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
S1.50 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, December 19, 1947
On The Farm Front We’re Far Ahead
(By Palmer Hoyt)
WHILE MUCH IS SAID about the possibility of a
third World War and about the “cold war” now being
fought, there is a war on another front—the seldom
mentioned battle of the steel plow. '
Herrell DeGraff, professor of agricultural economics
at Cornell University fully describes this struggle in
Steelways, a publication of the American Iron and
Steel Institute:
“Russia’s challenge is not to a shooting war—not yet.
at least. It cannot become so unless and until she wins
the war of steel plows and the general productive effi
ciency which they symbolize. That is a war in which
we are far ahead. We can lose only by forgetting how we
got there.”
Professor DeGraff has pointed out that before the last
war, one American farmer produced as much as six
Russians, that while the cultivated areas of the Soviet
Union and the United States were roughly the same,
our output was 50 per cent larger than theirs. This,
while Russia has a population one-third greater than
that of the United States: v
His figures were taken from a prewar era, for the Sov
iets are not now releasing figures on agricultural or
other production. They showed that the United States
would “have to go back to shprtly before the Civil War
in this country to find the time when the American
farmer’s productivity was as low as the Russian farm
er’s output in 1938.” For example, Russian farmers har
vest an acre of wheat after forty-seven hours work,
while American farmers take but nine* hours and get
a greater yield.
Since war’s end it is impossible to know how the Rus
sians are faring in the battle of production. But despite
their iron curtain, it is impossible to ignore the vital im
portance of agricultural production to the Soviet gov
ernment. And there is no doubt that they are fighting
the battle of the plow with every means at their dis
posal. This year they have fought it well—Russia has
had a bumper grain crop. That crop will be used as
necessary to bolster Soviet policies in eastern Europe,
and by its very existence to sway political thinking in
western Europe.
Yet it is impossible to agree with Professor DeGraff
that the war of the plow is the determining factor in
world peace. No one should underestimate its import
ance, but neither can we forget that Hitler did not hesi
tate to restrict the German food supply when he went to
war, and that the Russians have not hesitated to ration
their own people, before, during and after the war.
Admitting the importance of the agricultural war, it
would still-be foolish to believe that the possibility of
war hinges only on this, and that the United States is
far in the lead. Were Americans to lull themselves into
such feeling of security, they would be asking only for
trouble.
Only Third Of People Observe Xmas
Next Thursday is Christmas, but it will be just an
other day as far as most of the people in the world are
concerned. Only an estimated 31 per cent of the world’s
population profess Christianity, leaving a billion and a
half non-Christians who do not celebrate the birthday
of Jesus Christ.
About 285,000,000 Mohammedans commemorate in
stead the birth of Mohammed on the twelfth day of the
CAREFUL, NOW!
third month, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica
The chief festivals of Mohammedanism, are ’Eed es
Sagheer, which lasts for three days, and ’Eed el-Kebeer,
beginning on the tenth of Zu-l-Heggeh, the last month
of the Mohammedan year, which goes on for three or
four days.
The Mohammedans, who make up thirteen per cent of
the globe’s population, also heep holy the first tendays
of Moharram, the first month of the year, particularly
the tenth day, called Yom Ashoora. The anniversary of
the prophet’s miraculous ascension into heaven in the
seventh month and one or two lesser anniversaries are
also marked.
Another substantial proportion of the world’s people
are Hindus, who comprise* 11 per cent, and celebrate
Holi in the spring and Durga-puja at the time of the au
tumnal equinox, a ten-day festival in honor of the vic
tory of the goddess Durga over the buffalo-headed de
mon Mahishasura. This celebration ends after nine% days
of worship of Durga when the immage of the ten-a'rmed
goddess, holding a weapon in each hand, is cast into the
water on the tenth day, known as Dasahara.
Nearly 165,000,000 Buddhists, eight per cent of the
world’s population, observe the day when Buddha left
his home, the anniversary of his birth and the day when
he attained to perfection and entered Nirvana. Some
Buddhists celebrate Trut, the festival of the close of the
vear, with visiting and play-going. The new year is
celebrated for three days, and other holidays occur
throughout the year, with presents made of cakes of
new rice being exchanged on the last day of June.
Other large segments of non-Christian religious
groups are made up of the Confucianists and Taoists of
China, comprising 13 per cent of the world’s population;
primitive, animist, fetish and magic cults, nine per cent;
Hebrews, one per cent; Shintoists in Japan, one per
cent; Sikhs in India, one-fifth of one per cent; and Jains
in India, one-twentieth of one per cent. The adherents
of all other religious sects, including state religions,
make up 12.75 per cent of the population of the world.
The First Christmas Card
The first Christmas card was sent during the reign of
Queen Victoria, in 1845. Queen Elizabeth made a point
blank request that the subjects give her Christmas gifts
of money, brocaded petticoats, velvets, costly jewels or
furs, to replenish her wardrobe. Among these presents
was the first pair of silk stockings ever made in Europe.
There was a period during which public singing of
Christmas carols was forbidden. The Puritans passed a
law iji 1659 to the effect that “whoever shall be found
observing any such day as Christmas, or the like, either
by forbearing of labor, feasting, or in any other way,
shall be fined 5 shillings.” In two countries the bringer
of Christmas gifts is a woman—in Italy, La Befna, and
in Russia, Baboushka. But instead of December 25th, the
gifts are distributed on Twelfth Night.—Selected.
' Communication
"_
Friends:
We believe the following is of
special interest to all who are in
terested in human values:
Sunday afternoon, December 7,
1947, we dedicated our new Home
for children at Unalakleet, Alaska.
The dedicatory service began in
the crowded Mission Church and
concluded, at the new home, in
these words and benediction: “For
shelter for the homeless and sanc
tuary for those who may have no
lather or mother—For their care
and rearing—for their instrustion
in the ways of righteousness, God
liness and a useful life—for their
nurture in the Christian faith and
knowledge of Christ unto salva
tion, to the glory and honor of
God the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost, we dedicate this home.”
Ralph P. Hanson, former Alaska
missionary, and then also known
as “Speed Hanson’’—wanting to
travel fast on land, sea and air,
did the official part of the dedica
tion. Mr. Hanson is now the Cov
enant secretary of "Christian >
missions, with headquarters at
Chicago, and was returning from
a three-month itinerary of the far
flung Covenant missions in China.
Others officially sharing in the
dedication were Sky-Pilot—in the
best sense—Roald Amundsen,
chairman of our Alaska Mission
Council. Miss Arlene. Anderson,
Mr. and Mrs. Londberg, splendid
people, entrusted with the respon
sibilities of the new home. Mrs.
Londberg is also a trained nqrse
and fine musician.
But special and lasting honor
goes to Mr. and Mrs. John Dahl
strom, and others sharing in the
erection of this home. Mr. Dahl
strom, a successful contractor
builder in the States, a believer in
practical Christianity, came up to
Alaska, assuming the responsibil
ity for the construction of the
home. The mayor of Unalakleet
was absent from the community,
so his number on the program
could not be filled.
The building, 40 x 60 feet, sur
mounts a concrete basement, hous
ing well, cistern, laundry, steam
furnace, warm storage for food
and utility space. The first floor
gives space for assembly room,
class rooms, and apartments for
staff. The second floor has a num
ber of rooms for boys and girls.
The large attic, well insulated, «
gives storage space, and can read
ily be arranged into rooms. It is
not our intention to place the chil
dren on the fence, neither native
nor white, but to bring them up as
sound native citizens and Chris
tians, always having background
and future in view.
How solidly and well the build
ing is constructed is shown by the
fact, that, until the furnace can be
installed, the whole building is
warmed with a 53 gallon barrel
home made “Sourdough” heater.
The building is sanitary through
out. Electrically lighted.
The people of the Second Divi
sion, and of Alaska as a whole,
can be thankfully Proud of this
unique home for needy children in
the Second Division.
Ludvig E. Ost,
Vice Chairman,
Alaska Mission Council.
High . School Notes
On Thursday evening, the stu
dents gathered in the assembly
room for a very successful Christ
mas party. The room was decor
ated with red and green chains
with stars attached to the lowest
bends. Beneath the branches of a
bushy, odorous and highly decor