THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday. Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
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W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER.Editors
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice at
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Friday, April 5, 1946
MUCH ACCOMPLISHED
(Daily Alaska Empire)
The members of the extraordinary session of the Sev
enteenth Alaska Legislature will have accomplished a
great deal in the short 30 days they have been in ses
sion when they quit work tonight in our opinion.
At this writing the super-liberal veterans' bill has not
became law, but it looks as if it should sail through on
the conference committee report. The bill, when it be
comes law, will be the most liberal adopted by any
State or Territory.
Already approved by the Governor, and to become
law on July 1, is a Workmen's Compensation Act far
ahead of the acts of any other governmental unit under
the United States( legislation which was not included
in the call for the special session, but which the Legisla
ture added.
Passed through without any opposition was a bill ap
propriating a quarter of a million dollars for the fight
against tuberculosis with the adoption of a program
drawn up by Commissioner of Health Albrecht. Dr. Al
brecht will have a powerful talking point in soliciting
Federal cooperation in the program as a result of this
action.
Also not to be forgotten is the passage of a bill raising
the salaries of Alaska teachers to easily the highest av
erage of any other State or Territory, which should
make it possible for Commissioner of Education Rya'n
to further improve the Territory’s excellent education
program. The measure also authorizes more money in
matching funds for city school administrators. Alaska
is already probably the only place under the American
flag where a teachers’ retirement program offers teach
ers the chance to retire at $100 a month.
It seems to us that more worthwhile legislation has
come out of this short special session than in a good
many regular 60-day sessions.
RUSSIA CAN HAVE PEACE IF SHE WANTS IT!
(By Bruce A Gustin)
The United Nations plan for maintaining world peace
is being put to the acid test. It was inevitable that there
would have to be a showdown, sooner or later. So it is
just as well that the UNO council decided to have this
showdown now. Unless the council can function in
promptly investigating and bringing about an amicable
settlement of a dispute between a little country like
Iran and a top world power like Russia, it might just as
well fold up.
Wednesday, the security council rejected by a 9 to 2
vote the Russian ultimatum for postponement of discus
sion of the Iranian problem until April 10. Soviet Rep
representative Gromyko promptly announced, “I am
leaving,” and he walked out. Then the council voted 8
to 2 to hear the Iranian side of the controversy.
The fact that the Russian representative walked out
does not mean that the UNO has blown up—at least, not
yet. Gromyko has made it plain that he only refuses to
participate in discussions of the Iranian controversy
and that he will take part in meetings to consider other
matters.
As Secretary of State Byrnes pointed out, there is a
vital issue at stake in this Russo-Iranian dispute. “The
small nations,” he said, “look to us so that, if they have
a grievance, they can present it. If this is not done, the
UNO will die in infancy, a victim of inefficiency.” There
can be no doubt about that. Unless the security council
can give a speedy and impartial hearing to any nation,
large or small, which lodges a complaint with it, the
UNO cannot function.
The present crisis is a challenge to Russia’s good faith j
i€TTW<? MW KNOW_
and professed desire to co-operate with all the other na
tions of the earth. It is a test of Soviet confidence in the
fairness and justice of Russia’s allies in World War TI.
If Russians do not think thev can get a souare deal from
the UNO security council, they can hardlv expect other
countries to have faith in that bodv. The UNO was cre
ated for the very purpose of settling just such contro
versies as the one which had developed between Iran
and Russia.
Russian spokesmen have asserted repeatedly that
thev want peace. Thev can easilv have it. In all Burone
th^re is no threat to their security. The onlv world
power in Russia’s class is the United States, and it cer
tainW is iust as desirous of neace as are the Russians.
Soviet co-operation in the UNO will prove the sincerity
of Russian declarations that thev want peace.
It is as plain as dav now that the United States must
continue the draft. Under normal conditions, conscrip
tion for military service is repugnant to American
ideals. But these are not normal times. With Russia
armed to the teeth and carrying out policies fraught
with danger to the peace of the world, ordinary pru
dence requires at least reasonable preparedness on the
part of the United States. We talk about backing up the
UNO with force. With what force?
A common sense nolicv. under existing conditions,
would be to continue the 18- to 25-vear age group. That
would give Congress ample time to do something about
universal military training. And by the end of another
vear we will know whether the international situation
is clearing up. and have a more definite idea of what
American security requirements are going to be.
ONE MAN’S OPINION
(By Walter Kiernan)
Winnie Churchill can always say he was treated as
though he was one of us ... He drew just as many pick
ets as an Alfred Sloan or a Ben Fairless. . . . Everything
was in the best of taste. At hia big dinner, catering was
by Oscar of the Waldorf and cat-calling by the C. I. O.
of greater New York. .. . But for a man who came over
here “for a little rest” he hasn’t given us much . . . It’s
getting so you can’t bust a paper bag without people
leaping up and shouting “here come the Russians!” . . .
A waitress asks a customer if he would like Russian
dressing and he screams “call the FBI—I’m surround
ed!” ... Our only salvation is national laugh week which
is set for April 1. ... It began early in Washington—the
Pauley hearings could not be delayed. . . . We are all
expected to get up on April 1 laughing nervously—men
in 1-A are exempt.
“This is one place where there is always a crisis just
around the corner. I think every week will be less hec
tic, but the next week is always a little more so.”
—President Truman
77377,
OMHllHliliaMall
AND WE WIN THE RUBBER
WASHINGTON—One of the
too-few “blessings” ot tne war
that the United States will ne'
again be wholly dependent on 1
natural rubber monopoly as
quantity or price of that mater
so vital to our modern way of ]i
According to Rubber Manufz
hirers Association representative
there will always be a demand f
natural rubber, but our $700,00(
000 synthetic rubber industry w.
always be a stopper to runawa
prices and a sure cure for short
ages.
Figures just released show the
staggering development of the in
dustry. In 1941 the United State
used 775,000 long tons of nature
rubber and only produced abou
4,500 tons of synthetic.
In 1945 the consumption of nat
ural rubber was only 105,406 tons
and the production of synthetic
had mounted to nearly 700,00
tons.
Most of this 'slightly over 600,
000 tons of it* is what the industry
now calls GRS <Buna-S* the gen
oral purpose rubber. The othei
two important ones were GRM
• Neoprene* and GRI (Butyl*.
What has happened to the price
on these synthetics is far more
significant in the world rubber
picture. Until 1943, the prices es
tablished at the beginning of the
program were maintained: 50
cents a pound for GRS. 65 cents
for Neoprene and 33 cents for
Butyl.
At the end of 1945 GRS was
selling at 18V£ cents a pound: Neo
prene at 27,/2 cents nad Butyl at
15Vfe cents.
In pre-war days the price of
natural rubber was running
around 20 cents a pound. We are
operating on a buying gareement
with the British now at 20V4 cents
a pound. It is estimated that this
year we will get 200,000 to 250,000
tons of natural rubber — about
twice what we got in 1945.
The world supply of rubber is
expected to run short for at least
two more years, but by 1949 the
; world surplus is expected to be
: way up. Association officials say
it will reach perhaps 1,000,000-*
! tons.
The future of synthetics is not
easy to predict. There hasn’t been
one month since 1941 that re
search and new techniques have
! not improved them.
In the meantime the cost of
production of synthetics is still
sinking, as method simprove. At
present, GRS is being manufac
tured at 12 cents a pound (without
considering plant amortization).
Forecasts have already been made
by association members that the
day will come when GRS can be
produced for 9 cents a pound, with
plant amortization.
Manufacturers are willing to
pay about 4 cents a pound more
for natural rubber than synthetics
since the former is much easier to
process. When the differentail gets
over that, they turn to synthetic
Nine-cent GRS would mean at
least 13-cent natural. This is an
important point for the future, be
i cause every 1-cent reduction in
the crude price means $16,000,000
a year saving to the people of
| America.