The Nenana news., 1918-01-12
CITIZENS ORGANIZE
 DEFENSE COUNCIL

Fully aroused to the necessity of conserving the food supplies of the territory, and those of the nation. the citizens of Nenana have launch ed an economy campaign, along lines suggested by the Territorial Council of Defense, and similar to action already taken by many Alaskan towns
 In response to a call issued by the local members of the council of de- fense, large number of residents of the town met on Wednesday eve ming, at the office of Howard P Curtis, general storekeeper of the Alaskan Engineering commission, and perfected a permanent organi- zation, to be known as Nenana Chapter, Council of Defense of the territory. Geo. w. Pennington was chosen president of the chapter, Wm. L. Packer, vice president and R. R. Douse, secretary. The members of the defense council appointed by Governor Strong, will serve as
 the executive committee, together with the other officers of the chap ter. They are Commissioner Robert
 E. Burns. Howard P Curtis, Thos.
 Riggs, Jr, Ben Smson and R. G. Southworth
 ,IF,frr 1o1,- !
 the purpose of the meeting and in vited discussion relative to such ac-
 tion as might be deemed necessary
 to conserve the food supply of the
 territory and of the nation By
 way of introduction, he read re-
 port on the subject of food conser-
 vation, which had been submitted
 to the Nenana Commercial club by
 a committee of that organization.
 The matter of securing the sus-
 pension of the territorial game law
 during the period of the war, for , the purpose of enabling Alaskans to draw less heavily upon the food l supplies of the States, was discussed at length by the members, resulting : finally in the appointment of R. G. - Southworth, R. C. Morris, H. B.
 Joseph, Woodbury Abbey and W. L. Packer as committee to act on the matter, it being the sense of the
 meeting that action be taken inn
 mediately to release the game for
 local consumption. This committee was also instructed to obta:n food saving pledges from restaurant own
 CTS, the management of the Com : mission messes and Nenana house : wives. Particular reference was made to the importance of cooking potatoes with their jackets on, it being pointed out that saving of seventeen per cent is possible through the simple process of boil ing spuds before peeling.
 The eight-hour day was taken up
 for discussion, but definite action
 was deferred until the matter could be considered by the Nenana Labor
 union. That organization probably : will take up the question at it's : regular meeting tonight.
 An organization committee, con sisting of William Casey, NJ. J. : Cooney, Harry Davis, Jack Roman, : J. D. O'Neill, Woodbury Abbey, W. L. Packer and w J. Hubbach was appointed to solicit members, every : loyal citizen being invited to affili-
 ate with the organization.
 Mir. Curtis suggested that every
 member of the council consider him
 self a committee of one to dis courage seditious utterances and to report such cases to the federal authorities. He pointed out that the chief function of the council of
 defense is to cooperate in every
 way possible with the government,
 the work of wedding out the dis loyal being fully as important, in
 his opinion, as the conservation of food supplies.
 The next meeting of the chapter will be held next Thursday night, at which time the various commit tees will submit their reports.