The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-04-07


 ator for his letter to the postmaster general on this subject. We would be even more grate- full if he would keep his hands off Alaskan politics and if he had gagged his heeler | Wickersham when he started to throw his last fit of undesirable publicity.
 TWO YEARS AGO
 Two years ago joint resolution passed by congress declared state of war to exist between the United States and Germany and authorized the President to use the utmost resources of the country in carrying the war to successful conclusion. In the two years which have passed since that time the gov ernments with which the United States as sociated herself, with the aid of our nation have passed from the shadow of defeat to the sunshine of victory, emerged from the threat of years of slavery under brutal Prussian domination into the promise of future made bright with the opportunities for the greatest national and individual freedom that man has ever conceived
 All of this has not been accomplished without difficulty Like all other achieve ments of note, strenuous efforts were requir- ed to effect the transition from despair to hope, to lead us from dark hours of threaten ing calamity and defeat to the brilliant noon- tide of victory
 Germany, two years ago, greeted our en- try into the struggle with defiance Confi- dent in the ability of her U-boats to prevent America from landing supplies in Europe, foolishly convinced that her agents here would divide the country in its support of the Presi- dent in his war policy, unwisely undertaking the quality of Americans which enable them to assinilate the arts of war in a time un- believably short, knowing that she could con- centrate her forces on the western front for supreme effort by the summer of 1919, Ger many broke faith with America and the world that she might more plausibly exact tribute when she had won the victory which she SO confidently looked forward to.
 And the first twelve months after the entry of America into the struggle seemed to prove Germany's judgment at least par tially correct. True her submarines failed. She was unable to seriously hamper the ad- ministration in its preparations, tho her agents worked unrelentingly. American armies were formed, housed, equipped, fed, and trained with greater rapidity than any other country has ever accomplished. But with the beginning of the second year, Ger many had concentrated her hordes against the allied lines from the North Sea to Swtzer- land Specially trained attacking forces had been assembled. Great quantities of guns with enormous supplies of ammunition were ready And the great effort of the greatest war the world has ever seen was launched.
 At this crisis, America upset all Ger man calculations. Responding to the appeal of her allies she poured her troops into France as fast as ships could carry them And these troops, which Germany had af- fected to despise, furnished the kick which turned the tide and sent the Huns back be- hind the Rhine. "The American armies" said General Pershing," broke the back of the German line of communication in France and Germany had either to surrender or suf- fer almost complete annihilation of her armies in France"
 Two years ago America had only nom inal army. Since then armies totaling 4,OOO, GOO are back again in civil life.
 What America accomplished in two years has never been done by any other na- tion in the world. She has found out what she can do, and the energy exercised in mak- ing war, if diretced with the same driving force in times of peace will accomplish even more for herself and the whole world than it did in defeating the Prussian military ma chine,