THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 613
11.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
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.
Monday, September 16, 1946
OUR GREATEST PRIVILEGE
A POPULAR SONG A FEW YEARS AGO contained
the words “The Best Things in Life Are Free.”
As we come to realize the facts, we find that one
of the greatest privileges we have as Americans is
“free” —the right to vote.
This privilege, the right to vote as, and for whom,
we choose, is something our forefathers paid dearly
in blood, to attain. Today many things which are
free do not seem to have much value attached to them,
and many Americans, do in fact, take lightly their
privilege to vote. Should they be compelled to fight
for this privilege as did our forefathers, they most
certainly would attach the sound value'that it deserves.
Issues are at stake which we as good citizens must
decide for the good of our community, and it is most
important to the future welfare of our country and to
ourselves that we decide these issues by expressing
ourselves with ous votes. Although it is our commun
ity duty to vote, we nevertheless should realize what
a great privilege we enjoy to be able to vote.
In our particular case, the community has both a
duty to perform and a privilege to realize in the City
election tomorrow, in which an Ordinance is to be
op to the citizens for ratification. It is hoped that the
measure will be voted upon by the largest majority of
people of the community in order that a true expres
sion of the community will be assured.
Some of the citizens may think that the issue is
too small a matter to bother about. This is not the
case. The issue itself may be insignificant, when
viewed in certain lights, but the privilege we have
also carries with it the duty to vote, the duty to assist
in the operation of our government, as’sistance to the
men we put in office through this same privilege, the
right to vote.
Whether or not, we think the measure will be
ratified or rejected without our single vote, there, nev
er-the-less is still that duty we must continue to ex
ercise, or perhaps, lose that right through neglect.
Realizing the sacred privilege that is ours to be
able to vote and the importance the outcome of the
issue will have on our home community, we urge ev
ery voter to exercise his greatest privilege as an Amer
icna citizen and vote.
__ /
ADEQUATE NATIONAL DEFENSE
IS OUR URGENT NEED
*TPHE ALERT and responsible military and naval lead
1 ers of the United States have a grave and constant
concern for the adequate defense of the United States,
as a means of averting future war.
They are seizing every opportunity to express their
concern.
Brig. Gen. Kenneth C. Royall, undersecretary of
war, spoke most urgently in this vein when he pleaded
with the national convention of the Army and Navy
Union in Milwaukee for national preparedness as our
one guarantee of peaace.
Observing that America will be the logical point
of first attack “if the smouldering embers in the world
today should burst into flame of widespread war," Gen
eral Royall declared there is nothing so vital to the
American people at the present moment as the means
of defending themselves with absolute assurance of
victory. *
“We must have immediately available the men
nnd the planes and the guns and the equipment to repel
-the first otages of any fttemplod invasion of America,”
WHATS HAPPEWW6 TO OUR FINE FEATHERED FRtEND ?
he asserted.
For the preservation and perpetuation of peace,
he told his Milkaukee audience, there is only one de
pendable instrument—a national state of readiness for
war “in the defense of our nation or in the assertion of
international rights.”
The essential and indespensable conditions of a
; sufficient readiness for war that will asure us of peace,
; he said, are that:
“We must have continuous research and develop
i ment.
“We must have a stockpile of critical materials.
“We must have on hand, or available, the plants
and machinery to manufacture the additional arms
and munitions which we would need.”
There was impressive confirmation of this counsel
of adequate national defense for peace in the address
of Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz before the national
encampment of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Boston.
Viewing the steady and ominous decline of Amer
ican defenses since the war with consternation, Adm.
Nimitz said:
“History has proved too often and too recently
that the nation which relaxes its defenses invites at
tack.”
It is a staggering fact, he reported, that in the face
of an international political situation of the greatest
possible menace:
Our great navy of just a year ago, the largest
and most powerful ever to sail the seas, has now shrunk
to about one-sixth of its wartime size.”
Speaking on the same platform, Gen. Carl Sp,atz
ranking American air commander, warned of the same
decline in the military aviation establishments of the
United States and observed:
“Timely preparation may prevent war, but pre
paration after war starts can only be bought at great
cost of life and property.”
While the recent world conflict was decisively
fought in the air, and won by the Allied powers solely
because they finally achieved supremacy in the air, the
next great war will be fought entirely by land and sea '
forces integrated with air power, and will be won by
i the nation that is supreme in the air.
“Devastating air attacks launched in one hemi
sphere against the other are a certainty in any future
war,” said General Spaatz. M •
“Through the Arctic, every industrialized country
is within reach of our strategic air centers. •. !
“America is exposed. ,
“We are, in fact, wide open at the top.’*
1 • !•« fi» l ** • •# *
The American people should heed the warning !
voices of these great leaders of our national defense 1
establishments. (Seattle Peat Intelligencer) . . c [
Washington
News Letter
PETITIONS FOR REOP
ENING PACIFIC CASE
Petitions for reconsider
ation of the Civil Aeronau
tics Board decision in th
Pacific case have been fil
ed this week by Alask;
Airlines and Pacific North
ern Airlines.
The CAB decision cer
tified Northwestern Air
iiner to fly routes from Ne\
York, Chicago and Minne
apolis through Anchorag
to Asia and from Seattl
through Anchorage to Asia
Pacific Northern was certi
fied to fly the Anchorage
Cordova and Juneau route
Alaska Airlines former!
certified over this rout
was denied renewal of thei
certificate..
In presenting their argi
ments for reconsideratio
the petitioners held ^
Board’s decision failed t
consider the varied neec
of Alaska and would ten
to impair rather than a:
sist in opening up new a\
enues of development fc
the Territory.
Already established A
askan carriers with add
tional certification from th
midwest and Seattle coul
give improved service 1
many Alaska community
while under the presei
ruling only one town is coi
nected with the States.
It was pointed out th;
by awarding the two As!
routes to one carrier a moi
opolistic practice is beir
followed which will resu
in less efficient service ar
higher rates.
tfy denying local Alas!
carriers authorization f<
flying the more travelc
routes their revenues wi
be cut and they will not 1
in a position to contini
giving the type of servi<
within Alaska which h;
existed prior to this time
The petitioners feel vei
strongly that if reconside:
ation is granted in this cas
emphasis should be place
npou Alaska and its neec
rather than considering A
aska merely as a single wa
station en route to the Or
ent.
Fresh hopes that the!
requests for reconsider)
don mey be favorably n
:eived was held this wee
ivhen the CAB determin;
don to grant Western Ai
lines opportunity for r
rearing and reargument i
their attempts to bacon