To "go over the top" was an expression that came out of the Great War itself. For an attack, soldiers in the trenches were ordered to climb up, over and out of their protection and "go over the top." Tis often meant exposing themselves to the fierce artillery and/or machine gun fire. In civilian lingo, the expression meant more than just to do one's patriotic duty; it meant to go above and beyond what was required or even expected. Right below the Nov 19th article in the Seward Gateway, another headline announced "AMERICANS AT ANCHORAGE." A week earlier, the newspaper had noted that an "Americans" organization had been started in Juneau with Alaska Governor Thomas Riggs, Jr., as its president. The purpose of the group was "to head off the Radical Wave" people believed threatened to take over the country. The "Americans" vowed to fight attempts to change our form of government and to combat propaganda. This was specifically aimed at Bolshevism. The newly formed group invited foreigners to join and promised to "help and assist all aliens...who have full faith in American principles, to become citizens." They expected "every patriotic Alaskan" to join the organization, and they hoped other town would form their own "Americans." The evening Seward veterans met to form and American Legion Post - November 20, 1919 - the one local newspaper headline shouted "FIND BIG RED PLOT". Agents in Philadelphia had uncovered a Bolshevik plot to "slay all officials with explosives to be sent through the Christmas mails." A "round -up of Reds" was underway with many arrests expected. On November 21st, the front page of the Seward Gateway headlined "POST ISSAC EVANS AMERICAN LEGION IS FORMED HERE." The new organization's charter listed 23 names, even though they only needed fifteen. They expected the number to double within a few months.
