100 years ago in Spokane: Five ‘slackers’ who had dodged the WWI draft were denied citizenship, and baby Phyllis was abandoned by ‘a heartbroken mother’

A federal judge in Spokane refused to grant citizenship to five men because they were “slackers.”

By “slackers,” he meant draft dodgers who refused service in the recent world war.

The five men included two Greeks, a Swede, a Dane and a Norwegian. They were excluded from citizenship until at least five years had passed since the Armistice.

From the motherhood beat: A tiny baby girl was found in the hallway of the Consuelo Apartments with this note pinned to her quilt:

“Her name is Phyllis May and she is two weeks old. She has no father and I cannot care for her and work, too, as I must. Won’t you please give her a home or find one for her, which will not be hard to do for she is a dear little girl. Wrapped up beside her you will find some medicine. She is subject to colic but the medicine will cure her. Be careful of exposing her eyes to a bright light, for they are weak. May God bless you for your kindness to my baby Phyllis. (signed) A heartbroken mother.”

Mrs. Florence E. Alcox found the baby outside her door and contacted police. They took her to the Salvation Army home.

The matrons there recognized Phyllis as a baby born there a few weeks earlier. They were attempting to contact the mother or her relatives.

From the gasoline beat: The Standard Oil service stations in Spokane slashed the price of gasoline by a half-cent, to 28½ cents per gallon.

The reduction was made possible by a promised reduction in railroad freight rates.