THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday. Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P O. Pox 6V*
S1.5C PER MONTH S16.00 A YEAR
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER . Editors
Entered as second class matter Octooer 14. 1943. at the postoffice at
Nome. Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
Wednesday, August 28, 1946
EXIT THE GREAT KILLER
The territorial health department’s
ouiek action in the recent outbreak attracts our
attention to the remarkable comeback diphtheria has
made as a public health problem With the advent
of mass immunization diphtheria, once termed The
Great Killer, retreated to a minor role in the public
health spotlight. The doctors and nurses of the Pub
lic Health department are to be commended highly
The report of the department contained informa
tion that during World War II diphtheria emerged
as the major epidemic disease m Europe. It still is.
It was noted as far back as 1939 that the disease was
on the increase in Europe. Public Health warnings
were issued, but mass migrations, troop movemnts, and
personal privations accelerated the spread of the dis
ease.
The United States felt the impact of the menace.
And in the United States as well as Europe it was noted
that there was a changing pattern in diphtheria incid
ence. more cases were falling in the over-30 age group.
This same pattern has been observed in Alaska where
four outbreaks have occurred so far in 1946. The
outbreaks occurring at Unga, Adak, Anchorage and
Nome resulted in four deaths.
The recent outbreak at Anchorage called for re
strictions on travel and public gatherings lest the dis
ease spread like a forest fire throughout Alaska.- Near
ly 6.500 residents, mostlv adults, were immunized.
Other Alaska communities responded, as did Nome, ad
mirably to the alert and instituted mass immunization
procedures.
Because of the prevalence of diphtheria, its present
virulent form, and its tendency to attack adults, Dr.
C. Earl Albrecht, Territorial Commissioner of Health,
urges that all Alaskans both adults and children sub
mit to immunization. Such a procedure is not only
public health presentation, but also individual life con
servation
Our local Public Health Nurse, Mrs. Annette
Kitzmiller, informs us that her office is continuing
immunization of Nome adults and children during the
afternoons on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
It will do ourselves and our friends and neigh
bors a great injustice if we fail to take advantage of this
great service to the community.
Lets help the Health Department keep Alaskans
HEALTHY.
A NATIONAL MEMORIAL
TO WAR NURSES
A WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT assured of the ap
proval of the public support necessary for its
and worthy of the public support neccessary for its
fulfillment, is the national memorial proposed in hon
or of the 100,000 nurses and women medical workers
who served with the American armed forces during
the recent war.
While there has never been any lack of national
appreciation of the services of women in war, strange
ly enough there has never been any substantial or per
manent demonstration of that appreciation.
It is now proposed that the people of the United
States make such a demonstration, in recognition of
fc group of American women who accompanied Ameri
can fighting men in every phase of the war.
In war, the nurse stands with the man behind the
gun, and when he falls she is there to attend his wounds
alone again?
and give him comfort and courage.
In war too, it should be remembered, the nurses
who serve with the fighting men often fall with them—
and a lot of them were wounded and killed in all the
combat areas of the last war. The American armed
forces hold them in reverent memory and the Ameri
can people number them among the honored dead.
A national memorial to those heroic, proficient and
loyal women is indeed a project for national approval
and enthusiasm, and the public response already accord
ed it assures its prompt and complete realization.
The intention of the sponsors is that 11 million
dollars be raised by public subscription, for the con
struction and endowment of a suitable and permanent
memorial building, and for a program of rehabilitation
and education.
The major portion of this fund, at least 90 per cent
will be perpetuated in a foundation fund, to give assur
ance to every eligible woman veteran of thr nation’s
wartime medical services that she will never lack for
care or assistance or any of the material evidences of
the country’s gratitude.
>A national home will thus be provided for those
in need of it.
Security will be assured to those who have richly;
earned it.
Surely these represent the very least thn Ameri
can people should do for the women who ris’ ad their
lives for our sons and brothers and other love^ ones.
By GEOROE 3 BENSON
ftosidtnt of Hording CoDtgt
Storey. Arfcomsoa
II
t
Turn Back
Three easy steps will de
grade a self-governing peo
ple to the level of dictator
ship; (1) to planned econ
omy (2) to government
management (3) to govern
ment control. America has
already taken the first step.
War pushed central plan
ning upon us, and people
who like it are trying to
make it permanent. If it
can be made to stick, the
nation will be ready for the |
--—--I
second step — gov rnment
management.
Disregarding n l fancy
and impractical * heories
history proves tha private
enterprise made merica
the world’s most werful
nation and gave u all the
most comfortable ?s that
common people ev lived.
Our only wise coi ? is to
turn back to free c; rprise,
but first we must t shed
of planned econoi It is
going to demand series
of strenuous ti nents,
for it is well advanced.
It Is No Dream
Disaster for the only r
maining prosperous peop
on earth can not be avoide
by any magic method lit
suddenly waking out of
bad dream. Things w
have learned about wrt
took personal liberty froi
the Germans, the Russiar
and the French, and moi
recently from the Britisl
may seem like nightmare
i but they are very real an
painful. Here in Americ
we have a chance.
It is a hack illustratio
but very useful: When yo
want to get rid of darknes!
you turn on light. Whe
you want to get rid of \g
norance, you admit trutl
Incompetents scatter whei
they hear intelligent com
petition approaching. Th<
first move against politic
in business is to take th<
handcuffs off business it
self. Set private ente^
prise free and it will pro
tect itself
Let Money Work
Lawrs made to take the
profit out of war are now
taking the pay out of work
Laws have rolled profits
in for some businesses sc
thin that there is nothing
left to make but a loss Ill
advised taxes on some bus
iness commodities are so
large that a fair price will
not cover them. Industrial
relations are so needled
with politics that declining
volume already is endan
gering jobs and wages.
People who are saving
money are obliged often to
let it lie idle in banks be
cause there is no reasonab
ly secure place to put it to
work. Some invest in gov
ernment bonds but the
earnings of bonds come
from taxes and serve not
at all to put men to work
and increase the national
wealth. When private in
vestors are afraid to trust
enterprise, government
management is at the door.
The Need of Today
Getting the United States
out of its present entang
lements with state social
ism is one thing, keeping it
out is another. For the
longrange good of this na
tion, and of the world that
looks to us for leadership,
a ceaseless campaign of ed
ucation is needed. The
present need is to cut re
straints on production and
set American business on
its feet again; by three