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THE NENANA DAILY NEWS
vni UME ONE ~~ NENANA, ALASKA, SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1918. NUMBER 6
CRISIS IS NEARING ON THE WEST FRONT
GERMANS ADVANCING UNES TOWARDS AMIENS
FOCH SAYS ALLIES NOW READY FOR FINAL ACTION
'COMMITTEE VOTES
TO INDORSE RIGGS
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 6 —
The senate committee on territories
which has been investigating the
charges preferred against Thomas
Riggs, Jr., voted unanimously this
> morning to recommend the confirma
tion of the nomination of the rail
BIG BOND SALES
SHOW AMERICANS
EAGER 10 SERVE
W _
Many We*tern Town* Oversubscribe
Quota On First Day of Great
Drive.
WASHINGTON, D. €., April 6.—
The first anniversary of the en
trance of the United States into the
great world conflict is being cele
brated throughout the country today
with parades, patriotic exercises and
various other demonstrations, all ar
ranged to marke the commencement
of the Third Liberty Loan drive,
which started this morning.
The subscriptions coming in early
indicate that many millions will be
subscribed before the day is ended
In fact, some towns in the West are
reported to have oversubscribed thei]
quotas before noon, ana there is
every reason to believe that no diffi
culty wil be experienced in raising
the desired three billion dollars dur
ing the four weeks allotted for th(
drive.
President Wilson will make ar
important address at Baltimore to
night, Secretary McAdoo will speal
at Philadelphia, Vice-President Mar
shal will talk Liberty bonds at St
Louis and Secretary of the Navj
Daniels will address the people o1
Cleveland.
BUSY AT SEATTLE
SEATTLE, April 6.—The Libertj
Loan drive was started in this citj
1 at five o’clock this morning, tw(
hundred motorcyclists having vol
unteered to awaken the city and re
mind the people of the important
of the day. The couriers speedei
to all parts of the city, dropping tor
pedoes and other explosives, sound
ing the need of action. The sal
of bonds throughout the day ha
been gratifying.
NEW FLAGS
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 6.
The war anniversary is being ob
served at the various governmen
shipyards today by raising the ne\
flag of the shipping board, wit]
appropriate excercises.
MILWEE DENIES COfLT
1 ON LARCENY CHARG1
When summoned before Judgi
Bunnell, in the district court at Fair
banks, this morning, S. H. Milwee
former Fairbanks attorney who wa
indicted reecntly on the charge o
larceny, entered a plea of not guilty
The date of his trial was not set.
Milwee is accused by George‘Hin
ton Henry, former Hot Springs pub
lisher, of the misappropriation of i
printing plant, which Milwee sold t
satisfy a claim against Henry.
road builder to be governor of Alas
ka. It is believed that some oppo
sition will be made when the matter
is considered by the senate, but it
is now considered certain that the
action of the committee will be ap
proved.
GERMANS RESUME
A!M ON PARIS
Secretary of Swiss Legation Killed
During Bombardment With
New Gun.
PARIS, April 6.—The long-range
bombardment of this city was re
sumed at ten o’clock this morning,
I but up to a late hour today very
little damage has resulted.
It is reported here that the kaiser
! has sent a personal letter to the
! president of Switzerland, apologizing
| for the death of the secretary of
| the Swiss legation, who was killed
; during the bombardment several
j days ago.
j A new long range gun is reported
! enroute to the German front, pre
sumably for use in bombarding this
I city. The weapon passed through
; Belgium from Essen on Monday.
The length of the barrel is between
i twenty and twenty-five meters and
l the calibre is betwen twenty and
j twenty-five centimeters.
GEORGljjM
MARKS NEW EFOCH
Predicted That Americans Will Give
Huns the Surprise of Their
Lives Soon.
I LONDON, April 6.—During the
1 progress of a luncheon held in this
city today in honor of the first an
niversary of America’s entry in the
i war, a telegram from David Lloyd
• George, addressed to the lord mayor
■’of London, was read. The message
s ‘contained the reassuring prediction
1 that, during the next few weeks, the
■ Americans will give the Prussians
■ the surprise of their lives.
. GRAY MURDER CASE
’| IN HANDS OF JURY
I
Advices received from Fairbanks
this noon stated that the hearing oi
the Gray murder case had been com
pleted and that it was expetced tc
go to the jury during the afternoon.
> DELAYED MAIL DUE
IN FAIRBANKS SOON
FAIRBANKS, April 6.—Outside
' mail is due here on Tuesday, it con
sisting of an accumulation of first
and second class matter, weighing
4500 pounds. The delay occurred
’ at Millers, where there is a serious
^ overflow, the reports stating that
there was six feet of water on the
trail at one time. The expected
shipment will be the first mail in
more than a week to reach town.
i Mrs. M. O’Brien, of Fairbanks,
> was operated on at the Commission
hospital yesterday.
LONDON, April 6.—The first an
niversary of America’s participation
in the war finds the greatest battle
of the conflict progressing with
greater fury than ever, although the
fighting today is largely confined
to the British front. At daybreak
the Germans launched a terrific at
tack against the British positions in
the Somme to the east of Amiens,
from which city the enemy troops
are now only eight miles distant.
The early advances made by the at
tacking forces warrant the belief
that the engagement will develop in
to a most important struggle. The
crisis, it is believed, is approaching
rapidly.
The fighting today centers at Cor
bie and Varie Wood ,to which points
the Germans are advancing in great
waves, seemingly regardless of the
deady fire to which they are being
subjected.
Hard fighting is in progress to
the north and south of Albert and
it is reported that the Germans have
secured a foothold in a small sector
south of Albert, which brings them
close to the Albert-Amiens railroad.
The present struggle is the most
sanguinary of the big offensive, the
Germans having suffered tremendous
losses in their massed attack? on the
solid British positions. The battle
started today seemingly has for its
objective the driving of a ivedge be
tween the French and British forces.
It seems probable, however, that the
Allies are now prepj\-ed to give bat
tle to the enemy along a fixed line
to the east of Amiens. They have
turned at bay and the announcement
of a heavy counter offensive is ex
pected hourly.
FRENCH IMPROVE POSITIONS
PARIS, April 6.—The French
forces have improved their positions
at several points since yesterday
gains of considerable important
having been made in the Mailly an<
Cantigny sectors, the outskirts of the
latter village now being in Frencl
hands.
FRENCH NOT MOLESTED
PARIS, April 6.—Except for ar
tillery duelling at various point:
along the French front, the Ger
] mans have suspended offensive oper
ations against the French. This i:
regarded as indicating that the Ger
mans are centering their attentior
on the British positions in the Ami
ens sector, where an attack is nov
in progress toward the principal Ami
ens road. There was co:,siderabb
artillery firing last night to the nortl
and south of Avre, but the enem;
infantry was inactive.
The most westward position oc
| cupied by the Germans today is tha
ALIENS ARE HEED;
DISOBEYED RULES
—
FAIRBANKS, April 6.—Two Ger
mans, Gustad Crisner and Paul Buck
ner, who arrived over the trail fron
the coast this week, were place<
under arrest by the lo«._il authoritie
upon advices received from the Thin
division, the charge against the mei
being that they had failed to registe:
as alien enemies.
Buckner was released later an(
permitt d to register here, but Crist
ner will be held and sent out witl
the next bunch of prisoners.
of a wedge-shaped ridge, at the con
fluence of the Noye and Avre rivers.
At this point the main line of the
Paris-Amiens railway is in plain
sight, only a mile and a half distant.
i The positions overlooks the truck
gardens which supply Amiens .and a
portion of Paris.
COMMANDER CONFIDENT
PARIS, April 6.—On Thursday
night General Foch, commander in
chief of the Allied forces, issued
I the following statement: “All is go
| ing well. The Germans have reach
i ed an embankment and have been
completely stopped. The Allies will
now try to get the upper hand and
the future will show the full meas
ure of our success.”
In the two days that have elapsed
since the statement was made, the
Germans have made only slight ad
vances, and at extremely heavy loss,
along the thirty-eight mile front.
These gains have been equalized by
Allied advances at several points.
COUNTERS SUCCESSFUL
LONDON, April 6.—Counter at
tacks launched by the British last
night resulted in an improvement of
positions at Hangard, ten miles south
east of Vmienr- and also on the Luce
river. The British also won con
siderable ground to the north of
Albert, in the Ayette sector.
CRISIS APPROACHING
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 6.—
American army officers feel that
the crisis in the great struggle on
the Western front is approaching
rapidly and special efforts are being
made by the war department to
speed up the dispatch of troops to
Europe. With this end in view, the
first increment of the draft this
! month will be 150,000 instead of
fifty thousand, as originally planned.
| This will be the first considerable
force of the eight hundred thousand
;men to be mobilized this year. The
remainder will be called in monthly
installments, the number depending
upon transportation facilities,
t Troop movements to the seaboard
'in unusual proportions, are already
! in progress, and railway passengei
and freight schedules in some sec
tions of the country .have been sus
pended temporarily, in order to in
sure the dispatch of troops to points
of embarkation.
MANY PRISONERS
BERLIN, April 6—The war office
■ claims the capture of ninety thous
i and prisoners since the commence
• ment of the present drive. It is alsc
reported that thirteen thousand guns
have been taken during th same
priod. ,
LYNCHERS ESCAPE
COLLINSVILLE, 111., April 6.—
. The indications are today that the
( lynching of Praeger, the pro-Germar
I coal miner, will go unpunished, foui
justices of the peace having declined
’ to issue warrants for the arrest oi
I those implicated in the affair. Fol
i lowing an investigation of the hang
• ing, the coroner sought the arrest
of five men who are alleged to have
l been responsible for the lynching,
• but thus far he has been unable tc
i secure a warrant. Public sentiment
is with the mob.
NENANA INDORSES
STOCK FARM PLAN
Impressed by the logic of the ar
guments advanced by the Chambei
of Commerce of Anchorage, relative
to the suggested establishment oi
stock farms in Alaska, the Nenans
Commercial club has unanimously in
dorsed the plan, and a wire is al
ready in the hands of Delegate Chas
A. Sulzer, advocating a stock farn
appropriation in lieu of the exten
sion of the farm loan act.
This action was decided upon ai
the last meeting of the N’enana Com
mercial club, following the receipi
of a letter from the Anchorage or
ganization, asking co-operation. Th<
Anchorage letter fully explains tht
proposition, and is as follows:
j Anchorage, Alaska, Feb. 25, 191!
j N'enana Commercial Club, Nenana
j Alaska.
“Gentlemen:—As a matter ii
which you may be interested, we an
enclosing herewith copy of letter wi
have sent to Hon. Chas. H. Sulzer
lelegate from Alaska, concerning thi
need, and urging the introductioi
of legislation, for the establishmen
of stock farms in Alaska.
‘If you look upon the matter ii
the light that this chamber does w
would be glad to have your co-oper
ation.
“Yours very truly,
“R. M. COURTNAY,
“Sec. Anchorage Chamber of
Commerce.”
February 13, 191!:
Hon. Chas. A. Sulzer, Delegate fror
Alaska, House of Representatives
Washington, D. C.
“My dear Mr. Sulzer:—I wire
you February 12th as follows:
“ ‘Will you kindly wire us fu
■ particulars regarding your bill fu
establishment of industrial school i
Alaska. We do not look with favo
on extension of farm loan act t
Alaksa because of its provisions nc
being appicable. We ask in lie
thereof introduction of bill providin
for establishment and maintenanc
of a stock farm carrying an apprc
priation of about one hundred thou:
I and therefor. Introduction of stoc
i in Alaska is most essential to wel
fare and development of countr;
and because of excessive freigh
rates from States experimental vvor
cannot well be undertaken by ind
viduals. Writing you fully.’
“The attention of the Chamber c
, Commerce of Anchorage has bee
called to H. R. 8419, introduced b
i you on January 7th, 1918, in th
house of representatives, providin
for the extension of the provisior
| of the Federal Farm Loan Act to th
i territory of Alaska,
i “At a meeting of the Chamber c
I Commerce yesterday, which was ai
tended by about forty members,
was directed to wire you as abov
quoted. It was the unanimous opir
ion of all present that the extensio
of this law to Alaska would nc
benefit of the farmers. The subjec
was brought to the attention of th
chamber about three weeks ago, an
it was considered by a committe
consisting of representatives of bot
banks of the town and Mr. Andrei
Christenson, manager of the Lan
and Industrial department of th
Alaskan Engineering commissior
After their investigation of the sut
ject, th -'-recommended to the chan
ber that in lieu cf the Farm Loa
Act, congress be asked to appropr:
ste £100.009 for the establishmen
of
stock farm in the territory.
Facts ascertained by this committee
showed that there were only 18
patents issued to homesteaders in
| the Matanuska, Susitna and Tanana
valleys, and that only 5 final home
stead certificates have been issued.
The Farm Loan Act requires a per
fect title to any land on which
! money is loaned. For that reason
' it is believed that the present farm
loan act is not applicable to Alaska.
Furthermore, from information re
centl yreceived, it appears that the
present Farm Loan board is encount
ering considerable difficulty in the
sale of farm loan bonds. We under
1 stand that they have recommended
to congress that they be permitted
' j to increase the rate of interest on
these bonds to 6 per cent. They
1 have stated that on account of the
surplus money being invested in
Liberty bonds and because of the
' absence of foreign money that it is
difficult to sell these bonds. If
1 they cannot sell farm loan bonds in
' J the States, we believe that they will
certainly not be able to sell any of
the farm loan bonds based on farm
lands in Alaska, and especially so
since little is definitely known of
the agricultural possibilities of the
territory.
“Therefore, in lieu of the farm
loan act, we recommend that you
urge upon congress the appropriation
' of $100,000, to be expended under
1 the supervision of the secretary of
’ i the interior or the secretary of agri
culture, for the establishment of
i I
j stock farms tributary to the govern
ment railroad in Alaska, with au
' ihority to sell stock to the farms at
r | normal prices or to loan stock to
1 them for breeding purposes under
r the regulations as the secretary of
3 the interior or the secretary of agri
3 culture may p»escribe. This would
3 be in line with the policy of the
' Great Northern railroad. This com
L pany established stock farms, sold
stock to the farmers on long pay
ment plan, and also loaned stock for
^ breeding purposes, which resulted in
the development of the territory
’ through which the railroad passes.
■ This proved an excellent investment
i for the railroad, because it developed
the agricultural land and its invest
ment was returned in the increased
f '
; tonnage.
j “The United States government is
* now spending $35,J00,000 in the
j construction of a railroad. This rail
= . road will be of no value unless the
“ ' natural resources tributary to it are
developed to the fullest extent. Ac
tive steps are being taken by the
government to develop coal lands
j and mineral lands, but nothing what
ever has been done to assist in the
development of the agricultural
lands. There are approximately 500
farmers located in the various val
leys tributary to the railroad between
Seward and Fairbanks. Their prin
^ cipal crop is root vegetables, chiefly
potatoes, of which there is now an
overproduction. It must be evident
that unless the farmers can adopt
j diversified farming, such as raising
stock and dairy products, agricul
ture in Alaska will be a total fail
ure. Man” cf the farmers in this
vicinity ‘ir*.•■•able to sell their
potatoes, ntly the Anchorage
Chambe' -amerce secured an
t
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