THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 6i»
$1.50 PER MONTH ' $16.00 A YEAR
W. A. Boucher .Owner-Publisher
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice
at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Nome, Alaska, Wednesday, May 25, 1949
WORLD SITUATION IMPROVES
(Hugo S. Sims)
The world situation, according to general opinion,
has improved considerably in the last year or so. Public
statements by prominent officials express the idea that
peace is almost within reach, although the United
States should not hesitate in its purpose of being ready
for war.
The situation, despite some unfavorable develop
ments in China; Greece, Germany and Korea, is much
better than it was not many months ago. The Russians,
it appears, are not so confident of their ability to run
roughshod over Europe. The nations of Western Europe
are slowly building their strength. The inescapable fact
is that, in the course of a few years, something of a mili
tary balance will be established on the Continent.
The United States, since the Big Four failed to get to
gether at Potsdam, has taken some decisive action
which has, no doubt, been duly noted in Moscow. We
have dispatched aid to Greece and Turkey, strength
ened our naval power in the Mediterranean, initiated
and financed the Marshall Plan, set in motion a gigantic
rearmament program and, finally, by participation in
the North Atlantic Security Pact, served effective no
tice upon the world that the United States is not going
to retire into the shell of isolationism, but, on the con
trary, is prepared to fight for peace, if necessary.
This is a bare outline of what has happened in the re
cent past. The United States, when convinced that free i
institutions were imperiled by the aggressive activities'
of the communist government of Russia, accepted the,
burden of holding the fort for democracy and free in-;
stitutions.
As a part of this program, vve are generously extend
ing financial assistance to the free nations and giving
them every assurance that this country will not stand
idle if they are attacked. The fundamental justification
for this policy is the realization that to do otherwise
would jeopardize the security, peace, civilization and
future of the United States.
It must be admitted, however, that the free nations of
Western Europe are not yet able to stand alone and de
fend themselves against Soviet Russia. Every month
that passes finds them stronger and the gradual devel
opment of unity among Democratic peoples presents
Russia with the alternative of coming to terms or pre
cipitating a conflict. The consensus of opinion is that
the Russians will not risk warfare at the present time
and this, in the opinion of Mr. Winston Churchill, is due
to the possession of the atomic bomb by the United
States.
There has been coisiderable discussion about the pro
gram pursued by this country which, very frankly, puts
European recovery and rearmament above all the other
problems of the world. There are those who advocate
enlarged assistance to China in the hope of stopping the
Communist advance in Asia but, up to the present time,
the administration has seen fit to concentrate its efforts
upon Europe, evidently in the belief that if the problem
is solved in Europe, it will be automatically solved else
where.
Th is policy is challenged by the glamorous propagan
da about the people of India, Indonesia, Africa and
other wayside points. The champions of these areas
seem to think that if the United States acts in a manner
to win their support, our future will be assured. We
cannot subscribe to this opinion because it should be
perfectly obvious that none of these regions has devel
oped the solidarity which is necessary to give strength
to any defense of modern civilization. Only in Europe
can we expect to find allies of importance in the event
that there is a struggle between Communism and west
SWEATING IT OUT
[vtmt;
ern civilization.
The truth of the matter is that if the United States, in
conjunction with the free nations of Western Europe,!
manages to contain the threat of communism in Europe,
the other issues scattered throughout the world will fall
of their own weight. When the European situation is in
balance, and Communism, with its ruthless aggression
against nations and its vigorous oppression of the free-1
dom of peoples, is taken care of, the problems that arise
in other areas can be settled without trouble.
___
DANGEROUS TIME OF THE YEAR
As the weather moderates; the days get longer; and
the closing of school this week—these conditions bring
forth dire dangers to the children of Nome.
Parents should be on the alert not to allow their chil-!
dren to play in the streets. Streets are for the use of
vehicles—and should be regarded and respected as
such. It is dangerous for children to play in them. No
matter how careful a driver may be, he can not be held
entirely responsible if a child, playing some game with;
other children, darts abandonly in front of a car and is I
run down. The street is not a safe playground for chil
dren.
_
KITES AND WIRES
I
This is the season of the year when youngsters of va
rious ages delight in the flying of kites.
Some of the youngsters with gray hair and many
years have to enjoy their kite flying by proxy but boys
and girls will go them one better putting up their kites
in the breezes.
It is well to warn the youngsters to stay away from
electric power lines and highways. Don’t use wire for a j
kite-string or a cord with tinsel or wire in it. Be sure i
the cord isn’t wet. If your kite breaks loose and the
cord falls across electric wires leave it alone. And don’t
fly kites from a street. You cannot be watching the
graceful anctics of your kite and watch that you keep
cut of the way of traffic at the same time.
Of course, we know that very few boys and girls who
actually fly kites each spring, will read this editorial.
However, the retired kite-flyers, remembering the days
of their youth, might be reminded to caution their
youngsters. A’ few words of warning, sometimes, might
save a young life.
We want our children to become citizens of Nome—
not inmates of Belmont Point.
—
MISTAKES
When a plumber makes a mistake, he charges twice
for it. . . . When a lawyer makes a mistake, he tries the
case again. . . . When a carpenter makes a mistake, it is
just what was expected. ... When a judge makes a mis
take, it becomes a law of the land. . . . When a doctor
makes a mistake, he buries it. BUT—When an editor
makes a mistake. GOOD NIGHT!
'News of the World
At A Glance --
'Continued from Page One>
fying Germany politically. This
involves extension to all Ger
, many of the West German con
stitution signed at Bonn yester
day by representatives of the 11
western zone states.
Western diplomats said it is
hard to believe Vishinsky will
keep srnibng when this matter
1 comes up.
In embattled Berlin an uneasy
truce settled after a bloody riot
last night which resulted in two
: deaths.
The violence erupted when
! some 3,000 striking rail workers
■ and their sympathizers tried to
, storm the American zone elevated
railway station. Soviet controlled
l police fired on the mob and two
persons were reported killed.
In Prague Archbishop Beran
threatened today to excommuni
cate all Catholics collaborating
with Czechoslovakia’s communist
government against the church. It
was the sharpest statement the
archbishop has yet made in a
mounting church-state conflict.
The blast, contained in a note
to the transport minister, follows
a letter Archbishop Bern wrote to
the clergy last month citing acts
by the State against the church.
In London the extradition hear
ing of communist fugitive Ger
hart Eisler was postponed until
Friday at the request of the
United States.
F. Graham Maw, British law
yer representing the American
embassy at the Bow Street hear
ing, said the U. S. needed more
time to prepare its case against
Eisler.
China’s Red force hammered at
the southwest fringes of Shanghai
today. On the east they had push
ed to the banks of the Whangpoo
River, opposite the heart of the
great Asiatic city.
Reports from inside the city
said refugees were fleeing through
the streets. Some nationalist sol
diers were said to be among them.
The rattle of rifle fire could be
heard in downtown Shanghai.
In Washington, House speaker
Sam Rayburn rallied administra
tion forces in an effort to restore
what he called an “ill-considered”
cut of $629.730;000 in second-year
foreign aid fund.
Administration backers of fed
eral fair employment practices
legisiat: >n set their sights today
on a House vote within a month
or so.
Rep. Powell (D,-N. Y.), presid
ing over labor sub-committee
hearings on the adminise tration’s
FEPC bill to ban job restriction,
set the end of hearings for this
week. He said he expected action
by the full House labor committee
scheduled for next week.
Although FEPC is opposed by
an important segment of the la
bor committee, Powell indicated
he expected quick approval.
Meanwhile, spokesmen for Jew
ish and Indian organizations add
ed their support of the bill at to
day’s hearings.
Dr. Felix S. Cohen, general
counsel for the Association on
American Indian Affairs, charged
that job discrimination against In
dians is commonly practiced in
Alaska and in the southwest, par
ticularly Arizona and New Mex
ico.
In Alasa he continued, "condi
t i o n s are particularly acute.”
There, Maslow charged, they are
denied full economic rights by
government agencies in the sale
of timber,” furs and fish.