THE NENANA DAILY NEWS
•» i
Published every afternoon except Sunday, by the Nenana Printing
Company, at First and B Streets, Nenana, Alaska.
R. G. Southworth.Editor and Manager
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t
WHY WE ARE AT WAR
WITH GERMANY
LECTURE NUMBER SEVEN
A Series of Lectu-es By Ephraim Douglas Adams, Executive Head
of History Department, of Leland Stanford Junior University
“The object of this war is to deliver the free peoples of the world
from the menace and the actual power of a vast military establishment
controlled by an irresponsible government, which, having secretly planned
to dominate the world, proceeded to carry out the plan without regard
either to the sacred obligations of treaty or the long-established practice;
and long-cherished principles of international action and honor; . . This
power is not the German people. It is the ruthless master of the German
people. ... It is our business to see to it that the history of the rest of
the world is no longer left to its handling.”—President Wilson, August
27, 1917.
WE EIGHT FOK GOOD FAITH
•-Tli<‘ faith «>f treaties is the only solid foundation on which
a Temple of Peace eau be built up." (James Bryce.) Good
faith between nations, as between men, is the one and only
safeguard from a return to barbarism. Without it brute force
sheer might. must rule. Without it there is no security in
human relations—no security, even, for life itself. To keep
one's word, when once given, that is the evidence of the pro
gress of civilization and the test of it.
Hence the case of Belgium becomes the single greatest Ger
man offense against civilization in this war. At first, in our
American ignorance of world conditions, we did not see this.
We do see it now; more and more we realize that until the
crime against Belgium is atoned foi, there can >.* no peace,
and no hope of a world at peace.
What are the facts? By treaties in 1815, again in 1831.and
still again in 1839, this last revision being in effect in 1914. it
was agreed “Belgium shall form a perpetually neutral state.
The five powers guarantee to it this perpetual neutrality, as
also the inviolability of its territory." These five powers were
Austria. France, Great Britain, Bussia and Prussia. By such!
treaties the neutral state was pledged to defend in arms the!
neutrality of its territory; and each of the great powers pledg ;
ed itself not only not to march troops into or through the neti-j
tral state, but also to aid her, in case her territory were vio-j
lated.
The world, thinking no nation so base as to break its word,
was completely taken by surprise by the attack on Belgium, j
But we know now, from German statements, that German mill-j
tary plans had for years intended to break this pledge. Ger-j
man rulers lied as to this consistently, and lied a// to the Inst;
•Ini/. (>n the morning before the German troops advanced, the;
German minister assured Belgium she need feel no alarm, and
in the evening of that same day lie delivered his ultimatum, j
The world has never seen so complete a denial of the bind |
ing effect of the pledged word. Why has Germany so lost
sight of the principle of honor among nations? Iler own an-1
swer reveals the cause; it is again the plea of might. "The.
fate that Belgium has called down upon herself (note the hypo
crisy of this i is hard, but not too hard. . . . for the destines
of the immortal great nations stand so high that they can not '
but have the right, in ease of need, to stride over existences
that cannot defend themselves." (Professor Oncken. t Whenj^
the British Minister at Berlin notified the German Chancellor!,
that Great Britain was in honor bound to defend Belgium'sp
neutrality, the latter argued that this was ‘terrible,’ a war jns*t
for a word ‘neutrality just for a scrap of paper." The /littful, <.
ffes th> terrible—significance of such utterances, is that tier- ■
mans belie re them justifie.il. I
“If 1 am asked what we are fighting for." said Prime Min- ;
ister Asquith, “I can reply in two sentences. In the first <
place, to fulfill and obligation . . not only of law, but of J
honor, which no self-respecting man could possibly have re-! <
pudiated; secondly, to vindicate the principle . . . that small!*
nationalities are uot to Is* crushed, in defiance of international;!
good faith."
America was not a direct guarantor, like Great Britain, of :
the neutrality of Belgium, though in various conventions (of ‘
which Germany also was a signer) we were pledged to the i
maintenance of the world principle of “good faith.” But e.rrrg
nation was attacked when Germany broke faith. “The law 1
protecting Belgium which was violated was < our law and the ’
law of every civilized country ... It was our safeguard agaiust ,
the necessity of maintaining great armaments. Our interest in ,
haring it maintained as the law of nations was u substantial i
ra!aable. /nrmnnent interest." (Elihu Root) - (
In the hope of an enduring peace, in the hope of an advanc
ing civilization, we can not forget Belgium. In the hope for un- 1
molested self-government, in the sense of our own security uec- <
essary to progress we must not forget Belgium, until her 1
wrongs are righted. .
MISSION WORKER
ON YUKON RIVER
WRITES OF LIFE
Stephen’* Village, Though Far From
Pottoffice, Is An Interesting
Post.
Hemmed in on all sides by long
stretches of snow and ice, post
officeless and all but visitorless, the
little native settlement on the Yukon
river, known as Stephen’s village,
is not a place of allurement during
the long winter months. Yet Miss
Harriet M. Bedell, who is in charge
of the mission work there, finds the
village interesting and her work
among the natives pleasant.
In a letter written to Mrs. R. S.
Hildebrand, of this city, Miss Bedell
says that one consignment of mail
reached the village during the latter
part of November, but that no ad
ditional news had reached them
from the Outside world up to the
time her letter was written, March
2. A fairly regular mail service
is maintained during the summer
months, by passing steamers, but
there is no provision for serving
the village during the winter months
The nearest postoffice is at Ram
part.
“I often thinks of Nenana,” wrote
Miss Bedell, “but I have never re
gretted coming to Stephen’s village.
The work is very much like the
work was in Oklahoma, only with
Alaskan differences. It is inter
esting, and strange too, that peoples
living so far apart should have so
man characteristics.
“Usually our Indians go to Brooks
or Rampart to sell their meat, furs,
etc., once or twice during the win
ter, but it has been so cold—too
cold for dogs to travel so far. and
game has been very scarce. This,
with the scarcity of fish last sum
mer, has made a hard winter for
the people here. Many of them had
to kill their dogs, as there was no
feed for them.
"I was much interested in what
you said about the improvements in
Nenana. The school and new Pres
byterian- church, Roman Catholic
:hurch and other buildings being
built in so short a time, does show
i progressive town.
“My school is the most interest
ing I have ever had. It is a day
=chool and goes hand in hand with
ivork in the homes. You ought to
see how well they look—hair nicely
:ombed, clean clothes, etc. At first
:hey would not put buttons on their
iresses. They love safety pins and
:he larger they are the better they
ike them. I sent them home time
»nd again, giving them buttons to
;ew on. Now they finish their new
Iresses and the safety pins are dis
ippearing.
“I have had twenty-five regular
aupils until the last of January,
vhen the attendance was reduced
:o fifteen on account of going hunt
ng, but those going took their books
vith them and I gave them work to
lo. About fifteen adults came as
hey could—seven or eight every
lay. They are so anxious to learn
hat it is a pleasure to teach them.
)ne day, in visiting the homes, I
bund a husband reading aloud from
i primer to his wife. While she
ould not understand much English,
he looked very proud of her hus
land.
“We have services on Wednesday
ind Friday nights, conducted by my
atectist in the native tongue. I
jive them phonic instruction so they
an read their service books. The
ttendance is nearly as good as on
Sunday.
“There has been quite a good deal j
if sickness this winter. Two of our ;
’oung men and a young woman died
if tuberculosis. They had been ill i
or a long time.
“Nearly every Saturday we lay i
cork aside and go for a dog team .
ide. The trails are beautiful. One
lay a number of the young people I
cent. The boys built a huge fire !
cith spruce seats around. We all,
ook a piece of meat and I gave j
iach a potato to bake. While it was :
>0 degrees below zero, we had a
ileasant time.
“In the summer the Indians scat
er to their fish camps, but come
o the village on Sunday for their
ervice. It is a pretty sight to see
COLISEUM
TONIGHT
SPLENDID PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT
THOMAS A. EDISON, INC., PRESENTS
GLADYS HULETTE AND PAT O'MALLEY, IN
THE STIRRING THREE-ACT FEATURE
What Happened
on the Berbuda
A ROMANCE AND THRILLING ADVENTURE OF THE HIGH
SEAS.
UNIVERSAL FILM CO. PRESENTS
HARRY MYERS AND ROSEMARY THEBY, IN
“We Should Worry for Auntie”
IN A ONE-ACT SIDE-SPLITTING COMEDY
SHOW STARTS AT 8:00 O’CLOCK
GENERAL ADMISSION 25c RESERVED SEATS 50c
them coming at church time in their
canoes, both from up and down the
river. I am to have a row-boat and
tent this summer so I can visit
them.”
Miss Bedell formerly resided in
Xenana, where she was associated;
with the work at St. Mark’s mission. ■
She took charge of St. Andrew’s'
mission, at Stephen’s village last j
summer.
-!
TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT
FOLLOW THE CROWD
TO THE NENANA CLUB TONITE
AND ENJOY A GOOD GAME OF
BRIDGE, OR HEARTS OR
FIVE HUNDRED
AND PLAY YOUR BEST
BECAUSE THOSE PRIZES ARE
WELL WORTH WINNING
AND THE COMPETITION
WILL BE KEEN
SO IF YOU WIN ONE
YOU CAN BE PROUD OF IT
* * * *
BUT IF YOU ARE NOT LUCKY
* * * *
THINK OF ALL THE FUN
* » * *
YOU CAN HAVE
ESPECIALLY IF YOUR PARTNER
* * * *
GIGGLES
AND TRUMPS YOUR TRICK
AND THEN SAYS
» * * *
“EXCUSE ME”
* * * *
I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS YOURS
* * * *
TRULY ITS A TEST FOR
* * * *
SELF CONTROL
* * * *
BUT COME ON ANYWAY
* * * *
ITS FOR THE RED CROSS
* * » «
YARN FUND
* * * *
AND THEY’LL ONLY TAX YOU
* * * *
FOUR BITS
* * * *
OR A DOLLAR IF YOU BRING
i
* • * *
A FRIEND.
Make Your Spending
Stand This Test *
Every time you are tempted to spend a
quarter for some luxury, remember our
brave soldiers under the German guns; re
member the Kaiser’s threats against our
country; remember the German menace that
hangs over your home and loved ones and
Buy a U. S. Thrift Stamp
That is the way to save priceless American
lives; that is the way to make Victory sure;
that is the way to shorten this war.
When you have saved 16 Thrift Stamps, exchange them,
with a few added pennies, for a U. S. War Savings
Stamp, which will pay you $5 in five years’ time.
THEY EARN MONEY
THEY SAVE LIFE AT THE
FRONT, BY HELPING UNCLE
SAM WIN THE WAR.
BUt THEM AT THE
POSTOFFICE
WMMMMMMtMUtMMtMMS
THE SOURDOUGHS’ HOME
THe Arctic
DAVIS & TAYLOR, Props.
Soft Prinks Cigars Tobaccos
Pocket Billiards Rooms
FURNISHED ROOMS FOR RENT
EVERYTHING FIRST CLASS