152 NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS_
VOL. L. No. 33 NOME, ALASKA. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1948 . PER COPY — 15c
NEWS IN BRIEF
AUSTIN, Tex. (A*)—A 10-min
ute hail storm early yesterday
beat out an estimated $250,000
damage here.
The city was pelleted with
stones ranging from marble-size
up to one and a quarter inches in
diameter.
Extensive damage was reported
to parked airplanes at the munici
pal field.
SEATTLE, UP)—‘Riflemen from
the Annette Island Coast Guard
station Monday exploded two Jap
anese mines within 16 miles of
Ketchikan, coast guard headquar
ters here said today.
Reported by fishermen, one
mine was found two miles south
of Guard Island, the other in Seal
Pass, near the Annette Island air
base.
LUDLOW, Mass., (/P)—Students
who failed to make passing grades
were blamed for burning all scho
lastic records in the office of a
high school principal.
Principal John J. Millane said,
however, their office floor bonfire
was on no avail as there are dupli
cate records.
A state police lieutenant called
a general assembly of senior and
junior high school boys yesterday.
He asked the guilty parties to
“give themselves up.”
No one responded.
MINNEAPOLIS, jf/P)— Mrs. Jean
Halloin, facing eviction from her
suburban Hopkins home, sought a
landlord who is a dog lover.
Because, she explained, she and
her 16-year-old daughter want to
keep their three canines — Hor
tense, Tuffy and Harry Truman.
“Probably,” Mrs. Halloin added,
“our new landlord should also be
a Democrat.”
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (/P) — The
West Coast Marines defeated the
17th naval district (Alaskan Area^
74 to 41 Monday night in the sec
ond round of West Coast navy bas
ketball tournament.
LAWRENCE, Mass., I/P) — St.
Patrick’s day — Commissioner of
public safety Louis J. Scanlon to
day announced the promotion to
lieutenant of these police ser
geants:
George C. Sweeney, John J.
Casey, Michael F. Shea, John F.
Lynch.
WASHINGTON. (/P)—President
Truman sent heartiest congratula
tions and best wishes today to the
people of Ireland. In a St. Pat
rick’s Day message addressed to
President Sean T. O’Kelly, Mr.
Truman said:
“On this national holiday of Ire
land, the people of the United
States send their heartiest con
gratulations and best wishes to the
people of Ireland.”
SEATTLE, P)— Mayor William
F. Devin’s election to a fourth
term was conceded today by Allan
Pomeroy, former assistant U. S.
district attorney.
Pomeroy made his statement
after a count of absentee ballots
gave Devin 931 votes and himself
Situation In
Europe Is Very
Critical Right Now
WASHINGTON,, (^—President
Truman told Congress today the
situation in Europe is "critical”
and asked a temporary draft law
and universal military training.
The President also urged swift
Congressional action on the Mar
shall program of economic help
for Europe.
Mr. Truman went before a joint
session of Congress in person to
present a grim picture of world
affairs and a major report on his
foreign policy.
“The recent developments in
Europe,” he said, "present this na
tion with the fundamental issues
of vital importance.”
j He pointed then to the just
completed five-nation western Eu
ropean pact for common defense
against attack.
He said of it:
"This development deserves our
full support. I am confident thal
the United States will, by appro
priate means, extend to the free
nations the support which the sit
uation requires.
"I am sure that the determina
tion of the free countries of Eu
rope to protect themselves will be
matched by an equal determina
tion on our part to help them to dc
so.”
Then, plainly speaking of Rus
sia, Mr. Truman said:
"The situation in the world to
day, is not primarily the result o1
the natural difficulties which fol
low a great war. It is chiefly due
(Continued on Page Five)
_:_
Chambers Want
Rail To Alaska
' LONG BEACH, Calif, (/P)—1The
Western States Council of the
Chambers of Commerce voted
Monday to investigate the prob
lem of moving freight by steam
, ship between Puget Sound ports
and Alaska.
t F. O. Hagie, manager of the
Seattle Chamber of Commerce,
told the 35 delegates from cham
bers in 11 western states that a
rail link should be built from the
Pacific Northwest to Fairbanks,
Alaska.
Citing its value as a national
defense feature, Hagie also said
that 100,000 tons of Government
freight is moving each month into
Alaska.
641. The absentee count boosted
Devin’s unofficial lead to 2,589
votes.
ANCHORAGE, <A>)—Final rites
will be held today for 30 victims of
last Friday’s airplane crash on
Mount Sanford.
The ceremonies will be conduct
ed from a Northwest Airlines
plane flying over the scene.
Announcement of the plans fol
lowed a coroner jury’s decision
that it would be impossible to
reach the crash area to recover the
bodies. The jury said lives of
searchers would be endangered in
trying to reach the wreckage over
jumbled ice blocks and crevasses.
Coal Miners Musi
Have Pension Or
Will Not Work |
- I
PITTSBURGH, i/P)—With eight
out of every ten soft coal miners
idle, steel industry leaders today
pondered how soon to begin slash
ing production to save fuel.
The work stoppage was three
days old. More than 339,000 united
mine workers had left the pits to
support John L. Lewis’ demand
for $100 monthly miners’pensions.
Other thousands were expected to
quit work today.
Steelmen dodged ques t i o n s
about how long they can keep go
ing if the walkout continues. They
are in a quandary. Most of them
could keep going 'full -blast
through a short work stoppage. If
it is a long-drawn-out affair, like
the 59-day strike of 1946, most
could save money by cutting back
now.
The miners have said they
won’t go back until a pension plan
is drawn.
The U. S. bureau of mines said
the country had a 29-day coal sup
ply on Feb. 1, that it likely will be
lower in the March 1 report. Any
thing below a 30 day supply is
considered dangerous.
WASHINGTON, ‘(yP)—The Con
gressional “watchdog committee”
on labor relations called today for
“all facts”; from John L. Lewis
and soft coal operators on the
mine shutdown.
Senator Ball (R.-Minn.), chair
man of the Senate-House commit
tee, disclosed he has sent similar
' telegrams to Lewis, president of
! (Continued on Page.Three)
Western Germany,
Spain To Share In
Marshall Plan
i _____________
• By The Associated Press)
The 16-nation European recov
ery conference voted unanimously
yesterday to include Western Ger
many in the Marshall plan.
The delegates met in Paris in an
I atmosphere of world crisis, at
' what secretary of state Marshall
has described as a fateful hour.
Portugal urged the delegates to
admit Spain to the program, to be
financed by the U. S. treasury.!
The U. S. senate Sunday voted a •
$5,300,000,000 program for the
' first year of Marshall plan opera- j
l tion.
| While the delegates whipped
| into shape a Marshall plan union j
of non-communist Europe viewed!
i by the west as a bulwark against
, Soviet expansion, the tension of
the current situation was reflected,
in capitals throughout the world.
Washington awaited a joint ses
sion of Congress today, when Pres
ident Truman discussed the world
situation.
Members of Congress think
there may be Russian moves in
prospect toward Sweden, Norway
and Denmark similar to pressure
placed upon Finland for a military
agreement. - If such moves were
successful it might help the com
1 munists swing the crucial Italian
Continued on Page Three
World Politics
At A Glance
<By The Associated Press)
President Truman went before
Congress today in a sharpening
world crisis to seek action that
will check the westward march of
communism.
Rep. Joseph W. Martin, Repub
lican speaker of the House, called
for the building up of U. S. mili
tary might, and sounded this key
note:
“The constant advance of the
iron curtain across Europe has
created a grave crisis in our in
ternational relations. There maj
be room for some diversity ol
views and discussion, but on the
determination that we will meet i'
promptly, America is united.”
House Republican leaders strug
bled to reach agreement on th<
handling of the European recov
ery program to meet an April '
deadline. High American inform
ants in Paris said the machinery i;
set to begin the long awaited Mar
shall plan aid. The program ha:
U. S. Senate approval in th<
(Continued on Page Three)
Western Europe
Form Military
Alliance
LONDON (vT)—A newly formec
western alliance of Great Britain
France, Belgium, the Netherland:
and Luxembourg pledged toda^
mutual military aid if any one o
them is attacked.
The terms of alliance, embracin'
economic as well as military co
operation, were.made public in th<
capitals of the five nations a:
their foreign ministers formally
signed the pact in Brussels.
The 50-year treaty, forged las
week in an atmosphere darkenec
by the westward advance of com
munism, called for quick action tc
put its objectives of common se
curity and economic recovery into
operation. The treaty made part
ners of the five nations.
The treaty ordered formation of
a “consultative council” to operate
on a continuing basis.
The council is to meet, immedi
ately “to consult with regard tc
any situation which might consti
tute a threat to peace. . . .”
Citizens Hospital
Committee Gets
Quick Action
The group of Nome citizens
which has busied itself with the
project of temporary quarters for
the local hospital met on Monday
evening to receive the report of
the special committee selected for
the survey of the proper site.
The survey chairman Carl Gla
vinovich reported for the group
that the Alaska Native Service
building was the economical
choice and could be put in order
for much less than any of the
other sites in question. The floor
space and heating equipment is
considered adequate and the
necessary materials and labor to
put the building in proper order
for occupancy could be done in a
very short time. The floor is to be
covered with linoleum or some
good easily cleaned material and
will require about 530 sq. yds. The
interior needs paint to the extent
of about 52 gallons. Two addition
al fire escapes will be added, one
on the north end and one on the
south end of the main building. A
few partitions in the several
rooms and the ceiling of the gym
nas.um will be lowered.
In accepting the report of the
survey committee the group went
on record to go ahead with the
plans as quickly as possible and to
1 place the report before the Nome
, Common Council for immediate
; action. It was suggested that the
r Council appoint Carl Glavinovich
[ to take charge of the rehabilitation
of the building in getting materi
; als and labor to complete the job.
Chris Roust, former council
; man, suggested that there might
; be some Territorial funds avail
’ I able for just such an emergency
and we have in Nome at the pres
. ent time, and that Governor
Greuning should be contacted in
the matter.
Garnet Martin stated that there
j is an Army Surplus property de
1 pot in Seattle, where there is con
' siderable supply of hospital equip
ment which could be used in the
Nome hospital, and suggested the
City make the necessary contacts.
It was moved to ask the City
Council to hold a special meeting
on Tuesday to receive the report
of the Citizen Group and to make
(Continued on Page Four)
MAJ.-GEN. GAFFNEY SAYS NOME
SEAWALL IS MILITARY NECESSITY
WASHINGTON, (/P) — Washington, Nome and
military witnesses told Senate committee today the
3,000-foot seawall is essential to Nome. Pilot Frank
Whaley warned that the next big storm migh wipe out
the town unless protection is provided. Other witnesses
urging the $1,837,000 seawall project were Carl J. Lo
men and Grant R. Jackson of Nome and Delegate Bart
lett. Maj.-Gen. Dale Gaffney said the seawall was need
ed from a military standpoint, because they were sup
plied by water. Col. W. S. Motre of the Army Engineers
said the Engineers would approve the project. Whaley
also stressed the need of ample Territorial defense prep
arations, commenting “we are only 150 miles from Si
beria, and if anything breaks we are right under Uncle
Joe’s thumb.”