THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome, Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 p o. Box 618
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER .Editors
fl.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice
at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Friday, July 23, 1948
COMMUNISTS IN UNIFORM
(Washington Post)
The RIGHT of the armed forces to protect them
selves against subversives in their ranks cannot'
be challenged. The instrumentalities of national
secutity are among the most sensitive of all agen
cies, and it is no surprise that defense heads are
reported to be planning a loyalty check for all
men called up under the new draft law. This is
merely an amplification of the procedure followed
during the war, when actual and suspected sub
versives were, for the most part, segregated into
non-sensitive units.
There is good reason why Communists ,who are
the principal category of subversives now in ques
tion, should not be exempted from the draft. In the
first place, as American citizens they are subject
to the same obligations for national service as are
other Americans. Secondly, permitting deferment
of members of the Communist Party would encour
.age evasion of the draft. Nevertheless, Communists
in uniform will bear watching. During the war some
Communists were magnificent soldiers; but they
were only good soldiers so long as it suited the
party purpose. It would be folly to attribute such
moves as the "over the hill in October" campaigns
of 1941 or the premature demobilization clamor of
1945-46 solely to the Communists. But certainly they
were quick to capitalize on soldier demoralization
and twist it to their ends.
But while the necessity for keeping tab on po
tential subversives is recognized, the armed forces
have an obligation to set that the loyal checks arei
administered fairly. In the past such attempts oc
casionally have gone to ridiculous extremes because
of the lack of personnel qualified to pass on ques
tions of such a delicate nature. A loyalty program in
the military establishment will be of particularly
susceptible of abuse unless efforts are made to pro
vide the same essential safeguards as now pertain
in the Federal Government. The premium must be
on judgement and facts rather .than hearsay.
I
A NARROW ESCAPE
HTHE STEADFAST insistence of Senate conferees
alone saved the country from a disastrous, un
workable draft measure which would have given
us nothing but the illusion of national military
strength. Isolationist leaders of the House reduced
the term of service to one year when the bill reached
them. That would have been absolutely unwork
able. In conference, the term was raised to 21 months
which is long enough to train a soldier and make
some use of him in a tactical unit.
The compromise finally agreed upon also elimi
nates the unsound House provision for an indefinite
delay in starting the induction of men. The final
clause makes the measure effective in 90 days (from
passage), and leaves the President, as is proper,
the actual decision to begin calling up trainees.
Enactment of the new draft makes good the very |
UORATIUS TAKES MIS STANb_
large appropriations already made for the armed
forces. It helps to give meaning and strength to the
European Recovery Program. It was the final, neces
sary step in building a solid foreign and defense pol
icy that will command the respect of the world.
But it was a narrow escape. To look back over
the checkered parliamentary history of the draft
bill is to SQe how flimsy has been Congressional
support for a realistic defense policy. To check over
that* record is to realize that we have been skating
on thin ice, with the type of leadership we have had
in the lower House of Congress.
WOMENS MONEY
(Washington Post)
AMERICANS HAVE BECOME so accustomed to
wives' handling not only their own money but
also their families' finances that it will surprise many
to learn that women's financial rights are a relative
recent development. The Women's Bureau of the
Department of Labor in a review of State laws af
fecting rights of married women have made marked
progress in gaining legal protection of their posses
sions and earnings. Many of these reforms in £tate
laws have developed with the trend of married wo
men to work—and earn—outside the home. More
wives than single women are now in the labor force.
It is often assumed that the Seneca Falls Conven
tion that met 100 years ago was principally con
cerned with getting the ballot for women. Yet in its
Declaration of Sentiments it listed first among its
complaints and disabilities of married women par
ticularly in property holding. At that time husbands
in most States had absolute control of their wives'
property and could collect and spend wages earned
by them. Today in 36 States a married woman's
personal earnings are her separate property by
law, and other States offer her degrees of control.
In almost all States a wife can manage and control
separate property.
Another result of a changed economy is wo
men's widespread control of family expenditures,
and their ownership, in name at least, of the greater
part of private wealth. Yet as a rule they leave con
trol over this invested wealth to men. It may be that
their next financial expansion will be to assert their
share of management in the factories, railroads and
other industries in which they have such heavy in
vestments.
CHURCHES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Saturday 1:30 p.m. Catechism
Class.
Sunday:
Masses at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.
At Base 4:30 p.m.
LAVINIA WALLACE YOUNG
MISSION
Pastors - Rev. H. R. Amundsen
and Rev. Theran McGrew
Sunday:
11:00 a.m. Sunday School.
7:30 p.m. Evening Service.
Wednesday - 3:30 p.m. - Chil
dren’s Miracle Book Club.
Thursday - 7:30 p.m. - Prayer
Meeting.
FEDERATED CHURCH
Sunday
No morning services at the Fed
erated Church, except the Sunday
School as usual at 10:00 a.m.
,PENTACOSTAL ASSEMBLY OF
GOD
Third Avenue West
Pastor A. E. Capener
Sunday—
Sunday School.10:30 a.m.
1 Evening service .7:45 p.m.
t Wednesday—
Bible Study .7:45 pm.
EVERYONE WELCOME
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
Corner of Third and Division
Rev. Lewis I. Hudgins, Pastor
Someone has said that Paul and
Silas turned the world upside down
and right side up for God.
10:00 a.m. Singspiration and Sun
day School Classes.
11:00 a.m. Morning message.
7:30 p.m. Singspiration and spe
cial music.
8:00 p.m. Evening message.
Wednesday: 7:30 p.m. Melody and
Prayer.
Come and bring your Bible.
You are ever welcrme to attend
i these services.
NOME GOSPEL MISSION
of
Alaska Evangelization Society
Rev. Vern Rimling, Pastor
Sunday:
2:00 p.m. Sunday School.
7:30 p.m. Gospel Service.
Tuesday:
7:30 p.m. Prayer and Testimony
Thursday:
Sabbath School 11 a.m. Saturday.
2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Bible Club for
Boys and Girls.
Friday:
7:30 p.m. Bible Study.
Alaska Line Ships
Fly Alaska Flag
—
* SEATTLE, — </P) —The flag
of Alaska is flying on the Alaska
Steamship Company passenger
Baranof this trip.
Other passenger ships of the
Alaska line will follow suit in
the good will gesture, Adm. F. A.
Zeusler, executive assistant to the
president of the company, said to
day.
The Territorial flag will be flown
from a special -halyard, just aft
the foremast.
In case you’re not familiar with
the Alaska flag, it is eight gold
stars (comprising the “dipper” and
North Star) on a field of blue.
It was designed in 1926 by an
Alaskan schoolboy, Benny Benson,
then 13, and adopted in May, 192T,
by the Territorial Legislature as
Alaska’s official flag.