THE 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 .Owntr-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, September 28, 1949
WILL REPUBLICAN GERMANY COOPERATE?
Theodor Heuss, 65-year-old, newly-elected President
of the Federal Republic of Germany, is described as a
liberal professor and journalist. He is the first man to
hold the office since the death of Field Marshal Paul
von Hindenbrug, in 1934.
The new President of Germany faces serious obsta
cles in connection with the affairs of his country. Now
divided into two segments, with Berlin under joint Al
lied control, the natural effort of the Chief Executive
will be to accomplish, in good time, the reunion of all
Germany.
More serious, perhaps, will be the effort to rebuild the
shattered economy of Germany. This does not mean
that the near future will see a revival of German indus
trial strength, but some progress must be made, both for
the good of the German people and the welfare of Eu
rope.
President Heuss emphasized the sovereignty of the
eleven states that make up the Federal Republic and ap
pealed for national unity but emphasized that he was
against centralism, which, he asserted, had led to Naz
ism in the past.
It is impossible for any one to venture a prediction
as to the success of the present Republic of Germany or
whether such a government would be able to succeed
if the component parts of Germany, remaining after the
war, could be united. The earlier German Republic gave
way to the propaganda of Adolf Hitler, who blamed all
the ills of the Germans upon the outcome of the first
World War. Herr Heuss, it is expected, will not make
the same mistake but there is no telling whether another
demagogue like Hitler will arise to mislead the German
people.
It would be a matter of general satisfaction if the peo
ple of Germany develop their democratic processes and,
in a spirit of loyalty to freedom, join hands with the
Western nations of Europe in the defense of modern
civilization. In this direction lies the greatest possibility
for German advancement. It is to be devoutly hoped
that the great German people will definitely reject all
future appeals to resort to arms in an effort to conquer
their neighbors and to win a place in the sun through
out the world.
AN AIR FORCE ACADEMY
Congress has been asked to appropriate $171,000,000
for an Air Force Academy, comparable to West Point
and Annapolis. The suggestion comes from Secretary of /
Defense Louis Johnson, who says that the Air Force is|
handicapped by inadequate training facilities for its of
ficers.
We think the suggestion is eminently sound and that
a separate academy should be established to train offi
cers for the Air Force. The process, however, does not
fit in with the campaign to unify the armed services.
The Secretary of Defense is a champion of unification,
claiming that the nation can save large sums by elimin
ating duplication of facilities in the armed forces. The
argument is made that there should also be unification
of command, which requires that topflight commandtrs
be qualified through something like a unified course of
instruction.
The recommendation of the Secretary of Defense, if
acted upon by Congress, would intensify the so-called
rivalry between the three great services and tend to
promote the education of technical experts for each of
the armed services. This, in our opinion, is a good thing
but it is a far cry from the unification theory.
TITO SHIPS METAL TO U. S.
The result of the dispute between the Soviet Union
and Yugoslavia is the receipt of a cargo of lead and cop
Soviet Plane
Buzzes NWA Plane
Over Kuriles
(Continued from Page One>
l
passengers saw had a runway
about 7,500 feet long and as wide
as those on Elmendorf Field (the
U. S. air force base near Anchor
age where NWA planes land*,” the
Tokyo attorney related.
“It must have been built by the
Russians because the Japanese
never constructed a field like that
during the war.” '
Aichison spent 24 hours here on
a shopping trip for his family and
friends. He is en route back to
Tokyo by plane now.
The Times said it was unable to
check Aichison’s story with the pi
lot because crews were changed
at Shemya, the island tip of the
Aleutian chain.
Northwest officials here had no
comment, other than to say that
company planes were supposed to
keep at least 50 miles away from
Russian territory. Other pilots,
who asked anonymity, told the re
porter, however, it was not unus
ual to get as far as 50 miles off
course while navigating in “soupy”
weather.
Military sources said unofficial
ly that Aichison probably saw
i the Paramushiro airfield, and
added that it would be normal pro
cedure fo ra Russian fighter to
look over any strange plane that
came near.
(Non-Union Mines
In Pennsylvania
Resume Digging
(Continued from Page One)
paced near entrances to the mine
workings or stalked in underbrush
nearby.
Scores of automobiles contain
! ing pickets cruised leisurely on
narrow winding roads skirting the
mines, but made no reported ef- j
forts to interfere. Squads of state J
police trailed them and occasion- !
ally brought them to a halt for in- '
spection. i
Mines being reopened are locat
ed north of Pittsburgh. Most of
them are strip workings in which
steam shovels dig coal from sur- J
face veins. Others are under- |
ground operations.
I
The Clearfield developments
came as the strike of John L.
Lewis’ 480,000 united mine work
ers entered its ninth day. The min
ers walked out after trustees of
the soft coal felfare and pension j
fund cut off payments— and after !
Lewis has emphasized that some |
southern operators had quit mak
ing the 20-cents-a-ton poyalty pay
ments.
There are no signs the strike
will end soon.
Ole Hay of the U. S. Smelting
Co. is home for a few days with
an injured foot and is reported
getting along nicely.
---|
per in this country. The single cargo recently received
was more than the lead and copper received during the
whole of last year.
The initial shipment is expected to be followed by
others. This implements the decision on the part of Pre
mier Marshal Tito to trade wi£h the capitalist West and
to establish a credit balance with which to purchase
machinery and raw materials essential to Yugoslavia’s
industrialization plan.
The shipment of these metals does not mean that Y u
goslavia will supply an important part of our lead or
copper. In normal times, the United States obtains
nearly enough of these metals from domestic sources
for domestic needs. Since the war, however, there has
been a deficiency and, we understand, both metals are
now being stockpiled for strategic purposes.
Parents, with bbys and girls away from home, might
send them The Nome Nugget regularly. The cost is little
compared with what it will mean to those who read it.
If you doubt what we say, try it on your child away from
home.
THE JOB IS TO GET IT TO FIT
■ i u.' ~~ ’' 11 n.!■
mANAGEMENT^
| C. of C. Dinner
Meeting Discusses
City Sales Tax Plan
J
(Continued from Page One*
standing committees us follows:
Gordon Osbftrne, civil affairs;
Steve Anderson, mining and in
dustry; Ted Duffield, legislation;
Paul Mandeville, health and relief ;
Don Lyle, roads and harbors; Wil
liam Woods, membership; George
Beacom, publicity; A. Polet, trans
portation, tourists.
The subject of sale tax was in
troduced by Councilman Joe Hunt
who explained the city’s five-point
program most urgently in need of
funds, namely: seawall, police and
fire department, garbage disposal,
schools, streets and alleys.
He explained that the voting to
be held next Tuesday is not on
how the tax shall be levied but
only to know the desire of the peo
ple, whether or not they desire a
sales tax. He stressed the point
that if the sales tax is voted down
the city will have to increase the
property tax to the maximum and
the whole burden will rest on
about 400 people, whereas the
sales tax will divide the tax among
all people in the community.
The discussion which followed
brought out the facts that doctor,
dentist and drug sales would be
exempt, retail purchases for places
outside of Nome would be exempt,
just as they are from States with
sales tax to the Territory.
It was expressed by Albert Day,
a visitor, that practically all States
find this method of taxation most
satisfactory and that is why it has
become so popular.
Opposition to the sales tax was
expressed as being a burden to
the business houses who must do
considerable extra clerical wort
as well as collect the tax.
Council members expressed the
opinion that they hoped that ev
eryone having recommendations
.on the provisions of the consumers’
sales tax present them to^he coun
cil who will welcome all sugges
tions, should the citizens vote the
city the right to levy such a tax.
Another fact brought out by the
discussion revealed the fact that
this is the one tax that shall be
paid in Nome and all of which re
mains in Nome for improvements
here. Every cent collected goes
back to the taxpayer by improv
ing the community.
The Chamber appointed a com
mittee of Gordon Osborne, Alfred
Lomen, Jr., and Stanley Morgan
to study the proposed tax and
render a report before the election
on Tuesday.
Many praises were extended to
Binks and Hazl Seiffert for the
tasty and bountiful spaghetti din
ner which they prepared and serv
ed for the Chamber.
The next dinner was announced
for October 25th.
I
Devalue West
German Mark
BONN, Germany, UP)—Chancel
lor Konrad Adenhauer announced
odjy that the three Western Al
lies had decided to cut the value
>i the West German mark from
30 cents to 23.80 cents in U. S.
money.
Adenauer, head of the new West
German Republic, said the Allied
recommendation had been given to
his cabinet as a result of devalua
tion of the British pound.
Originally, Adenauer declared,
the Germans had wanted the rate
set at 22Vi cents.