for the gen
eral admission and a quarter extra
for reserved seats. The snow will
start at 8:30.
Lester Earhart has left the Gov
ernment hospital, where he received
treatment for an injured foot.