The weekly Alaska citizen., 1920-01-26

-
 HOT ARGUMENTS WARFARE THREATENED BE
 TWEEN NENANA COMMISSION
 AUTHORITIES AND CONNER
 CAL CLUB THERE OVER POR-
 TION OF COMMUNICATION
 Arrivals from Nenana last night re port somewhat strained relations be tween the head of the Alaskan Engi- neering commission at Nenana and members of the commercial club at that place as the result of arguments arising in a meeting of the club last Friday evening. at which Engineer in Charge Browne and Examiner Barn dollar were present by special invi- tation The discussion apparently mercal club for an increase in wages for the commission employees that was contained in letter to l. L. McPher- son, of Seattle. in which the latter was asked to see if it were not possi- ,ble to secure more adequate pay for the men.
 In an article appearing in the Ne mana News relating to the meeting it is said that the discussion was somewhat heated at times, but withal friendly" Nenanaites arriving in town last night confirm the "heated" phase of the situation but the friend Illness, according to their reports, was not so apparent and is still not in evidence
 After reciting that the slump in interior Alaska population has been greatly accelerated by a government wage scale which is inadequate and increasingly difficult in applications: the steadily increased cost of living. stationary pay, etc. the club reaches the conclusion that interior Alaska is losing much of it's most-needed male population because of the low wages and intermittent employment" The last two words in the conclusion were added after strenuous protests had been made by Mr. Browne to the whole wage question.
 According to the Nenana News. MT. Browne said that he had no objection to an advance in wages, and that. while he had no authority himself to alter the scale, he thot that rec ommendation made by him might have some weight with those who have the power to fix wages Whether or not he would make such a recon mendation or any recommendation he said he would prefer not to say. In conclusion Mr Browne stated the request for an increase in wages, coming from the commercial club. suggested desire on the part of the Nenana business men to have the railroad employees receive more money in order that they might have more money to spend locally" The version of the story brot to town by arrivals last night say that Mr. Browne either directly or by plain inference called the Nenana business men "leeches," but no mention is made of that fact by the News writer. Mr. Browne also challenged his hear CTS to stand responsible for the state ment that men are leaving the in terior on account of low wages paid by the commission.
 The challenge was taken up bv several of the members Ali Eek lund is said to have talked "war-talk" while several others made out a case in plain and unmistakeble terms. The discussion resulted in the words and intermittent employment" being added to the low wage protest and both sides quit the field for the night and are reported to be resting under arms.
 (We almost overlooked saying that the row started over the proposal of the commission to cut out the tele- phone service between midnight and z a. m. It is understood that the proposed cut has been at least tenn porarily abandoned)
 A nice old lady, who was sitting on the porch of a summer hotel. where also there were number of youngsters, was approached by one of them with this query:
 Can you crack nuts?''
 The old lady smiled and said: No, my dear, I cant. lost all my teeth years ago"
 Then" said the boy extending two hands full of walnuts, please hold these while go and get some moro"