The Nenana News
Application made October 30, 1916, at
the Postoffice at Nenana, Alaska, for
entry as second-class mail matter under
the act ot March 2, 1879, by The Xe
nana Printing Company.
ISSUED SATURDAY AFTERNOONS
The Nenana Printing Company,
Nenana, Alaska.
Edited by R. G. Southwortii.
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Nenana, Alaska, Jan, 20, 1917.
That peace leak is assuming the
proportions of an inundation.
It's an ill wind that blows no
one good. For instance, think how
little trouble it is to get rid of the
surplus snow in Nenana.
But for the European war. talk
of peace, the leak scandal and a
few other things, the Colonel's per
sistent silence might prove a ser
ious handicap to the big newspapers
of the country.
In view of the fact that Falcon
Joslin took an active part in the
“Dry'’ campaign in Yukon Terri
tory during the past summer, it
will interest Alaskans to know his
reasons for now opposing the pro
hibition bill which has been intro
duced in congress with the object
of making this territory dry.
While the evidence thus far
gathered by the House Rules com
mittee is not sufficient to prove
that any of those men mentioned
by Thomas Lawson were connect
ed with the “peace leak.” the fact
that several good sized fortunes
were made as the result of the
slump on Wall street following the
announcement that President Wil
son had addressed a peadfe note to
the belligerent nations of Europe,
indicates beyond a doubt that there
was a leakage of information, and
that someone made a bunch of
money as the result of that leak
age. Such occurrences do not in
spire confidence in our government
and it is to be hoped that congress
will not abandon the investigation
until those responsible for the trea
sonable act are exposed.
According to an order recently
signed by Judge Chas. E. Bunnell,
who is presiding temporarily in
the Third Division, the proper way
to dispose of liquor seized by the
government in unlicensed districts
is to destroy it. And, therefore,
the big Anchorage shipment which j
was confiscated several weeks ago
while enroutc to the railroad town,
has been thrown into the bay in
stead of being sold to the people
of Seward in competition with the
licensed saloons, as was ordered
by Judge Brown.
Judge Bunnell has the right idea.
He does not believe that congress
intended that Uncle Sam should
engage in the liquor business in
Alaska in competition with individ
uals who are heavily taxed for the
privilege. He does not believe,
either, that it would have been
| fair to the people of Seward to load
them up with an inferior brand of
liquor such as most liquor is which
is taken from bootleggers. And
believing thus, he has established
a precedent which will receive
j commendation throughout the sev
eral divisions.
Governor Strong is an optimist.
Throughout his long residence in
the Northland he has been one of
:
Alaska's most consistent boosters;
in the days when little was known
of the territory's mineral wealth
and agricultural possibilities, and
under conditions which caused men
less rugged in character to leave
I the country with disappointment in
their hearts and words of discour
agement upon their lips. When
the Governor says, as he does in
his annual report to the Secretary7
! of the Interior, that Alaska in the
years to come will be known, not
only as a mining and fishing coun
try. but also as an agricultural do
main with a happy and prosperous
people permanently attached to the
soil, he speaks from an intimate
knowledge of Northern conditions
and possibilities. He knows Alas
ka as few men know it. And when
he speaks of the North his words
are those of the practical Alaskan
who has lived here long enough to
know that all the progress made
thus far is merely preliminary to
the commencement of real devel
opment.
Alaska's wealth of natural re
sources has scarcely been touched,
the Governor points out in his re
port, *‘notwithstanding the fact that
the land resources have already
yielded a quarter of a billion dol
lars. and the sea almost, if not
quite, as much.'' The great need
of Alaska now, in his opinion, is
people—“people who are able
and willing to work; it offers splen
did opportunities for the investment
of capital and the consequent em
ployment of labor; it welcomes an
independent, self-reliant citizen
ship; it needs homebuilders and it
offers them that independence that.
is achieved by honest labor and
intelligently directed effort. To,
make the land produce crops much
toil and patience are required, but
it can be done, and in the years to
come it will be done."
Mariners on the southwestern Alaska
run are emphatic in their assertions that
a larger light and one with a longer flash ;
is needed at Cape Spencer, the entrance j
to Icy Straits. !
PROGRESS OF THE BIG STRUGGLE IN EUROPE
MONDAY
Berlin: The military staff officially ad
mits that the British forces have made
important gains in their new offensiveou
the Somme front.
Paris: Latest advices from the Vatican
indicate that the Pope intends to main
tain silence regarding the present peace
negotiations.
Petrograd: The war office announces
that the Rumanian forces in a violent en
gagement in the Kasimo region yesterday
thrust the Germans back along a consid
erable trout and occupied the enemy
trenches.
Berlin: P'our hundred Russians were
drowned m the Seretli river when they
attempted to escape from an attacking
force of Germans, and 400 more surrend
ered rather than brave the icy waters of
the river.
New York: Two merchant submarines,
convoyed by two U-boats of the fighting
class, are reported enroute from Bremen
to New London They are expected to
reach port early in the week with cargoes
valued at $10,000,000.
Berlin: Reports from the Riga sector
state that the Teutonic forces have crossed
the mountains into Moldavia. The Rus
sian forces have launched a heavy count
er-offensive along the Riga, but the Teu
tons ate not giving ground at any point.
TUESDAY
Berlin: A powerful offensive has been
started by the Russo-Rumanian foices in
the Casinea and Sushita valleys and along
both sides of the river Fundi.
New York: A drastic censorship of
all news is being maintained by the mil
itary staffs of the belligent countries of
Iiurope, and is resulting in a badly dis
torted view of the struggle being received
by the people of this and other neutral
countries. Such is the opinion of Rev.
J. A. Henry, recently returned from
Australiia, which country, he says, is in
the grip of anarchy. The militants have
forced the government to release all men
held for treason and have destroyed five
million dollars worth of property; and
although the Australian troops are fifty
thousand short in France at the present
time, no additional troops are being drill
ed to replenish the ranks.
WEDNESDAY
Rome: It is reported on excellent
authority that the Entente powers at a
recent council of war decided upon the
dethronement of King Constantine.
Rome: Duke Aosta may be designated
by the Entente allies to succeed King
Constantine of Greece, according to a
rumor in circulation here today.
London: The Russo-Rumanian de
fense of the Sereth line now comprises a
series of heavy counter assaults between
Fokshani and the Danube.
San Francisco: Lloyds are betting even
money that the war will end before the
end of September, and 80 to 25 that the
conflict will be terminated before the end
of the year.
Petrograd: The war office announces
that the Rumanians have penetrated the
enemy lines along a considerable front
during the past twenty-four hours in the
region southwest of Pralea, the average
advance being a mile and a half.
New York: Little doubt remains in
local shipping circles that four transatlan
tic freighters, now considerably overdue,
are victims of German commerce de
stroyers, These are in addition to those
reported a fortnight ago.
Rio de Janiero: Recently compiled sta
tistics published here show 21 merchant
ships as having been suuk by commerce
raiders in the Atlantic along the sea lanes
between South America and Europe. The
reports received describe the raider or
raiders as being painted black.
London: Reports have been received
from authentic sources that the recent
conquest of Rumania, credited to von
Mackensen’s generalship, was only made
possible by the support received from
I the troops under the command of von
1 Falkenhavn. No mention of the latter's
! participation in the drive across Rumania
I lias been made before now.
THURSDAY
London: The Italian military comtnis
! sion arrived in London today to confer
; with the Entente council of war regard
; ing the control of the affairs of Greece.
London: A powerful fleet of British
and French warships is scouring the At
: lantic for the German raider that is pres
‘ ing on Allied shipping in those waters.
I London; Eight British and two French
; steamships have lieen officially reported
j as sunk by a German raider off the coast
i of Brazil during the past twenty-four
hours.
Rio de Janiero: Four hundred persons
1 are reported to have lost their lives when
i a British merchant vessel was sunk with
out warning bv a German raider Tuesday
off the coast of Brazil.
j Rotterdam: A dispatch from Cologne
: states that Ambassador Gerard has sent a
message to President Wilson tendering
i his resignation in the event his explana
; tion of lus recent speech in Berlin is un
i satisfactory.
Washington’ The contents of the Ivn
j tente powers’ reply to the Wilson peace
j note have been received by the state de
partment lrom Ambassador Spring Rice.
Among the terms stated in the note as
representing the basis upon which the
Entente powers will discuss peace are
] the following outstanding features: The
i expulsion of the Turkish empire from the
continent of Europe; restoration of Al
j sace-Lorraine to France; the restoration
i of the ancient province of Italia Irreden
■ tia; and the rearrangement of interna
tional law and treaties to prevent or lim
it hostilities in such manner as "would
1 give pause to the hardiest aggressor."
While the expression of sentiment is one
of surprise at the contents of the note,
it is felt that it will pave the wav to the
ultimate formation ofa world federation
of peace to w hich Wilson has pledged
! America.
FRIDAY
Amsterdam: Reports received here
| state that the German sea raider which
has been operating in the South Atlantic
I
I -. .. -. —. —
with such deadly effect during the past
fortnight, is I >e lie veil to have run the
blockade of British and French battle
cruisers by the subterfugb of flying the
Danish flag.
Paris: In a dispatch to the Petit Par
j isen front Berne this morning, it ts stated
that General Ulrich Wide, commander
of the Swiss army, wishes to mobilize the
entire military strength of the republic
to resist the threatened violation of that
country’s neutrality by Germany.
Portland, Me.: The British tramp
steamer Palm Branch arrived in port to
| day from Cardiff, and her captain reports
■ that he was chased by a U-boat in the
| Hnglish channel for an hour, in the course
| of which the submarine fired fiftv-three
| shots, fifteen taking effect.
Petrograd: An official statement made
I public today, places the totai number of
' Teutons taken prisoner by the Russians
j during the past year at 428,000.
Amsterdam. Reports from Berlin state
that a submarine has just returned to its
j base with a record of sinking 16 ships on
! one trip.
St, Thomas: A near panic was created
! among the natives of the Danish West
j Indies by the appearance of a fleet of 30
i warships off the coast today. Investiga
tion. however, proved the fleet to be
of American nationality.
!
General News
Monday
i
| Fargo, N. D.: The Middle West ts in
| the grip of a raging blizzard. Three per
1 sons ere known to have perished and rail
| traffic is practically at a standstill.
Washington: Admiral Dewey, whose
j health has been failing steadily for the
| past several days, is reported to be grow
j ing weaker very rapidly, and all hopes
1 for his recovery have been abandoned.
Tokio: The Japanese government has
ordered an investigation of the destruc
tion of the Japanese cruiser Tsubuka,
which was blown up in Yokosuka harbor
yesterday, with a loss of 100 lives.
Yokosuka is a naval training station sit
uated about thirteen miles southwest of
Yokohama.
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The Nenana News