THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome, Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER .Editors
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffict
at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
Nome, Alaska, Friday, August 20, 1948 (
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SCIENCE FROM THE GRAVE i
(The Denver Post) j
A brief item from Moscow^ecently confirmed a vic
tory for the western democracies which will reach .far
beyond the present issues of the “cold war.” It was a
short news story, passed by Russian censorship, which
reported the subjection of Soviet science to the State.
Soviet biologists had been in dispute over whether
environment or heredity played the greater role in de
termining human behavior. A small group agreed with
the American scientist, Thomas Hunt Morgan, that in
born qualities were more important. This was a contra
diction of Karl Marx, the prophet of Communism, who
credited environment. Sacrilege! The dispute was set
tled by the high authority of the central committee of
the Communist party.
Henceforth, pontificated the committee, as Commun
ist party line will be regarded as superior to the labor
atory as a source for scientific data. If laboratory re
sults should agree with American scientific findings
contrary to the party line, they will be suspected of
“alien foreign borgeois” tendencies.
So the dead hands of Marx and Lenin are to take over
the direction of Soviet science. From our point of view,
this is sweet news, since neither of these worthies ever
dreamed of atomic fission—product of “alien bour
geois” science.
The report was only the latest of several signs of how
Russia is endeavoring to shackle science to the party
line. Other reports have told how preference in Soviet
schools of science is given to “dependable” Communist'
students regardless of scientific aptitude.
In the past year, we have somewhat lost sight of Dr.
Walter Orr Roberts, the estimable director of high
altitude observatory on Fremont pass. We should ap
preciate his observations on these new evidences of how
Soviet science is shackled.
Dr. Roberts was considerably agitated about the sup
pression of free inquiry in Greece, Portugal and Argen
tina. But he was not sure about the Soviet Union. “The
scientists and educators that I have talked with from
Russia have indicated that they are not subject to the
suppression of scientific freedom,” Dr. Roberts wrote.
He added: “However, the interpretation of such a
subject as academic freedom by a Russian and an Amer
ican differs. ... If you wish to split hairs, it is possible
to say that academic freedom does not exist in the
United States.”
The new directive of the Communist party central
committee leaves no room for “hair-splitting.” It makes
it quite clear that the party line comes first, regardless
of what the test tubes and microscopes may show.
This is as great a victory for western democracy as
the conquest of the atom itself, for if Russia preserves
this attitude it will put her back into the dark ages of
science.
“DAY OF REPENTANCE”
(Rocky Mountain News)
Some Protestant clergymen have appealed to Amer
icans to observe the Sunday before the military draft
begins as a day “of mourning and repentance.”
We respect their sincerity, though not their judg
ment. We wish they respected the sincerity of that great
majority of Americans who disagree with them. Their
implication that belief in the duty of military defense
is a sin calling for repentance is unworthy.
Their spiritual arrogance ill becomes those who
would lead others in the ways of righteousness. Self
THE JOKER
rouftwwfe
y couPCRena
I
righteousness is a sin in most religions.
A minority lobby blocked universal military train
ing. That is why Congress was driven to the peacetime
Selective Service, which these men now condemn.
They had a right to oppose the draft and to work for
its repeal. But to attempt to sabotage the defense law
by a day of so-called mourning seems to us somewhat
less than American acceptance of majority rule.
We are not afraid of what such confused leadership
can do to this country. American faith in democracy
and determination to defend it against foreign aggres
sion is too strong to be shaken by mistaken movements
of this kind.
Perhaps if they bring humility to their prayers of re
pentance for the rest of us, they may come to under
stand that those who oppose Selective Service have no
copyright of conscience, no monopoly on worship of the
God of Peace.
THE MEANING OF AMERICA
(By Jack Foster)
Herbert Hoover, who returned to his birthplace at
West Branch, Iowa, to observe his 74th anniversary,
spoke on the meaning of America. He said:
“I have seen America in contrast with many nations
and races. My profession took me into many foreign
lands, under many kinds of government. I have worked
with their great spiritual leaders and their great states
men. I have worked in governments of free men, of
tyrannies, of Soc;alists and Communists.
“I have met with princes, kings, despots, and despera
dos.
“The meaning of our word ‘America’ flows from one
pure spring. The soul of America is its freedom of mind
and spirit in man. Here alone are the open windows
through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit.
Here alone is human dignity not a dream, but on ac
complishment.”
Freedom of mind and spirit have been so unchalleng
ed here that that fine statement may impress some as a
mere play for words. Not so, however, of those who
have been forced to live according to the system of
Marx, Lenin and Stalin. Nikhail Samarin can testify on
that score. Mr. Samarin is the Soviet school teacher who
is hiding out in New York because he doesn’t want to
go home. When any man doesn’t want to go home, there
must be something terribly wrong with that home.
“I am going to fight to stay in this country,” Mr.
Samarin told friends.
Why? Because he doesn’t want his children reared
under the Soviet system. He wants them to be free men
and women.
Mr. Hoover said at West Branch: “The greatness of
America comes from on philosophy (Christianity), the
despair of Europe from the other (Marxism).”
That is why Mr. Samarin, who lived first in Russia,
then here, wants to stay here.
Report Of Ter-^
ritorial Engineer
This being my first visit to
Nome and Seward Peninsula
during my 35 years residence in
Alaska, I was indeed pleasantly
surprised to find such a bustling
thriving community as Nome in
this far northwestern corner of
the Territory. I can well appreci
ate, now, the environment and in
fluences that must have had a
great share in shaping the fine
character and splendid abilities of
your late fellow-townsman, Leon
ard Smith.
Following Leonard’s untimely
passing, I succeeded him as the
Territorial Highway Engineer and
Superintendent of Public Works.
I am now endeavoring, to the best
of my ability, to complete the pro
gram 'for roads, trails, airfields,
highway patrol and other matters
coming within the jurisdiction of
the Highway Engineer’s office, as
laid out by Mr. Smith, for the
present biennium.
At the same time I wish to in
form the people of Nome and the
Second Division, that I will at all
times welcome suggestions and
requests for any transportation
improvements they may deem
necessary and essential to the
welfare of Nome and the Second
Division. All of these will receive
investigation and consideration.
Some of these requests can, sub
sequent to investigation, receive
immediate attention, others can
be integrated into a long-range
program covering a period of
years.
I
The' funds allocated to my de
partment are programmed for
one-year periods, and are to be
expended in all four Judicial Di
visions wherever it is deemed
most necessary, unless otherwise
specified by the Legislature. For
instance for the present season I
have alloted the Mellowing sums
to the Alaska Road Commission
for road maintenance, and for
comparison, include the Federal
money grant to the Road Commis
sion for the same purpose.
. 1st. Division—Terri orial, none.
A. R. C. $56,000.00. 2nd Division—
Territorial $111,000.00; A. R. C.
$62,000.00. 3rd Division — Terri
torial $113,00.00; A. R. C. $142,
000.00. 4th Division—$117,000.00;
A. R. C. $87,000.00. Total—Ter
ritorial $341,000.00; A. R. C.
$347,000.00.
Other monies have been and
are being expended on many
small airfields in the Second Di
vision as well as in the other di
visions. My department assists in
the maintenance of all Territorial
airfields, and contributes finan
cial assis'ance to many small
mining operators in iso 1 a t e d
places, in the building of their
own local airfields. This is also
true Of short sections of road with
which to give the mining operator
access to an established road. In
the First Division we assist many
communities in maintaining their
flotting dock facilities for pon
toon planes, the main source of
public travel the year round in
mos tof Southeastern Alaska.
The Highway Patrol, which
comes under the supervision of
the Territorial Highway Engineer,
cons:sts of fourteen patrolmen—
stationed in the list Division 4; in
the 3rd Division 5; in the 4th Di
vision 6. As there is about three
thousands miles of highway to pa
trol in these three Divisions, it
has been necessary *o confine pa
trol activities, for the most part,
to these districts. Th<s has been