THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by T e
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. < >• B«»x
SI.50 PER MONTH S16.(n A YEAR
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER. Editor*
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the poslollict- at
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Friday, May 3, 1946
WHY THE STRIKES?
The stopping of production in some American factor
ies because of strikes has been a bitter disappointment
to everyone who has looked forward to being able to
buy again on something like a normal basis. Before
the wave of strikes, industrial production in the United
States had reconstructed faster and to a far greater
degree than was at first thought possible.
The majority of the strikes has been called by the
so-called “militant” C.I.O. unions. The underlying
causes of the strikes have been obscured to some ex
tent by an unprecedented appeal to public opinion by
both labor and management, with such catch phrases
as “maintaining take-home payf, “ability to pay”,
“look at the books” and many exaggerated statements
regarding profits.
Technically, strikes were called in a spirit ot brag
adocio, in order to portray the great powers of the
unions and get all that can possibly be obtained out
of ‘capital’. Factories and processing plants are still
operating under strict government control of prices
and any allowances made to labor would cut drastic
ally into reserves for continuing business and also cur
tail planning for future improvements and expension.
A great many of the companies grant wage increases
without the need for strikes.
Many of the strikes are settled in a matter of days,
or weeks, however the majority of the strikes take in
a relatively small percentage of the country’s workers.
In one particular strike, both the employer and the
employees made extremely strong appeals for public
support and sympathy. Serious debates and broad
casts over the radio were a common thing, the comp
any carried a series of advertisements presenting its
side of the story. In the main, the appeal was mere
camouflage. On the side of labor was the loud talk
about the necessity of keeping the take-home pay in
order to avert a serious depression and charging that
the company was attempting to break the unions,
and that strikes were being financed out of tax re
funds.
The company raised the cry of socialism, totalitarian
economy and interference in the rights of management,
claims of labor inefficiency and that wages had bees
increased beyond both profits and the cost of living.
When the smoke of battle is cleared and things again
cool off sufficiently to be handled, there will be a sub
stantial increase in wages to the tune of about the
equivalent of an extra day’s pay each week. Like
wise, higher rates are being allowed in some cases
where price ceilings are slightly relaxed.
Although there has been much ‘hullabaloo’ about
strikes and their consequences, business is on the up-,
swing, on the road to full reconversion and employ
ment and there is little reason to think the country is
going to the dogs. Not just yet.
THE STOCK MARKET
There have been such statements made in recent
weeks that the present time, from the standpoint of •
labor problems is the lowest ebb since the period im-j
mediately following World War I. Wall Street, how-j
ever is optimistic apparently believing that the na-!
tion’s industrial problems are rapidly nearing a solu
tion. Stocks have skyrocketed to the highest levels'
in many years.
—
Modern transportation has linked all countries—and I
today this common bond needs only the stimulus of
world trade to make it even stronger.
• m -
THAT ; THE TICKEE !
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I
By MARY LEE COUNCIL
Secretary to E. L. (Bob) Bartlett. Delegate to Congress from Alaska
A
Alaska Shipping Rales
Recognizing the situation in the
Alaska shipping trade is unique,
John W. Snyder has acknow
ledged that rate increases based
on present labor costs and ships
in use might have to be so great
as to be altogether impractical.
In announcing the official pol
icy of the government, the Dir
ector of the office of War Mobil
ization and Reconversion has stip
ulated approach to the Alaska
problem must not be tied in with
problems of other areas. Based
upon present experience, Mr.
Snyder estimates the annual def
icit might be $8,000,000, and he
has conceeded that making up
this figure by rate increases
could be ruinous to the economy
of the Territory.
In view of this, Mr. Snyder has
authorized continued operation of
Alaska ships by the War Ship
ping Administration pending de
termination of the government’s
long run policy. Further,” the
Director has instructed that con
tinuation of the hearing initiated
at Seattle shall be entirely dif
ferent in scope. Then, the WSA
petitioned the Maritime Commis
sion for an immediate rate in
crease. When the hearing is
resumed it will be in the nature
of a study by all the federal de
partments concerned and the ter
ritorial government to find a mu
tually acceptable solution.
“On the basis of the govern
ment’s own figures Alaskans have
this year been saved around $2,
750,000 in additional shipping
charges”, stated Delegate Bart
lett. Had not the Territory in
tervened forcefully and energet
ically through the Alaska Dev
elopment Board, it is certain the
requested rate increases would
long since have been gnanted.
Not only has this saving been ef
fective, but even more important
the groundwork has been pre
pared for an objective examina
r
tion for the first time of Alaska’s
maritime transportation system
with special reference to its con
nection with the national inter
est.”
Hatch Act
Active participation in Muni
cipal elections by federal employ
ees along the line of the Alaska
Railroad is closer to becoming a
reality through recent action by
the Senate Judiciary Committee
on Delegate Bartlett’s enabling
legislation. Following hearings
on the measure by the Senate
committee, indication was made
that the bill would be favorably
reported to the Senate.
Delegate Bartlett’s bill would
amend the Hatch Act to permit
federal employees in Seward,
Anchorage. Fairbanks and other
communities along the line of the
railroad to take active part in
such matters as selection of local
school boards, local c ommon
councils and to serve as members
of the boards and councils.
The House Committee on the
Judiciary, in reporting the bill
last October to the House, stated
the enactment of the bill “should
tend to promote good government
in the cities affected and would
in no manner operate to break
down the principles of the Hatch
Act.” The Hatch Act forbids
federal employees to take an act
ive part in national or territorial
political matters.
Rod Cross Medical Director
The American Red Cross has
announced the appointment of
Dr. Courtney M. Smith as med
ical director for the organization.
Dr. Smith lived in Juneau for
several years where he served as
Assistant Health Commissioner
; for Alaska. Since 1944, Dr. Smith
a graduate of the University of
Oregon Medical School and Yale
I University, has served as deputy
medical director of disaster med
ical service for the Red Cross.
_—- sp—
RFC Loan
A loan of $400,000, to the Col
umbia Lumber Company of Al
aska has been granted by the
Reconstruction Finance Corpor
ation, according to information
given Delegate Bartlett.
The company operates mills at
Sitka and Whittier with head
quarters at Juneau.
Potatoes
Disposal in Western Canada of
500 tons of surplus potatoes from
the Matanuska Valley is being
sought through a plan devised by
the Agriculture Department
working in cooperation with Del
egate Bartlett.
First reports of the surplus
reached Delegate Bartlett through
telegrams from Anchorage and
Palmer seeking to dispose of the
potatoes to aid in supplementing
food supplies abroad. Aftefr
consultation with officials of the
United Nations Relief and Re
habilitation Administration and
theAgridulture Department. it
was determined such disposal
would be impractical because of
the distance involved, freight
rates and the ability of the UN
RRA to handle only dehydrated
potatoes.
Through telephone conversa
tions with Canadian officials :n
Toronto and Victoria. a plan
evolved to supply the market in
Western Canada with the Alaska
potatoes if they were found to
meet with Canadian inspection
standards. A sample of 25 lbs.
of the Alaska potatoes has beeb
airmailed to Canada for inspect
ion, and it is hoped they will be
acceptable so that the entire 500
tons may be sold on the Canadian
market.
Visitors
Mrs. Mildred R. Hermann. Al
aska Director of the Office oj
Price Administration is in Wash
ington. from her home in Juneau,
on official business with the nat
ional office.
M/Sgt. Thoburn W. Hatten.
formerly of Seward, has been a
recent visitor in Delegate Bart
lett’s office. Mr. Hatten has just
been released from the army
where he served as a paratrooper
with the famous 82nd Division
which saw action in Germany
and France.
Twentieth Century-Fox
Gives New Royalty Plan 4
Headquarters Alaskan Depart
ment—Offering an opportunity
unheard of for new authors, the
Twentieth Century Fox Film Cor
poration has instituted a new fel'
lcwship plan which pays advance
royalties. >
Applicants are requ red to sub
mit an outline of thier books, with
three completed chapters. Book
types include novels and biogra
pmes. One fellowship plan pays
an advance of $1500; another, in
conjunction with Reynal and
Hitchcock, is a $4,000 fellowship
for those who are, or have been,
writing for any military, camp or
hospital publication. A third plan
offered to service personnel and
civilians who have had no previ
ous novel published, advances
$4,000 from Twentieth Century
Fox and Doubleday and Co.
Since the plan was inaugurated
a short time ago, nineteen writers
have been subsidized, five 0?
whom are veterans. Further in
formation may be obtained by
writing to Twentieth Century Fox
S<ory Department, 30 Rockefeller
Plaza New York 20, N. Y.