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
S1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943. at the postoffice
at Nome. Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
Wednesday, March 24, 1948
A Western Security Union
(Rockv Mountain News)
STALIN MAY HAVE OVERPLAYED his hand in
grabbing of Czechoslovakia. Whatever may be the ulti
mate result, the immediate effect has been to awaken
the American and Western European peoples to the
dangers of Soviet aggression as nothing else has done.
Perhaps it is because Czechoslovakia was the most
democratic of the Eastern European countries enslaved,
or because of the grim analogy between Hitler’s and
Sta lin’s role there. Or perhaps it is the sheer cumulative
effect of one Soviet betrayel after another.
At any rate, this latest case of Red rape has shocked a
lot of people out of their appeasement attitudes.
There is more demand for prompt Congressional
passage of the European recovery plan and for military
support of the remaining democracies. Abroad, the lan
guishing proposal for a Western European union has
suddenly taken on new power.
The word “union” may be too big for what actually
came out of these negotiations. But even if the basis for
genuine federation can be laid, that will be a long ad
vance.
The test, in our judgment, is not so much political as
economic and military.
While political union can wait if necessary, close eco
nomiic and security intergration is essential now for
democratic defense against Soviet penetration and con
quest.
From the beginning, the promise of Marshall plan aid
has been based on the pledge by recipient nations that
they would reduce trade barriers and co-ordinate their
interdependent economic systems. Only in that way can
they hope to transform the present chaos and suffering,
which spawn Communism, into the social health which
is democracy’s heritage.
But that alone is not enough. Stalin has shown that he
will not permit that restoration of Europe to health if he
can prevent it.
If the democracies want this opportunity for life and
liberty, they must be prepared to fight for it. They can
not do that alone. Either they join in a security union, or
Stalin will pick them off, one by one.
Even then they wil not be strong enough to face the
Red army and the Red fifth columns in their midst with
out American military backing. They know it. If they
can agree on defense units among themselves, we be
lieve the American government and people will be
ready to join with a union in a regional security pact un
der the United Nations Charter similar to the inter
American agreement.
Anything less has little chance of protecting the Mar
shall plan or of stopping Stalin short of another world
war.
Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
(Anchorage Forty-Ninth Star)
SEVERAL ALASKAN INTERESTS violently op
posed to statehood have displayed a rare brand of turn
about logic in advocating passage of S-2037, the bill in
troduced by Senator Hugh Butler for “transfer to the
Territorial government of Alaska the administration
within such Territory of laws relating to Indians and
for other purposes.”
It is difficult to understand how the anti-statehood
element can oppose that movement with the claim it
would be too expensive, and yet support a measure
which would add greaty to the cost of Territorial gov
ernment.
Interior Secretary Krug advocates statehood for
Alaska, but he is opposed to S. 2037 because, as he wrote
FULL HOUSE
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Senator Butler, “I do not believe that the Territorial
government is yet in a position to assume the financial
and administrative burdens which the bill, if enacted,
would place upon it.”
There is not evidence to indicate Secretary Krug is
opposing the Butler bill solely because it would relieve
his department of certain duties in Alaska. If he were
interested only in retaining the Interior Department’s
Alaska empire, he would not favor statehood, achieve
mene of which will greatly reduce his authority in the
Territory. He is opposed to S. 2037 because he considers
it bad legislation, with both the Territory and the na
tives losing in the long run.
Supporters of the Butler bill are not only putting the
cart before the horse, (they are creating a cart for the
Territory to haul—a cart which long-established States
are happy to allow the Federal Government’s Office of
Indian Affairs pull for them.
* The language of the Butler bill is quite clear and sim
ple, with one exception. It doesn’t explain exactly how
and where the Territory is going to get the money to do
the job. Until that important step is made plain, Alaska
is better off letting the Interior Department fight for
the necessary appropriations. Most of the States handle
the problem that way, including Senator Butler’s State
of Nebraska, and they seem to be getting along quite
well.
The problems of Alaska’s native peoples will best be
handled when statehood is achieved and Alaskan Sena
tors and Representatives are sent back to Washington
with ideas of their own.
The grand experiment advocated by the Butler bill
deserves no more support than would a move to estab
lish Alaska’s own private navy or army with the Terri
tory footing the bill.
- i
Reds Demand What They Deny Others
(By Dorothy Thompson)
TENS OF THOUSANDS of American youths are in!
their graves because they fought to keep this country
free. .
Now we are asked to weep crocodile tears because
four Communist aliens who entered this country illegal-1
; ly'to further the aim of destroying America are detained
without bail on Ellis Island pending their deportation or
sentencing.
They have gone on a hunger strike, and Communists
are calling mass meetings of protest.
“At stake,” they cry, “are due process of law, the right
of habeas corpus, the right to release on bail pending
trial? the presumption that all are innocent until proved
guilty, the concept of equal justice for all.”
Yes, these are exactly what are at stake. They are at
stake, not only in this country, but all over the world. In
the last few days, in Czechoslovakia, scores of journal
ists, college professors and political leaders have been
i thrown into jail, or out of jobs and sentenced to serve in
work gangs or starve—all without one single safeguard
of law. Among them are persons
who suffered for years in German
concentration camps for Czech
freedom.
These men held on Ellis *Island
belong to the same party which
everywhere destroys habeas cor
pus, due process and equal justice.
They would, if they had their
way, abolish everything they now
appeal to.
One of them is Gerhart Eisler,
international communist agent
and member of the praesidium of
the Communist International. He
entered this country on a false af
fidavit, to direct the American
branch of the Communist party in
Moscow’s line. Now he is “warn
ing” the American people that “no
one in America is safe if Attorney
General Clark is allowed to im
prison individuals, deny them
bail, because they oppose admin
istration policy . . . any crook or
criminal gets bail.”
What bunk!
Every crook or criminal does
not get bail under American law.
And no ordinary crook or criminal
represents half the menace that.
these wretched tools of overthrow
and destruction do. Their aims no
longer are academic. Men like
these have suppressed every right,
every safeguard, every hope for
millions.
“The denial of bail,” says the
Daily Worker protest, “is contrary
to all precedent.”
Contrary to all precedent of
civilized states is the habit of a
state, with whom friendly rela
tions are thought to exist, to or
ganize and use an international
movement to enter this country,
organize treason among its citi
zens, seduce them to become spies,
penetrate the ranks of the inno
cent, exacerbate the discontents
of racial groups, capture the lead
ership of unions, and conspire for
the dissolution of the nation—and
in doing so appeal for constitu
tional safeguards!
So contrary to all precedent is
such activity that the constitution
al state has wholly inadequate
means for dealing with such a
movement. It must wait until it
catches one of the members in
open breach of law to do anything
against him at all!
Then the whole claque of hy
enas turns loose in his defense.
In the treatment of these aliens
the law has scrupulously been ob
served.
They are held under title 8, IF.
S. code sections 1-5-6, as amended
which makes bail for such aliens
entirely permissive — not manda
tory—with the attorney genera!.
Three of the men — Eisler, Wil
liamson and Smith—have applied
to the federal court, southern dis
trict of New York, for writs of
habeas corpus, claiming they are
unlawfully detained and should he
admitted to bail. The judges have
denied the writ. Now the decision
is being appealed to the circuit
court.
The prisoners have all the bene
fits of appeal open to anyone. And
Eisler from Ellis Island, is still ex
ercising “free speech” in the Daily
Worker, while mass ^meetings to
protest his “persecution” are being
called everywhere.
These gentry, however, will not
starve themselves to death. Com
munists do not make martyrs of
themselves. They martyr others.
SHANGHAI, (/P)—Milton Rey
nolds said yesterday his scientific
expedition has only 10 days to find
the highest mountain in the world.
The expedition plans to measure
Amne Machin, which has been re
ported higher than Mount Everest.
Reynolds said two key scientists
will leave April 2 to keep import
ant engagements.