THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday. Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alas'ca
Telephone: Main 125 P O. Box (PS
$1.50 PER MONTH SIS 00 A YE \R
W. A. and EMILY BOU 'HER E i tora
Entered as second class matter Octooer 1 '.u43 at : ie pottoff .-e a*.
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3. !
Monday, August 19, 1545
ALIEN VETERANS SHOULD
BECOME AMERICAN CITIZENS
TODAY THERE ARE STiLL SOME 112,000 alien
men and women memoers ana veterans of the
United States armed forces who have failed to take
advantage of the right to obtain quick American citi
zenship. as provided under the ^-conb War Powers
Act of 1942.
Honorably discharged aliens who have served in
our armed forces, many of them battle-scarred and
decorated, should know that our country appreciates
their loyal service and that it has made it possible by
law for them to gain expeditiously the cherished badge
of American citizenship and that we will welcome them
into the great familv of our democracy. These aliens
who fought for our country form a great Legion o:
Honor. The Justice Department has stated that re
cords indicate only 10.000 alien members of our armed
forces have been naturalized since V-J Day, at which
time there were approximately 122,000 aliens who
•could likely qualify for citizenship under this statute.”
Under the Act, prior to V-J Day, over 100.000
aliens were naturalized—from the hedgerows of Nor
mandv to the atolls of the Marianas, on battlefields,
in Nissen huts, amid howling blizzards, on lurching
ships on the high seas, on hospital sick beds, in cork
forests and on blazing deserts—many of the newly
made citizens made the supreme sacrifice.
Since the Act will expire on December 31, of this
year, and affects all aliens who enlisted or were induct
ed in the United States armed services prior to Dec
ember 28, 1945, they would be eligible to become citi
zens. The declaration to become a citizen is waived;
Temporary admission is all that need be shown for those
who did not serve outside the United States boundar
ies.
The Justice Department is calling everyone’s at
tention to these facts and enlists their aid in advising
these eligible aliens as to their rights under this law.
If in the army, the eligibles should apply to their
•commanding officer.
Alaska veterans should get in touch with their own
Veterans Administration heads or directly with U. S.
District Court of vour Division.
We welcome these defenders of democracy to the
great American family.
HOSPITAL HAS BEDS
BUT NOT ENOUGH NURSES
Florence O. Eby
Nursing Supervisor, Terr. Dept, of Health
TTX)R YEARS THE Territory of Alaska has been cry
ing for enough tuberculosis hospitals to meet one
of its most serious health problems. Recently a new
hospital was obtained at Seward, and it was felt that
with these additional beds the incidence of tuberculosis
in the Territory could be materially reduced. How
ever, the hospital beds cannot be used because nurses
cannot be obtained to staff the institution.
It has been reported that many graduate nurses in
Alaska are working as clerks in banks, salesladies in
dress shops, and as waitresses in restaurants. If this
be so, it is a sad indictment against these individuals
and the nursing profession when their specialized skills
are so badly needed to care for the ill.
The Territorial Department of Health’s Public
Health Nurses have case after case of active tubercu
_LAST CHANCE_
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1
losis patients waiting for hospitalization. These cases
are constant sources of infection to everyone in their
communities. We have the beds for many of them,
but no nurses.
Some of the nurses say thev can make more mouev
m oilier occupations. It is granted that in these ab
normal times p/ofessional people are underpaid, but
that does not lessen our civic and humane responsibil
ities. When a girl enters a training school to become
a nurse it is assumed she does so because of her desire
to help the sick and suffering. At the time of her
graduation she takes the Florence Nightengale pledge
to practice her profession faithfully. . Have we lost
this consecrated spirit? We do not believe so. We
know there are graduate nurses in Alaska public spir
ited enough and merciful enough to face the problem
and meet it.
The Seward hospital pays salaries more than ade
quate to meet current living expenses, in addition to
furnishing room and board in one of the most beautiful
spots in Alaska.
This is a plea for help.
Call or wire Miss Murrell, Superintendent of Nur
ses, Seward Tuberculosis Hospital, if you are a gradu
ate nurse willing to assist in this pressing need.
OPA GRINDS OUT j
BAD NEW S FOR CONSUMERS
OPA IS BUSY RAISING PRICES. OPA hung
a price-hike of “well over $150,000,000 a year” on
radios, stoves, washers^ and many other household
items last week—and ground out still more bad news
for consumers.
The price boosts ranged from 3 to 12 percent,
mainly on home essentials.
OPA officials announced that ceiling increases for
virtually all kinds of building materials will be an
nounced soon.
It will be noted that the increases were required
by the new pricing standards “laid down by Congress.”
The Act requires that dealer profit margins be restored!
to levels of last March 31.
As a service to veterans in this
area. THE NOME NUGGET will
. I
publish a column of the questions
most frequently asked contact men
of the Veterans Administration
in this area.
For more detailed information
veterans should contact or write
to the nearest VA contact unit at
Rooms 46 and 47. Post Office
building. Anchorage, Alaska.
e e_
• e
Q. What legislation affect
ing veterans was enacte
by Congress before ad
journment?
A. Almost every phase c
veteran affairs was touchei
in last minute legislation b;
the 79th Congress. I]
brief, the bills passed pro
vided for:
1. Liberalization of Nation
al Service Life Insuranc
to include the three type
of permanent policies—2C
year endowment, endow
ment at the age of 60 an
endowment at the age c
65 dump sum payments t
beneficiaries in case c
death: permits the namin
of beneficiaries outside th
restricted classes in th
original bill.
2. A 20 per cent increas
in pensions to veterans c
both World Wars and thei
dependents and some ir
creases to veterans of othe
wars. Veterans in nospii
ais may now receive iu
payment of pensions (foi
meriy there was a consic
erable reduction for ho*
pitaiized veterans without
dependents).
3. Automobiles will be prc
vided for veterans who ar
crippled as a result ol am
putation or paralysis. Th
VA will pay the cost of th
car, including special equip
pment or attachments nec
essary up to $1600. .
4. A bill was passed estao
lishing standards for on
the-joo training ana prc
viding reimbursement t
states for supervision c
training programs. Th
Act prohibits payment o
subsistence allowances t
veterans with dependent
if they are earning mor
than $200 while studyin,
or training under the G.l
Bill. Veterans with n
dependents are limited t
$175.
5. Terminal leave pay fo
former enlisted personne
of the armed forces. Ap
plication blanks, when av
ailable, will be obtainabl
at all post offices.
6. Authority and funds i
provide canteen service fo
employees and patients o
VA hospitals and other in
stallations where comnier
cial facilities are not avail
able.
7. Retired officers of thi
armed forces, Public Healt]
Service and Coast and Geo
detic Survey may be em
ployed by the VA withou
loss of their retiremen
benefits.
8. Persons who were livin'
in enemy-occupied terri
tory during the war an<
who did not receive bene