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»
EDITORIAL PAGE OF THE KUSKO TIMES
THE' EUSEO TUBS
COVKR? AU. PASTS OF
THE SITRR COUNTRY
(Tiff Uiusko (Tintfc
- > *
T. R. McROBERTS and ALASKA E. EGAS,
Publishers
Published Every Friday, at Takotna. Alaska
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“Entered as secariri-class matter February 1, 1937,
at the post office at Takotna, Alaska, under the Act of
March 3, 1875.’*
-t
-Represented Nationally by
3. W. GBEELY and ASSOCIATES
603 Stewart Street, Seattle, Wash.
FRIDAY.'SEPTEMBER 17, 1937
THE ALASKA HIGHWAY—
(The Alaska Weekly)
To those who grow weary of our constant harping
on the subject of the International Highway we may say
that about the only'hope for you is that something be
done about, it. We have made ourselves wearisome be
fore concerning valuable things for the Territory that
are now accomplished fact and probably will do so again.
In a speech made before the House of Representa
tives last month, Warren G. Magnuson called attention
to the fact that the -closing-in of the frontiers of a na
tion inevitably lead to either decay or wars of conquest
in the battle for room for expansion. To this cause he
attributed a large measure of the blame for the lamented
depression.
There is much more-of the same, all accompanied by
sound logic brought to beer on the facts. The vast ma
jority of this glorious country of which the Congressman
speaks, Is practically untouched. While rt has not been
closed by virtue of over-population or as a result of war
it has been just as effectively closed by the isolation
which is a concomitant lack of adequate highways. Of
this great area of undeveloped frontier a portion belongs
to the United States, ar.d.a portion to our neighbor, the
Dominion of Canada.
The building of a highway which would open it up
to those with pioneer spiritwould be of tremendous val
ue to each, and none but the born jingoist would ascribe
any ulterior motive to the country which took the initia
tive. The imagination cannot conceive of Canada and
fhe United States being other than good neighbors and
there has yet to be advanced any intelligent reason why
the mutual development of this last great frontier should
not be undertaken at once.
DIFFERENT CHINA NOW—
(New York World-Telegram)
From this distance it looks as if the Japanese war
lords had decided to make the clash west of Peiping an
other of those •‘incidents” similar to the Mukden affair
of September 18, 1931, which opened the way for the
for the penetration of Manchuria.
Her demands that China assume blame for the shoot
ing f-ay. regardless of the fact that Japanese were car
rying on night maneuvers on Chinese territory, and had
no business there, recall the .tccties of 1931.
Her attempts to arrange a settlement with the
North China political council rather than with Nanking
indicate her desire to localize the issue, deal with a less
effective government and carry out her theory that
North China, like Manchuria; ss within her own sphere
of influence.
Her offer to help police North China against Com
munism is a patent bid V open that vast territory to her
troops.
Her warlike preparations a: home argue that she be
lieves the time is npe for a second putsch that would
extend her imperial arm over the Chinese mainland north
of the Yellow River. Doubtless she believes that Russia’s
internal disaffection and Britain’s preoccupation with
Spain and other problems will leave her a free reign to
deal with China unchallenged.
But Japan today confronts a China much better able
to defend her borders than in ’31. Nanking has made
peace with the Communist generals. She has a German
trained army of at least a half-million effective fighters.
Even if Generalissimo Cbiang Kai-shek would plead for
peace at any price it is doubtful that he could hold hack
his peoples or i his annies
For the first time in modern history China feels her
self al-’t to defend her national self-esteem with force
and parry blow 'for blow. That very fact makes the pres
ent crisis dangerous from a world viewpoint.
-o
An inventor has brought out a telescopic necktie, ex
pected to be most convenient for slapstick comedians
planning a television comeback.
-0
The golfing marathon season is in again with the
story of a man who played 300 holes before going to the
office to relax.
-o
Careless drivers who habitually are hitting telephone
poles have compensations. They might, sportsmanlike,
insist on moving targets.
-o ■
i. rfcct nominee for the tax b-*ard .might be the
(dentist .who majored in jjasnless extractive
SIXTEEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(TAKEN FROM THE FILES OF THE KUSKO TIMES) •
FAIRBANKS — Deputy Unite*
States Marshal J. L. Anders was shot
and killed yesterday by Sam Cole, a
Hot Springs farmer, on whom the
i marshal had attempted to serve a
warrant. Later in the day Cole was
slain by a posse of enraged men, but
! it is not known whether Cole wasj
shot while resisting the posse or
lynched by them. One message said:
j “Posse got Cole, not flowers.”
A! Thorns and Dr. W. Green, trav
eling with Tim Oates in a small boat
j from the Forks, arrived here from
Takotna last evening.
Charles O'Halloran, Matt Vaugh,
Warren Stewart and Greg Stewart
i arrived yesterday from Takotna,
j coming down in the latter’s boat.
The launch Maple Leaf, Capt. Hart ,
! arrived here this evening from Ta
i kotna with the following passengers:
! Inar Carlson, S. Holm, Lee Lam
precht. Mr. Case. George C. Winter,
Nick Sopoff. the last two having
| come from Iditanod.
McGRATH—Dan Sprague reports
j the finest potatoes as well as the
heaviest crop he has ever harvested.
Up to Friday night he had gathered
about five tons, taking only the edges.
Dan can't even estimate his crop of
potatoes, but he knows that there's
a world of them. A visit to his ranch
is well worth it these days.
Dick Rhodes, well known as ocok
on the steamer Tana for some months
past, is preparing to open a road
house and restaurant in the Langley
house, which is being thoroughly,
renovated. The work is about finish
ed, and Mr. Rhodes promises a house
warming that will be remembered a
long Time in McGrath.
T A K O T N A—Cecil Barlow wRl
leave in a few days to look after hi? 1
property on Moore Creek, where he
will spend the coining winter.
Roy Massey, wireless operator at
the Nixon mine, and Scotty Auld.
arrived Wednesday evening from
Nixon Landing, coming down by
canoe.
TAKOTXA—All of the inhabitants
of this p ace, with all the cans they
could rustle, called on Gus Gullikson
and his charming bride one evening
recently. After everyone had been
introduced, the floor was cleared for
dancing which continued until the
wee sma’ hours. The best the town
could produce in the way of refresh-;
ments was served during the danc- :
ing and everyone had an “njoyabic !
time, but it is whispered mound that
Gus' bath water got cold.
Bully (to small boy): “Why run
away ? I thought, you said you could '
lick me with one hand tied behind
your back?”
Small Boy: “I'm just going home
to get some string.”
The landlord of the village inn was
giving the barman a piece of his
mind.
“You tell me you gave that man
four double whiskies and chalked
them on the slate. Don’t you know
that if you trust a man for drinks
he never comes back?”
“Yes, sir; that’s why I did it. He’s
the collector for the installments an
your new wireless set,”
Wherever you may be located,
send in whatever news you may
nave and help us to produce a real
newsy newspaper. Send some today
t.
'
FIRST NATIONAL
BANK
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
Capital and Surplus $100,000
WILL ADVANCE MONEY ON GOLD
AND
Ship Gold at Very Reasonable Rates
VANDERPOOL’S
FREIGHTING SERVICE
Has Established A Dependable
and Quick Service on the
TAKOTNA RIVER
Careful attention to all freight
orders, whether large or small
WOODROW
VANBSRFOOL
TAKOTNA, ALASKA
~ ~n —inn innfinr cw
mn 1
2 ts;
OATES FREi
SERVICE
We Haul Anything
Heavy or Light
Where You Want It
WE ARE LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS FOR LUMBER FROM i HE
MILLER SAWMILL
JOE OATES, FREIGHTER
TAKOTNA, ALASKA
Passenger Service
FREDDIE OATES, Fr*?
TIMELY EDITORIALS
Culled From Our Exchanges
IF JOSEPH ST AIJN SAT IN THE WHITE HOUSE—
(The Anchorage Daily Time*)
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to
have a dictatorship in America, you can get a rough
idea by imagining that Franklin Roosevelt was replacec
at this moment in history, by Josef Stalin.
It wouldn't take a very great stretch of imagination,
because these two statesmen are facing the same sort of
difficulties these days They are being troubled by poli
tical party revolts. In Moscow and in Washington, a
growing reluctance to go along with the big chief is ev
ident.
Suppose, then, tnat we had a dictatorship in this
country and that Stalin sat in the White House. What
would be happening?
First of all, we would see a ruthless “purge” in
the Democratic party. Such people as Senators Carter
Glass, Jimmy Byrnes, and Royal S. Copeland—to name
only a few—would be snot forthwith as saboteurs and
counter-revolutionists. Senator Vandenberg would have
been shot long ago, of course, along with A If Landon,
John Hamilton, and Senator Borah.
The court revision plan, the relief bill, the reorgan
ization plan, and all other administration measures would
be passed without the changing of a comma or the dot
ting of an “i”
The Republican party, obviously, would have ceased
to exist, and any fragments of the Democratic party
which failed to play- ball with the White House likewise
would cease to exist. And there would not be in all the
country a newspaper, a radio commentator, a politician
or a magazine editor who would dare utter one word of
objection.
And while we're on the subject—the labor unrest it
the middle west would be settled very speedily; T‘*»r
Girdler and John L. Lewis would face the same firing
squad for interrupting steel production in the latest five
year plan.
Now compare that picture with what is actually hap
pening in this -ountry.
Instead of chooting his brother Democrats, Mr
Roosevelt is obliged in take them to an island it. Cbeea
peake Bay, throw a big dinner into them ard try the
gentle art of persuasion. That persuasion, coupled with
compromises on his own part, represents his only char.ee
to get his legislative program through congress Persua
sion, likewise, is his only recourse in the steel strike.
These two ways—the way of dictatorship and tin
way of democracy—are in striking contrast and the con
trast is worth bearing in mind. For it is easy to grow
weary of the seeming inefficiency of a democracy—the
unending wrangling, compromise- argument, and stalling
Yet those things are the alternative to the son of
thing that has been happening in Russia. And ir the
end they are infinitely more “efficient" than the rule of
the most closely knit dictatorship that ever existed
MICKEY MOUSE EMINENCE—
(Juneau Empire >
The castor oil school of education, we are happy to
report, has suffered a serious blow. What we call ; th»
castor oil school is the tribe of pedagogues which NiUeves
that ip teaching, as in medicine, one gives childrerrv hat
is good for them, even if it requires holding their noses,
forcing open their mouths and pouring the educational
dram down an unwilling gullet.
Dr. Harold G. Campbell, superintendent of "New
York schools, is bearer of the good news. We salute him.
He announces that Mickey Mouse. Donald Duck, P nja
min Bull, Elmer Elephant, Penny Penguin and the-lesser
lights of the animated cartoon will become part ol the
elementary school curriculum. So will the Dionne quin
tuplets. A book on Mickey Mouse and his friends * d a
book op the quints has been added to the recommit, led
reading list in the elementary schools.
The world does progress, after all. Dr. Caronbeli’*
explanation is so sensible that we begin to fear he wii
lose academic standing. “We are not interested in Mirk
ey Mouse as Mickey Mouse,” he said. “However, wr
know that the pupils in the lower grades regard M'ckey
as a hero and that they will want to read about Pis ad
ventures. You might get the same letter eombir.a ions
in ‘Paradise Lost,’ but you couldn’t get elementary schoi.
children to read that, could you?”
We know hew grandfather felt when he lived to stn
the horseless cariage.
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LEARNING A TRADE—
(The Emmett Messenger, Emmett, Ida.)
Talk to some -of the older residents of the neiyhbor
b'-od and they will tel! you that when they were grow
ing up, fathers and ■mothers insisted on their sflats learn
ing a trade. Some car. recall when boys were a pi rer.ticeC
"o a mechanic, carpenter, cobbler or other craft, and his
father usually paid for having a trails taught Shim. In
the old days learning a trade was almost turns- isory
Sol of the rich alone escaped it.
Today things are different. Par nts are now more
inclined t * shove thtfir sms into an already over-crowd
ed profe- -ic-nai field, insisting that they earn their Irvb'j
with a- little work as possible, overlooking the fact that
right now there are so many lawyers and doctors that
only about one in ten is actually earning as much as an
expert craftsman can make as a_ mechanist, electrician,
tngineer or a hundred other trades that could be men
tioned. The boy of today who hopes to get by is pretty
apt to find himself stranded—possibly an object of char
ity—when he reaches old age.
-.—■ — o
It seems there has been too much ado over England®
Order 61 the Garter, when it’s usefulness is bimteu
10 merely keeping up appearances