THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME. ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
A. Boucher ...Owner-Publisher
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943, at the postoffice
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Nome, Alaska, Friday, March 17, 1950
SOMETHING TO CHEER
(By George S. Benson, President Harding College)
A group of Texas farmers have made some refreshing
and encouraging news. At a financial sacrifice to them
selves, they have sent a healthy slice of federal cash
back to Washington with a note to the U. S. Tresaury
which said, in effect, “Here’s your money. By struggling
a little harder and pinching our pennies, we can get by
without it.’’
Newspapers and farm journals sent up huzzahs; and
even the Saturday Evening Post wrote glowing editorial
praise. The unsolicited return of federal funds to the U.
S. Treasury especially makes news at a time when the
trend is altogether in the other direction. In fact, there
are two angles of this action of the Texas farmers that
justify attention. It encouarginglv shows, in the first in
stance, that the spirit of independence is not dead in our
country; and, secondly, it* spotlights a sensible project
by the federal government in the realm of financial as
sistance.
The Texas farmers who have made this second Decla
ration of Independence are members of the 36 Produc
tion Credit Associations in Texas. There are 33,000 of
them. Since 1933, when the PCA’s were established, the
36 agencies had accepted $8,000,000 of government cap
ital for lending; and with it, of course, some regulations
and controls. However, the entire lending program was
handled and the administration of the 36 agencies was
carried on by the farmers themselves. That’s the clue,
no doubt, to the success of their venture.
Each time the PCA’s made a farm loan (and 236,000
were made up to 1950) the recipient bought a propor
tionate amount of stock in the association, payable on
installments like his load was repaid. The stock buying
was mandatory; the idea being that ultimately the
PCA’s would be owned lock-stock-and-barrel by the
farmers.
With the government funds, plus the accumulating
capital from the stock sales and a somewhat slim profit
return accumulated in “reserves,” the 36 PCA’s have
made loans totaling $844,434,623. Ten years after they
were established, they found they still were operating
with $6,560,000 of the original federal government cap
ital. They could keep it indefinitely. The government
wasn’t asking for it. But the farmer boards got together
and talked things over.
With the government money in their coporate setup
they still were under the thumb of the government.
They all wanted to get out from under. Yet there were
not enough surplus funds to anywhere near make the
payoff. The farmer lender-borrowers thereupon (in
1944) agreed to assess themselves a much higher inter
est rate and stiffer service fees. Moreover, all of them
began to dig down in their stocks and buy extra stock
in their 36 PCA’s.
Shortly after January 1, 950, the last U. S. dollar was
returned to Washington, in a final settlement check for
$105,000. The Texans had their independence again.
But it hadn’t been bought cheaply. Not only had they
strained themselves financially to achieve it; they also
were tossing away a whooping tax immunity that would
cost them another pretty penny. With the government
out as a partner, their exemption from income and other
taxes was lost. Tax-wise they’re now on the same basis
as any other private lending agency.
The commendable action of the Texans attracts our
attention to the entire farm credit system which started
with establishment of the Federal Land Bank in 1917.
It had been demonstrated by then that farm loans were
a peculiar province; that agricultural financing was dif
ferent from indutsrial financing. To a large degree, the
lending agencies have been kept in the hands of farming
people. Our Texans are way out ahead in a precedent-,
Military Planning
Many Secret
Installations
(Continued from Page One)
ka’s defenses—by both the army
and the air force—was indicated
by their combined request for
$61,849,400 for that northwest
outpost area.
The army alone asked for $53,
826,400 for Alaska projects—chief
ly for troops to guard air fields—
thus indicating that the military
high command intends to make a
powerful defense of bases in Alas
ka in the event of war.
The army’s largest single item
is for $24,416,500 to build power
plants, barracks, family quarters,
engineer shops, and depots at Fort
Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska,
which is described as the “nerve
center” of all army activity in
that theater. It said troops sta
tioned there would be for defense
of Elmendorf air force base.
Another $12,590,000 army re
quest is for the construction of fa
cilities for troops to defend Ladd
Air Force Base, near Fairbanks,
the northernmost bomber and
fighter base.
Yesterday’s requests by the
j army, navy and air force were in
. addition to the $13.5 billion bud
i get for fiscal 1951 starting next
July 1.
[Alaska Airlines
Seek New Routes
_
WASHINGTON, </P) — Alaska
i Airlines, Inc., asked the civil aero
nautics board yesterday for au
thorization to serve Seattle, Port
land, Ore., and the midwest with
i flights to and from Alaska.
| The line already operates from
j Chicago via Minneapolis and
Great Falls, Mont., to Alaska.
Pan American Airways and
| Northwest Airlines now serve the
! Territory from the United States
j but Alaska Airlines said in its ap
plication that “Alaska is but a
small sideshow for them.”
( The petition said Alaska Air
! lines now serves all of the largest
I places in the Territory and all the
strategic areas.
CHURCH SERVICES_
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Sunday Masses:
8:00 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
10:00 a.m.—M. A. F. B. Chapel
DAILY MASS SCHEDULE
Monday and Tuesday—7:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday.7:00 a.m.
Saturday .8:00 a.m.
House Committee
Denounces Alaska
Reservations
'Continued from Pace one)
of $20,400,000 cash and $8,000,000
contract authorization for con
struction of roads in Alaska next
fiscal year. This is $4,000,000
less cash and the same contract
authorization as last year. An
other $2,400,000 was approved for
operation and maintenance of the
roads.
President Truman’s budget had
asked for $20,400,000 cash and
$8,700,000 contract authority for
road construction, plus $2,800,000
for maintenance and operation.
An appropriation of $31,000,000
was decided on for the Alaska
Railroad, the budget request and
the same amount that was voted
for this year. However, the sub
committee approved no contract
authority though Mr. Truman had
asked for a $14,000,000 item. This
year contract authority amounted
to $17,000,000.
The sub-committee action must
be approved by the full commit
tee, which will act some time next
week, after which the bill will be
made public.
Hospital News
Charles Simpson was admitted
to the hospital.
Donald McDonald and Floyd
Synyke were discharged from the
hospital.
In Alaska, land of big game,
the most abundant fur bearer is
the muskrat.
setting action, but the other 440 PCA’s around the coun
try have performed an important service well.
THESE WOMEN! By d'Alessio |
£-.z:
LOAN CO,
wE L&N0 OUR
MC46Y WITH A
SMiuE
“Frankly, 1 need this loan to pay back a loan from the
Ace Loan 1 got to pay back Ajax Loan for a loan
1 got to pay back Uneeda Loan!"
ASSEMBLY OF GOD
Third Avenue West
Pastor A. E. Capener
Sunday Morning—
10:00 to 11:40: This service is
designed to meet your need
with Bible class studies for ev
ery age group, followed by a
message from the Pa^or to the
Assembly.
Wednesday—
7:30 p.m.: Bible study and pray
er; bring your Bible.
FRIDAY—
7:30 p.m.: This meeting is eon
ducted by Senior Young People
presenting spiritual truths,
songs, special music, games, and
fellowship.
Everyone welcome.
OUR MESSAGE:—“Jesus Christ
the same Yesterday and Today
and Forever,” Hebrews 13:8.
“Seek ye the Lord while He may
be found,” Isaiah 55.6.
LAVINIA WALLACE YOUNG
MISSION (METHODIST)
Rev. Paul B. F Carlson, Pastor
Esther McCoy, Director
Rev. Robt. Treat, Methodist pastor
Sunday—
10:00 a.m. Eskimo Speaking
Service.
11:00 a.m. Sunday School.
7:30 p.m. Evening Service.
Wednesday—
2:00 p.m. Children’s Miracle
Book Club.
Thursday—
7:30 p.m. Mid-week Service.
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
Third and Division
Pastor—Lewis I. Hudgins
“The secret of growth:
G—o
R—ight
O—n
W—orking.
10:00 a.m. Singspiration and Sun
day School classes.
11:00 a.m. Morning Message.
7:00 p.m. Young People’s Meeting.
7:30 p.m. Singspiration and special
music.
8:00 p.m. Evening Message.
Wednesday: 7:30 p.m. Melody andl
Prayer.
Come and bring your Bible.
You are ever welcome to attend
these services.
NOME GOSPEL MISSION
of
Alaska Evangelization Society
Rev. Vern Rimling, Pastor
Sunday—
2:00 p.m. Sunday School for
boys and girls.
Preaching service in the Eskimo
language by James Savok.
7:30 p.m. Gospel Service.
Tuesday—
7:30 p.m. Bible Study-—trans
lated into the Eskimo language.
Thursday—
2:00 to 4:00 p.m. K.Y.B Club for
boys and girls.
Friday—
7:30 p.m. Prayer, Praise and
Testimony.
THE METHODIST CHURCH
(FEDERATED)
Rev. Robert S. Treat, Minister
Sunday—
9:45—Sunday School.
11:00—Morning Worship: Anthem
by the Senior Choir. Message by
the pastor, “Membership or Citi
zenship in The Kingdom of Hea
ven.”
3:00—Hospital Service.
7:00—Teacher’s Meeting.
3:00—Evening Service. Message
“Christianity Can Be Com
pared.”
Tuesday afternoon—Junior Choir
rehearsal after school.
Wednesday—7:00, Senior Choir.