The Alaska citizen., 1917-05-14
P H 0 \ E 262
ALASkANS PART.

interest to ali AIaskduS and should Dc gwen a careful consideration by everyone. From Ii can be gathered a complete idea oI what the United State, must undergo during the next few years. In 1t is also a clear and comprehensive statement Of the government meaning of preparedness. After reading Il there should be no more gucSsWorh about t11- matter, for 1t outlines course oi action for every citizen of the United States, white and black farmer miner mechanic, merchant, or any other class. That course leads 10 the growth ot production in every line.
 The main theme of the Presidents ap- peal is increase in production Production of food supplies, not only for America but for the nations "With whom we have now made q common cause;' production oi ships to handle these supplies; production of ma teriaIs both finished and unfinished; mining production of gold, silver, copper and other metals
 That thcrc is also q need for soldiers to fight the battles of the country goes without saying, but il is apparent that the country i~ making this secondary need. It is for this reason mainly that scIcctvc conscription has been determined upon. Under voluntary CT istment the country could easily be dcnudcd Of the men whom it can i'll spare. Sections oI the country where every ablc-bOdied man k needed to carry on the work that must be gompIctcd to raise crops to make the coun try scf-suStaining: to mine the gold that fur nlShcs the sincWS of war, and the copper t. aid in the manufacture of war and industrial machinery, might be left without sufficient Iaborers to perform the necessary work.
 It is to avoid such situations as this that the selectivc draft was recommended by the general staff supported by the President, and adopted by congress- The crying need of the country is to have and keep the indus tries properly manned; to flood the fields with labor, and keep every mine whether ii be gold, silver, copper or other metal, going at its highest capacity.
 In the appeal of the President all this is brought out forcibIy, and while it is address ed to every American Citizen it contains all especial significance to A.askans, and the residents of this section in particular. Here is going forward work under the direction and authority of the national government that should be rushed to completion. This IS new country, which, owing to certain un- fortunate conditions and combinations, has never yet been entirely self-supporting A gold camp and an agricultural community have never been synonymous terms, ever where virgin land lay ready for the blow Agriculture is this country has been under even greater handicaps on account of certain natural drawbacks.
 We AaSkans cannot depend upon any large influx of labor from the States to help us out. It is to provide labor for road work for railroad construction, to keep the mines going, and at the same time to grow sufficient crops of those food supplies which the eli mate permits to enable us to live without Outside assistance. If one reads the appeal of the President, this appears to be the first duty of AlaSkans
 Are we doing our duty to the best of our ability? The farmers have responded noby to the call But the big question of labor still remains unsettled. Our appeals to outside labor have been unresponded to- It may be that other sections of Alaska, es- pecially the interior, can be of assistance Possibly men can be obtained from our near est Canadian neighbor. Only by the closest of cooperation will be we able to do our full duty. This is the verdict of men all over the territory.
 Says the Juneau Empire, referring to the same subject
 Never before in the history of Alaska the duty for cooperative work increase production plain. Heretofore the obligation for unity been to Alaska and the men, and children who constitute her population and those who will join them and those who will after them Now this duty has broadened until 1t has become a matter of patriotic loyalty to the nation and humanity itself The duty aid through harmony in action and purpose through cooperation and industry is broad the which Am,