T11E NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
W A. Boucher .Owner-Publisher
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice
•t Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Nome, Alaska, Wednesday, January 4, 1950
“LITTLE CHANCE FOR STATEHOOD”
WASHINGTON, (/P) — Advocates of Statehood for
Alaska and Hawaii say they have a good chance of win
ning their long battles in the new session of Congress
opening yesterday.
But Senator Butler (R.-Neb.) who has successfully
opposed addition of the 49th and 50th States, told a re
porter:
“The chance of Statehood for either in the new ses
sion or immediate future is v^ry unlikely.”
Butler, as ranking Republican member of the Senate
Interior and Insular Affairs committee, outlined his
reasons for opposition.
“People in Alaska now are as well off as those in the
States,” he said. “The Territory has an area two-fifths
that of the United States but only about 80,000 or 90,000
residents, when the armed forces are excluded.”
“About 90 per cent of all Alaskan land is in the public
domain and would continue under federal controls and
free of taxes even under Statehood,” he added.
As to Hawaii, the Senator said “Statehood should be
deferred indefinitely until the people there demonstrate
by positive steps a determination to put down the men
ac of lawless communism.”
Boosters for Alaska and Hawaii are counting on these
points during the coming session:
1. President Truman is expected again to recommend
favorable action.
. Oscar Chapman, new secretary of interior, is ex
pected to push the proposals with new vigor.
3. A change in House rules will permit both measures,
already approved by committee, to reach a House vote
even though delayed to date by the rules committee.
Both Territories now are represented by Delegates in
the House, who can speak but not vote.
In 1947 the House passed a statehood bill for Hawaii
but Senator Butler is credited with blocking Senate ac
tion.
Delegate Farrington (R.-Hawaii), in a separate inter
view, said “Senator Butler has been the principal ob
struction to Statehood for more than two and a half
|
years.”
Farrington said be expects an agreement between
Statehood advocates for Hawaii and Alaska “within the
first 60 days of the session so the House can act on both
together.”
Butler said yesterday he retains the same views that
“International revolutionary communism at present has
a firm grip on the economic, political, and social life of
the Territory of Hawaii.”
In a report to the Senate two years ago Butler review
ed the numerous strikes that had tied up industry and
shipping to the Islands in recent years.
ARMED PROTECTION FOR FORMOSA
WASHINGTON (/P)—Two Republican leaders—for
mer President Herbert Hoover and Senator Taft of Ohio
—want the U. S. to use armed strength if necessary to
protect Formosa from the Chinese communists.
Their strong proposals spotlighted the troubled China
situation as lawmakers flocked back to Capitol Hill for
the second session of the 81st Congress.
Tre Administration is working on new strategy aimed
at checking communism in the Far East. .
However, President Truman is reported to be firmly |
opposed to sending American troops to the defense of
Formosa. This does not rule out the possibility of sup
plying economic aid to advice to the Chinese Nationalist
defenders of the Island.
Hoover—now the GOP’s elder statesman—said the
government should use American naval power if neces
sary to save Formosa and lesser islands lying off the
coast of communist-held China.
He suggested a three-point program of U. S. military
PAN AM. EXCURSION FARES
ALASKA TO HAWAII
The Territories of Alaska and
Hawaii will be linked directly to
gether with airline excursion fares j
for the first time in their history
if the Civil Aeronautics Board ap
proves new tariffs which Pan
American World Airways wants to
put into effect.
The new rates, designed to stim
ulate travel between “the 49th
and 50th states,” will offer round
trip tickets between Alaska points
and Honolulu at one and one
fourth the normal fare for one
way passage.
The proposed fares will offer a
reduction of 23 per cent from al
ready-low winter season tariffs,
it was pointed out by James
walsh, Pan American district traf
fic manager in Nome.
Walsh said that the reduced
ratse will enable Nome residents
to vacation in Hawaii at no great
er expense than would be involved
in traveling to many winter resort
or tourist areas in the States.
All Alaska-Hawaii travel under
the proposed low fares will be
routes via Seattle, with Alaska
Clippers from Nome connecting
there with transpacific Clippers.
Tickets sold at the low round
trip rates will be honored between
Seattle and Honolulu on either
luxurious DC-4 Sleeperette planes
or the huge, new double-decked
Stratocruisers which Pan Ameri- 1
can has placed in service on its
principal Pacific routes. Spacious
berths are offered on the double
decked, 300 mile-an-hour Strato
cruisers at a small extra charge.
Under the tariff schedule for
which Pan American is asking
C.A.B. approval, the excursion
round trip between Nome and
Honolulu would cost $400. The
fare would have a return limit of
120 days.
About of all fiber consumed
in the United States is cotton. i
Chamber Protests
Closing Of Marks
Air Force Base
The Chamber of Commerce held
the first of its no^n luncheons
Tuesday at the Bering Sea Club
with a busy session which was a
follow-up of the suggestions made
at the various meetings with Gov
ernor Greuning over the week-end
concerning the rumored closing of
Marks Air Force Base.
Wires were dispatched to Presi
dent Truman, delegate Bartlett
and to members of the Washing
ton and Oregon representatives in
congress as well as to other con
gressmen known to be interested
in helping Alaska.
These Tuesday luncheons are
open to all members of the Cham
ber and their guests and many
important matters are pending.
Chamber heads state that any
one is welcome at the meetings to
present problems before the com
munity.
“CQme Back In
50.000 Years”
SPOKANE, (jP)—Cold? Ha, says
Dr. H. P. Hansen of the Oregon
State College botany department—
come back 50,000 years from now.
Along about then, Hansen told
the Pacific Northwest scientific
association, the entire Pacific
Northwest will be covered by an
ice coat many feet thick.
He bases his prediction on the
old—but scientifically proven—
saw that history repeats.
‘The last glaciers of the north
west disappeared from 8,000 to
10.000 years ago,” he explained.
*‘A new wet period started about
4,060 yars ago and the general
trend has been toward continued
coolness and increased moisture.”
defense of the islands, no recognition for the Chinese
communist government, and continued recognition and
support for Chiang Kai-Shek’s Nationalist forces now
on Formosa.
These moves, he said, would build “a wall against
communism in the Pacific.” And he added they would
give “at least a continued hope of some time turning
China in the paths of freedom again.”
Taft told reporters that both U. S. naval power and
air power should be used to defend Formosa and pre
vent the spread of communism in Asia.
Hoover gave his views in a letter to Senator Know
land (R.-Calif.) who released it Monday.
THE GUIDING HANt*
U. S. Strengthens
Seventh Task Fleet
In Philippines
(By John M. Hightower)
WASHINGTON, (/P) — The
United States was reported today
to be shaping a vigorous new pol
icy—backed by a beefed-up Asiat
, ic fleet—to block the spread of
communism in the Far East,
The navy said the 27,000-ton,
45-plane aircraft carrier Boxer
and two destroyers have been dis
patched to strengthen the Seventh
i Task Fleet based in the Philip
pines.
Announcement of this shift in
naval power followed a session
between President Truman and
his top military and diplomatic
strategists. Members of the na
, tional security council wouldn’t
say what went on, but it is known
that planners have prepared a
blueprint on Asiatic policy for Mr.
Truman’s approval.
At the same time, the state de
j partment broadcast to U. S. ship
! ping lines a warning from the Na
I tionalist government of China that
the approaches to Shanghai, the
Chinese communists’ largest port,
have been completely blocked by
mines.
i
That brought a prompt response
i from H. J. Isbrandtsen. president
of the Isbrandtsen Line. That
company, practically the only one
! operating American ships in the
area, has run into frequent trouble
recently with Nationalist block
; ade ships.
Isbrandtsen said in New York
he has wired secretary of state
Acheson asking that a “strong
protest” be sent to the Nationalist
government on the ground that
mine-laying is a “clear breach” of
American-Chinese treaties,
i The Nationalists, led by Gener
‘ alissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, now
| have their headquarters on the is
land of Formosa, not far from
Okinawa.
The new policy recommenda
tions, said to have been prepared
for Mr. Truman by the state and
defense departments, reportedly
call for an American military mis
sion to Formosa—a proposal which
was offered separately in an inter
view by Senator Knowland (R.
Calif.).
Knowland said such a mission,
even though “relatively small,”
; would be invaluable in directing
American military aid andinhelp
t ing to train Chiang’s troops.
C. A. P. NOTES
A general membership meeting
of the C. A. P. was held at the City
Hall last night. Several new mem
bers were brought in and active
plans for the future were made.
A quonset hut on the base has
been assigned to the C. A. P. for
its use as a meeting place and of
fices. Several members are plan
ning to help paint and clean it up
on Saturday. Some C. A. P. avia
tion study manuals have arrived
and the cadet program will soon
be activated. This is a course in
basic aeronautics which will be
open for all cadets.
The L-5 plane is undergoing a
100-hour check under the direc
tion of Lt. Henry Miller. Anyone
interested in aviation or various
aspects concerning it, are invited
to see either Major Bronson, the
commandant of Lt. R. Emmons,
the personnel officer.
The next general meeting will
be held Tuesday, January
8:00 p.m.