The Alaska citizen., 1914-11-09

ing involved in the terrible world vide war;
 ! This is the appeal that is being made to members of congress from every part of the United States. l have personally received no less than one hundred letters to this eff feet from citizens of the Fourteenth Illinois district Practically every member of congress reports the same experience. Men who seldom, if ever, write to their representatives at l Washington, are so anxious that this government take every precaGtion 70 avoid entanglement in the War whirlpool that they are breaking their custom and appealing to their rep resentatives to use the utmost vigil ance to the end that this nation remain at peace with all the world.
 This is because the reports of the awful massacres in Europe have stir red the people to a realization Oi the horrors of war; the people do not want war; they not only request but they demand of their rapresen- tatives in NasI ington that this na- ton shall not become involved in war.
 Members ol congress feel the same way the people feel on this subject, unless it be that they are even more resolved that war shall not come to us Only conditions over which the United States has no con trol whatever could draw us into quarrel
 ! The people can trust congress on this question: and they can trust the man in the White House. Lest We forget, it was to preserve our honor and peace-with the nations of the world that Woodrow Wilson request
 congress to pass a bill repealin2 the free tolls clause of the Panama canal act.
 GOVERNMENT LINE.
 That South American business is of sufficient importance to justify a government owned line of steam CTS is self-evident During the year ending June 30, 1914 the commerce of the United States with South America amounted to 347000,000. Imports from South America amount ed to s2230 100000, of which nearly | half were from Brazil, a fifth from the Argentine Republic and the rest from Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru
 That the United States has ne glected South America as a market
 is shown by the fact that only about If per cent of the South American import trade has come from the United States. There is trade of s965,000 900, mostly manufactures, which this country may just as well have without any danger of violating neutrality laws. All that is needed is quickly-organized government owned fleet of ships.
 Those who are particularly inter- ested in South America as field for American exports will find val uable information in a recent publi- cation of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce, special agents series No. S1, to be had from the Public Printer for twenty five cents.
 Anybody with hundred dollars to spare may become stockholder ! in Uncle Sam's steamship company. Assuming that congress passes this bill in the form submitted, there are to be hundred-dollar shares offered to the general public. The govern ment is to retain control of the cor poration by retaining 51 per cent of the corporation stock.
 TORN UP BY WAR.
 There is to be a mighty chilly and uppish social season in Washing ton during the coming winter if the European war continues. The swag ger society of Washington is what is known as the diplomatic set, which | ho c crlhn 1 selection of mere ministers plenipo- tentiary, and members of the New York and Chicago millionaire colony which affects Washington in the win CT season. It is this set which is torn asunder by the war.
 "Lovels once, but strangers now, might characterize the relations which exist between some of the am bassa dors. While personally they probably retain their esteem for their brother diplomats, officially the ambassadors of Germany and Austria are mad at the ambassadors from Great Britain, France, Russia and Japan, and won't speak when they pass on the street or rub elbows at social functions.
 l This is the correct diplomatic us- | age. When nations are at war tnelr diplomatic representatives in neutral capitals sever all relations. It is true that Count von Bernstorff, the Ger man ambassador and M Jusserand, the French ambassador have been good friends for a number of years. Now they do not recognize each other when they pass on the street. The chilliness also extends to the wives and daughters of the diplo- mats, and to all the retainers at the various embassies, some of whom are in smart society. The wife of the Russian ambassador, Mime. Bakh- meteff will cut Mime. Dumba, wife of the Austrian ambassador. dead the next time they meet. The at- taches, secretaries, counsellors, and even the clerks and messengers will be required to break off friendships they have formed within embassies now hostile.
 Next winters diplomatic reception at the White House would be an in- teresting occasion for the non-com- batants, but there is no certainty