During World War II Dashiell Hammett served on Adak in the Aleutian Islands, where he edited a paper for the island forces.

Hammett, it was soon noticed, would extensively cover the progress of America's Russian allies, but rarely mention its own forces. One day the general of the Alaskan Command demanded an explanation. "Well, sir," Hammett replied, "this paper has a policy not to publish any ads."

[Hammett certainly harbored left-leaning sentiments. In 1951, after refusing to testify on a bail violation by 11 Communist Party members, he was sentenced to six months in prison.]