The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-01-15
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A YEAR HAS PASSED,
AT SEA ARE THE SHIPS
released by Western Newspaper nion.)


to a hotel room, through the win
dows of which looked out on the
waters of the broad Pacific.
I watched the constantly moving
panorama on rainbow pier-the
procession of cars and pedestrians,
the platforms filed with dancers or
with religious revivalists or, at
times, with both. There was evil
dence only of the amusement or
occupations of peaceful people.
But beyond that pier was a more
interesting and impressive sight.
There, swaying at anchor or NOV
ing In from, or out to sea, was
magnificent battle fleet, the pride of
America. There were the great bat
tie wagons, the aircraft carriers,
the cruisers and the always-restless
destroyers, with an occasional sub,
with its strange shape and devilish
purpose, to add to the interest.
knew the name of no single one
Of those fighting ships. did not
know which battle wagon was named
for which state, which cruiser was
named for which city, or the name
of what hero was carried by any
destroyer. But each one had an
individuality and though each of
its class looked much like all 9TH
ers of that class, soon learned to
distinguish one from another.
They seemed always on the alert.
Always there was smoke from their
escape valves. Their crews were
moving to and from shore, and Off
GERS gigs passed from one ship to
another.
That fleet was an inspiring sight.
It was something more than great
masses of steel. It was steel, plus
men, and the men made it the soul
of America. The ships and the crews
were the guardians of the peace
and pleasures Of those people on the
pier, and of the people all up and
down the nation. It represented the
might and the pride of great ma
tion-my nation.
AS I watched any one Of them
weigh anchor and sail out to sea,
to disappear beyond the horizon, I
could imagine it going to meet an
enemy-my enemy-seeking to de-
stroy the peace and liberties of a
nation-my nation. When, after
hours or days, that ship returned,
I could imagine its purpose of de-
struction accomplished-an enemy
destroyed.
am again writing within a stones
throw of the Pacific. There is the
same panorama to be seen on the
rainbow pier, the same line of cars
and pedestrians, the same groups of
dancers and religious enthusiasts,
but the ships are gone.
This time I do not have to mag
inc. I know they have gone to meet
an enemy-my enemy and our enc
my-on the far side of the broad
Pacific. It is because they are gone
that I have no fear of that enemy
reaching me on the American shore
of that ocean. It is because they
are gone that the cars and pedestri-
ans, the dancers and religious ex-
horters are still found on rainbow
pier.
The might and pride of America
is in the Far East to destroy that
enemy who so treacherously at
tackled peace-desiring nation.
SHIPYARD TROUBLES
SHIPYARD OWNERS on the West
coast are between the devil and the
deep blue Pacific. They were forced
to sign a 'closed shop" agree
ment with the A. F. of L., under
which they must discharge any en-
ployee who fails to pay his dues to
the union, when failure to pay has
been reported to the company. Now
the employees walk out to force the
unemployment of men the union
says must be fred. Employers find
it a case of damned if you do, and
damned if you don't" In the mean
time, government war orders for
badly needed ships are tied up, and
we are still at war.
FEDERAL PAYROLL
ON OCTOBER 81 there were on
the federal governments civilian
payrolls total of 1872, 428 employ
ees, an increase of "a 500 over Sep
TENDER. The pay of these employ
ees for October amounted to $685.
855, 055. That October number was
two-thirds greater than the peak
reached during World War /, and
at that time we were not in the war.
A little less government might be a
good thing.
MONOPOLIES
CONGRESS passes legislation to
prevent monopolies in commodities
and also passes legislation to create
labor monopoly. The CLOSED shop"
that forces every worker in an in
dustry to pay for the privilege of
working is monopoly.
LICENSE PLATES
CALIFORNIA is saving the cost
of the metal involved in supplying
1912 automobile license plates by
the use of small 1912 strip fastened |
to the plate. The saving effected
means thousands of dollars to the
taxpayers, and many thousands of |
pounds of greatly needed metal. For
1913 why should not all states use
a windshield sticker? The savings
would run into millions. That is one
of the countless ways to reduce
taxes.
NAPOLEON found a Russ;an min.