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 S16.00 A YEAR
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER .Editors
____ __ _J»_
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice at
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Monday, April 22, 1946
SPAIN LIFTS THE LID
(By Dewitt MacKenzie)
(AP) Foreign Affairs Analyst
Coincident with the indication that the United States
and Britain will support a full hearing before the U. N.
security council of Poland’s charges against the Franco
regime, there has been a remarkable development in
Spain—two of Madrid’s three morning newspapers pub
lished a belated announcement that America, England
and France advised Spaniards to oust the generalissimo.
To get the full force of such publication, one must
know that the Spanish press is absolutely under the
thumb of the Franco dictatorship, as I observed when
in Spain recently. It’s my guess that this is the first
time that any Spanish newspaper has been permitted to
publish anything even approaching such a damning
statement regarding the chief of state.
And what is the meaning of this strange lifting of the
censorship for a brief moment? Well, the broad signifi
cance would seem to be clear: The generalissimo is get
ting ready to meet the assault. Specifically, however,
there is nothing to guide us as to whether the move
means he is taking the offensive or whether it is a pure
ly defensive—possibily conciliatory—action.
Also highly interesting, tho far less startling, is the
fact that the Spanish press printed the text of Poland’s
charge before the security council, to the effect that
Spain is harboring German scientists who are working
on destructive instruments of war. This accusation is
calculated to bear out the claim that the Franco regime
is a threat to international peace. Russia and France
are expected to support Poland in this thesis.
Thus far the United States and Britain, while taking
the strong measure of advising the Spanish people to
throw out the Franco government, have maintained the
position that the generalissimo was a domestic problem.
The corollary to this would seem to be that Uncle Sam
and John Bull, although they would be delighted to see
Franco dispossessed, have no disposition to try to force
Spain to accept another government selected by foreign
nations but on the contrary hope to see the change ef
fected by a full expression of public opinion at the polls.
Speaking of plebiscites, early this year when I was
in Spain there were signs that Franco and Don Juan,
pretender to the throne, might reach an agreement for
the return of the monarchy and that the question would
be submitted to the people. However, the negotiations
struck a snag, presumably because Franco was trying
to safeguard personal interests to which the prince did
not subscribe. ,
As I reported at the time, the indications were that!
the generalissimo saw the writing on the wall for his
regime and was ready to give way to a monarchy, pro
vided he could save face in the operation. He wasn’t pre
pared to take a rap in the teeth.
It’s hard to see how Franco can expect to hang onj
indefinitely with most if not all of the United Nations
against him. Sooner or later he must permit the Span
ish people to express their will. So it wouldn’t be
strange if he were maneuvering into position for a ple
biscite now and that might be the explanation of the
strange announcement in the Madrid press that the
three western Allies advise the Spanish people to oust
him.
REWARDS FOR A BETTER CONGRESS
(Rocky Mountain News)
The House of Representatives has voted 217 to 116,
not to consider a bill which would have admitted mem
bers of Congress to the federal retirement system.
We believe a large majority of Senators and Repre
IT MAKE* ONE'S HAIR CUGU
sentatives favor, as we do, the principle of that bill. The
retirement system enables civil service employees to
buy annuities, payable when they grow old and leave
their jobs. It would be good business and good govern
ment to let members of Congress do the same. Why,
then, did such a large House majority oppose taking up
the bill? Because:
1. —Many members were afraid of it. This is an elec
tion year. They remember the public outcry against
“pensions for Congress” a few years ago.
2. —Many others wanted to wait for a bill embodying
the entire program of the La Follette-Monroney com
mittee to strengthen Congress and bring its methods up
to date. Admission of Senators and Representatives to
the retirement system is one of many proposals in that
program. Higher salaries is another.
Both these reasons were sound.
A lot of citizens would have been sore if Congress
had voted itself in on retirement benefits at this time,
and that issue probably would have helped to defeat
quite a few Congressmen.
But there will be no such reason to fear the issue if
it is made part of a comprehensive measure to enable
Congress to do a better job. Adoption of the whole La
Follette-Monroney program would convince the public
that members of a better Congress deserve protection
against want in old age and are worth better pay.
“Doomed to be an old maid; unless somebody finds
an apartment for me and my ex-air force lieutenant.
Newark vicinity. F.C.C., Box 361 News Office.”
—Newark News
By GEORGE S BENSON
Buldtni of Harding College
Searcy. Arkansas
WHAT'S ENOUGH?
What will John Q. Public pay
for what he wants? He will pay
every cent he thinks it is worth
to him. Ultimately he will be wil
ling to pay more, if he finds out
the item is worth more than he
first thought. On the other hand
he will kick at the price and re
fuse to pay it as soon as he finds
out the thing is worth less to him
than the money he paid for it.
These statements are so plain
and simple that any schoolboy is
able to understand them. You
would hardly think anybody could
get these facts mixed-up, but they
are often used wrongly. Under
them is hid the 1946 labor-man
w
agement problem which is the
most serious and the most danger
our one that has ever confronted
this nation. What lies behind all
the headlines telling about strikes?
Can't Get Together
In extreme brevity, union labor
ers are asking their employers for
more pay—more wages than the
employers (for some reason> are
willing to lay out. Why not pay
working men whatever they ask?
All trades, especially farmers,
want laborers to draw high wages
because that’s the key to good
times. Farmers, whose fields feed
the workers, have good markets
and prosperity when labor pros
pers.
The answer is not hard: The**
workers' wages, just like the own
er’s profits, come out of what John
Q. Public will pay for what he
wants. If the price is too steep for
John, then there’s no sale and no
profits and presently no wages. If
the price is within reasonable
range of John’s pocketbook, lie
buys. That makes profits and
wages, better jobs and more of
them, and prosperity.
High Wages Popular w
There is such a thing as oppres
sion; I have seen it in China. There
is such a thing as exploitation of w
labor—ignorant labor. But it’s
foolhardy to mistreat workers in
a modern American factory. If an
employer should try holding wages
down to fatten his own bank ac
count. his customers would all
favor higher pay for his workers
because fin such a case* it could
be done without boosting prices.
In most cases, when wages ad
vance prices have to advance to
cover the expense. There is no
other way to raise wages except
by boosting prices unless prices
already in force are fictitious, un
fair figures, which competition
seldom permits. Customers object
to wage increases only when they
call for price increases to cover ^
them. Even then, Mr. Public is not
always right.
Who Can Say When? ^
Many a wage increase is appro
priate and economically sound
even when prices have to be rais
ed immediately to cover them.
Lifting prices to pay better wages
is good business, up to a point.
But what point? Up to the point
that John Q. Public gets slow a
about buying. So Long as volume
can stay large, the price is sound.
When volume drops off and prices
have to be boosted to pay for the
blunder, that’s unsound.
There are experts in every busi
ness who can estimate with re
markable accuracy how many of
this-or-that will sell for some stip
ulated price. They know long be
fore the first one is made. This
year, when steady jobs at good
pay are so vital to everybody,
prices should be set in advance to
get volume sales. Labor, as well
as industry, should be interested
in the right prices. «
Surplus Properly
To Be Sold
At Galena f
ANCHORAGE. April 22 — One
hundred thousand dollars worth
of war surplus property will be
sold at Galena. Alaska, on a fixed
price basis. Cetrified veterans may
buy under preference on April 26.
Sales to the public will begin
April 27. Any sale transaction
may be completed through the 1
surplus property representative at
Galena, or through the Anchor
age or Fairbanks surplus property
office.
Property will be sold "as is—
where is.” Saleable equipment
consists of building material, elec
trical supplies, hardware, heavy
equipment, light plants, laundry
and dry cleaning euipment, shoe 1
repair equipment and miscellan
eous items.
For complete property list con
tact the Anchorage Surplus Prop
erty office, Ft. Richardson.