The Alaska citizen., 1915-03-29

Being many amusing misunder- A Brick" standings among foreign
 CTS Even other English speaking people are frequently pug zled by the unique expressions adopt ed by Americans.
 Here is story that illustrates this idea, and even though it dates several years back and has no local significance. 1t is worth place ill this column:
 Franklin Matthews represented a newspaper during the Russo-Japa- nese war. and one day succeeded in breaking through the news censor ship and reaching Field Marshal Oyama The interview was briei but extremely courteous, and tn, jubilant spondent hurried back 10 prepare the story for his paper In the course of it he used this expression: Marshal Oyama is a brick
 
 to the official translator, and pres ently Captain kanaka of the mas- shal's personal staff called upon the correspondent.
 Marshal Oyama presents his com pliments.' said the captain suavely and regrets to inform the esteemed correspondent that his honorable lei ter cannot be forwarded as written. Why, what's wrong with it?" cried the amazed war scribe.
 Captain kanaka explained wit polite gravity:
 Marshal Oyama." he said, "ob jects to having the great American public regard him as baked mud For that Is what the extremely literal translator had made of brick. War Almost everything that Stops Our goes wrong nowadays is Mail. blamed to the war in
 Europe. The high cost of living, the hard times and most things that do not suit us are attri- buted to be indirectly due to the great European conflict. However, with the exception of the way the fur market has gone to pieces, the people of Interior Alaska have had but little to complain about thougL now a new idea is presented whicL shows that the war is affecting us in new way, and that is in regarG to our mail service.
 The reason that the government refused to send to Fairbanks the de layed mail at Cordova is said to be due to the efforts of the United States to economize since the war has stopped much of the national revenues. Some time ago postmast- CTS in Alaska received circular let ters in which it was explained that reductions in expenses must be made wherever possible, on account of the financial condition of the country, Then came the news, early last week, of the refusal of the government to send us our overdue mail, and the deduction is that the war is the real cause.
 "Creek," Many time person s Not feelings have been hurt "Greek." by some misunderstood
 ing. Sometimes the best of friends have parted enemies owing to some misunderstanding that could have been cleared up with fem words of explanation.
 Just how easy it is for a person to become offended through mis- understanding was demonstrated at The Citizen office about a week ago. when two foreigners came into the of flee and made complaint about head ing that appeared in the Times of this city
 The heading, the men said, re- declared that newspapers were gene rally offensive in their manner of referring to foreigners.
 When asked to explain in what way the heading offended them, one of the men pointed it out and read it aloud, as follows: Two Greek Men Are Arrested"
 But that doesn't say anything about Greek men," one of the office men declared That says: Two Creek Men Are Arrested"
 When the visitors discovered that they had made a mistake in reading the head, they offered to treat with cigars, and seemed we'll pleased that after all the Greeks had not been mentioned.
 Fuller Judge Fuller has been Enjoying having one long, enjoy Himself able vacation since he
 left Fairbanks, accord ing to letters that have been receiv ed from him lately. The last letter to reach Fairbanks from the former judge was mailed from New York on March 4, addressed to Angus Mcbride, clerk of the court here.
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