THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 PO. Box 618
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
E. P. BOUCHER .. Managing Editor
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the
postoffice at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
NEW THREAT TO ALASKA MINING
tWhat could well be an attempt to subvert and deny the tradi
ional liberties o*f the American prospector is found in a recent report
;o the President of tht United States by the Materials Policy Commis
sion. It is better known as the “Paley Commission” report and was
issued on June 23rd of this year. John E. Manders of Anchorage, an
attorney interested in mining and mining law has made an analysis
of the report and has submitted his findings to the Nugget — findings
hat he thinks portend no good for the already oppressed prospector
^nd minerh
By JOHN E. MANDERS of Anchorage
The recent voluminous report of the President's Material’s Policy
Commission, popularly known as the “Palev Commission,” issued June
23rd, purports to be a minerals policy guide, and is doubtless intended
‘o and probably will have great influence in future legislation con
cerning mining and minerals policy. Certain of the ideas advanced
deserve close scrutiny by mining people as to their impairment of
freedom.
Certain ideas advanced by the report appear to follow closely —
too closely — ideas that have been advanced formerly by the Depart
ment o*f the Interior. These ideas have had in common the tendency
to diminish or destroy the independence of prospectors and mining
people and to generally tear down the traditional rules they have long
operated under.
For years the Interior Department has been attempting to* extend
the government leasing system to metalliferous deposits, to collect
vast data on who is doing wlhat, grant permits, and generally assume
a position of management over exploration, development aixi mining
activities. The Paley Commission Report is an ideal vehicle by which
they may achieve their objectives, unless Congress is wary. The re
port proposes that leasing be made optional, as an alternate to the
raditional rights of location and patent. Thus their aproach is now
more cautious, having earlier run into trouble when the Interior De
partment sent up a trial balloon on the same matter.
It is a singular thing that the commission has dwelt at such length
on the simple matter of method of location, in view of the fact that
the well established state and federal mining laws have served re
markably well for many years, and remain well understood and
preferred almost unanimously by miners. There is abundant reason
;o believe that the real purpose is to subvert the established system
and to “manage” thereafter.
As matters stand, the claim location system in the United States
has evolved as an admirable bulwark against infringement on the
private business of the prospector and miner.
The report recommends a time limit of three years after enact
ment of amendment in which to patent claims. This disregards the
sometimes long period needed by an individual to prove up his claims
so they qualify for patent. Why should individual prospector or miner
be thus “put under the gun?” Report further asks that all claims now
held by right of location be filed wtih Department of Interior. What
is wrong with the time-honored system of decentralized recording at
district or precinct Recording Offices? Evidently the Bureau of
Land Management does not care for the mining customs and law that
have grown up in the United States as a result of practical experience
since 1849. This spirit reflects a relentless urge to control and cen
tralize, to manage and to dominate — whereas the traditional laws
and customs leave the essential elements of freedom and decision to
ihe miner.
That is where it belongs since it is he who risks his time and
|_FIREMAN, SAVE MY CHILD ! I
/
.V
work. This report goes further than this: it proposes that all new
claims be invalid unless recorded in the central temple of authority
and largesse. It also has the temerity to propose that the current
Interior Department regulation permitting its examiners to deny suf
ficient showing for patent be extended to include the final power to
invalidate claims on which ahe Department decides development iz
not justified. Those experienced in mining geology -and examination
will know this for an unjustified and cruel power, if it is ever grant
, ed by Congress. It would place enormous power in the hands ot the
Eureau of Land Management and strip the miner of his prerogative
to make economic decisions concerning his claims himself.
Again, it is proposed that a claim must be patented within 10
years of location, or become invalid. Why should this be necessary?
—as long as a miner performs annual assessment work, or its equiva
lent in mining operations, from year to year, as now required- to
hold the claims. Are these men trying to help the miner — or merely
draw more power to the Interior Department in mineral affairs?
Extralateral rights are to be abolished on new claims. Whether
they should be is a moot point. They merely involve the right to
, follow a lead down dip, beyond a side line, provided continuity can
be established. This is an entirely logical right and the fact that it
has been, in some instances, a source of litigation does not invalidate
the logic of the right.
These proposals, if enacted into law, would destroy the spirit1
and the letter of American mining law, as it has been built up and
come to be accepted by thousands of mining people — from mining
companies to prospectors.
The report further proposes to put the government permanently
j in the mineral business — right in the middle of it — with permanent
guaranteed buying programs, exploration and development subsidy
| program with all the mass of legalistic appurtenances or apparatus
needed. It is a gigantic blueprint for politics in metals, and, if our
experience means anything, the only thing it would be sure of achiev
ing would be disruption of the normal, free minerals and metals
markets, further loss of freedom and more waste, and consequently
; more inflation.
i
This report should get the consideration of the next delegate to
Congress from Alaska, it should be studied by civic groups and Cham
bers of Commerce and all interested in the future of Alaska mining
should be prepared to oppose vigorously any attempt to use its con
tends as the oasis of legislation.
\ir Force Pilots, Down ’
Near Pilgrim Springs,
Rescued In a Hurry
The Civil Air Patrol performed
a rescue mission in record time
Friday afternoon when Major
Bronson brought two Air Force
airmen into town scarcely before
it became known their plane
had been wrecked.
Bronson was enroute to the Hot
Springs Friday afternoon when
he spotted a plane on pontoons
w ting on the tundra about five
miles from the Springs. On ar
rival there he found Lieutenants
woes C. Young and Nick Tsa
crios had already radioed their
wight to the Air Force and had
walked to the Springs and were
awaiting rescue. He immediately
returned with them to Nome
Field where preparations were
being made to go to their rescue.
Not more than two hours elapsed
bw ween the time they fadioed for
help and were “rescued.”
The Air Force plane was a
“Beaver” on pontoons and made
a forced landing on the tundra
due to engine failure.
It was reported the pilot of the
Mud Covers Crops And
Towns in South Texas
After 3 Days Cloudbursts
GONZALES, Tex., 4/P)—It was
all dirty work Saturday cleaning
up after three days of cloudbursts
turned south Texas streams into
raging torrents.
The last flood threat in the area
ended here Friday night when the
Quadalupe River rose to 34.3 feet,
remained stationary for several
hours, then began slowly subsid
ing about 10 p.m.
Above Gonzales at the con
fluence of the San Marcos and
Quadalupe Rivers there was a
stretch of muddy flood water two
miles wide.
The major damage was to crops
in the lowlands. A few houses
were flooded. Some livestock was
lost.
plane narrowly escaped serious
injured when one of the struts
to the pontoons came through
the floor of the plane and tore
a leg of his trousers. Had his
leg been an inch or two the other
way he might well have lost his
leg.
I Groundwork Laid For
Local AVA Chapters In
Every Alaskan Town
JUNEAU — Groundwork was
laid for the formation of local
chapters of the Alaska Visitors
Association in every city and town
in Alaska at the semi - annual
board of directors meeting held
j at the Baranof Hotel in Juneau.
Existing members in each com
munity will comprise the nucleas
of the new chapters. Their pur
! pose will be to conduct member
ship drives as well as carry out
other AVA duties, the board de
cided.
A special meeting of the mem
bership will be called with the
privilege of voting by mail, for
the purpose of amending Article
7 of the by-laws, to increase the
number of directors from twelve
to 24. . %
Officers and board members in
attendance were: Edward Coffey,
of Anchorage, president; James
P. Whaley, of> Fairbanks, vice
president; O. F. Benecke, of Ju
neau, secretary; B. F. Dunn of
Juneau; Paul Greimann andChas.
B. West of Fairbanks; and An
tonio Polet of Nome.
SUNDAY BASEBALL
(By the Associated Press*
National League
St. Louis 14—New York 4
Cincinnati 4—Brooklyn 0
Boston 1-2—Chicago 0-3
Philadelphia 5-2 — Pittsburgh
2-1.
American League
New York 7—Cleveland 1
Philadelphia 10-2—St. Louis 5-1
Chicago 4—Boston 3
Washington 6—Detroit 2
Coast League
Seattle *'-l—San Diego 3-3
San Francisco 3-4—Los Angeles
3-4
Portland 4-2—Sacramento 1-4
Oakland 6-0—Hollywood 4-2
Austrian Catholics
Pray For Members
Under Red Rule
VIENNA, Austria, UP) — About
100,000 Austrian Catholics poured
into the Russian-occupied part of
Vienna last night to pray defiant
ly for Catholics persecuted behind
the Iron Curtain.
The great congregation marched
solemnly through a fierce rain
storm to Vienna’s big football sta
dium, where a Mass was said be
fore a cross on the playing field.
The services were under the nose
of the Soviets, who control that
sector of the occupied city.
Father Josef Ernst Mayor told
the gathering:
“In the East the Church is in
volved in a battle for its exist
ence. Our persecuted brethern and
sisters are no criminals, spies,
saboteurs, traitors or enemies of
the people. They are martyrs.
They fight for truth and justice.
Let us bow to them in reverence,
comfort them in their peril and
encourage them.
Douglas Aircraft Plant
At El Segundo, Calif.
Picketed by AFL Union
SANTA MONICA, Calif., </P>—
AFL pickets appeared at ihe gates
of the Douglas Aircraft Co. El
Segundo plant Monday morning
in accordance with the union's
announcement that the plane fac
trv would be struck.
A spokesman for the company
said the walkout had started and
that pickets were at the gates
when he entered.
Officials of the AFL Interna
tional Association of Machinists
announced that workers at the
nearby plant in the community of
El Segundo voted 2 to 1 Sunday
to walk exit in a wage dispute.
At the same time IAM workers in
the parent Douglas plant in Santa
Monica voted against striking and
in favor of the company’s latest
offer of 5 cents more an hour.
The business agent for IAM
Local 720, said that Douglas’ El
Segundo and Santa Monica union
locals operated under identical
contracts.
Special Show Wednesday Night
A soecial show has been an
•»
nounced for Wednesday evening
when Red Skelton will be fea
tured in “Watch the Birdie” at
the Dream Theater. This is the
picture which was scheduled for a
week ago when the accident oc
curred in the projection room,
causing the showing to be can
celled.
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
%
The POLARIS
COFFEE SHOP
Will Be Closed Sundays
In Order to Give Their
Employees A Day Off.
i
.
1
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