THE NOME NUGGET ]
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
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W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER.Editors
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice at
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879. _
Wednesday, November 7, 1945
ACCUSED AND ON TRIAL
(Anchorage Times)
Once again a series of discussions vital to the lives
and welfare of all people was carried on in secret. But
fortunately the doors of Lancaster House in London,
where the Council of Foreign Ministers met were not
leakproof. So this conference, like so many others, was
reported by means of rumors, whispers and confidences.
What the world, and particularly this country, heard
through these “leaks” was encouraging. Veteran and
usually imperturable reporters wrote darkly pessimis
tic stories. Day after day they told of angry words and
widening rifts. About the most cheerful thing they
could say was that the difficulties were perhaps not in
soluble.
What happened in London is, in a way, more signifi
cant than the historic proceedings in San Francisco.
There the discussions covered only the general struc
ture of a world peace organization. Difficulties were ex
pected, though when they appeared they were of such
proportions as to threaten a blow-up of the whole con
ference for a few anxious days.
Now the foreign ministers of the United States, Brit
ain, France, Russia and China have had to tackle the
job of translating the high principles of the Atlantic
Charter and San Francisco into concrete terms. They
have had to make a start at settling problems of the re
cent war and drawing up peace treaties for their recent
enemies.
Reports from London indicate that they not only
failed to lay the groundwork for peace treaties, but
actually started to split Europe into inimical eastern
and western blocs which Hitler hoped for but couldn’t
achieve.
Soviet Foreign Commissar Molotov is said to have
remarked angrily during one meeting: “You would
think I was accused and on trial.” In a manner of speak
ing, he was. So was the British Foreign Secretary
Bevin- So, perhaps, was Secretary of State Byrnes—
though his role of conciliator seemed to be impossibly
difficult.
If the pessimistic reports were accurate, Mr. Molotov
and Mr. Bevin certainly stood accused of starting to re
establish hostile spheres of influence which, as they
well knew, were breeders of war. They stand accused
of forgetting the principles of world security to which
their governments are committed, and of being jealous
ly and fearfully nationalistic, and stubbornly power
minded.
They stand accused of insincerity in their claims of
“independence” and “full representation” in present
Baltic governments. They were on trial for betraying
the prayerful wishes of the ordinary people who fight
and suffer and die in wars by pursuing a course which
could render the United Nations Organization impotent
even before its first meeting.
Naturally no country, including any of the great pow
ers, wishes or is able to fight a war now. But unless
these foreign ministers and their chiefs of state take a
different tack, the prospect of lasting peace is bleak
indeed.
Once there was a draftee who was called up for ex
amination. He claimed exemption on the grounds of
poor eyesight, and to prove it he bruoght his wife along.
A banker is a man who lends you an umbrella when
the weather is fair, and takes it away when it rains.
—Author unidentified.
KNOWLEDGE CAN’T BE BOTTLED
(Cincinnati Enquirer)
Among certain Americans and British a false feeling
of security has been engendered by the fact that these
two great nations today control the secret of atomic
power. With this secret safely locked in our national
archives, they feel no other people on earth could chal
lenge our power.
To an extent that is true. Certainly it is true today.
But what of tomorrow? They answer that by simply
stating that we can guard tomorrow by guarding our
secret.
That, of course, is the fallaey. For history has taught
us that knowledge is something which cannot bo kept,
:s wine, in a tight-capped bottle. Knowledge has a way
of becom'ng international property. One land mav hold
it for a time, but eventually it becomes commonplace in
the mort distant corners of the earth.
Consider for a moment what might have happened
had the Chinese been able to hold for their own uses the
invention of gunpowder. And had Italy been the only
nation possessing the power of radio, think of the ad
vantages she would have maintained during the last
two generations. The gas combustion principle, the mir-j
acTe of steam power, the even greater miracle of elec
tr:city—'.ny cf them would have made anv neop1^ the;
most powerful on the face of the globe hod knnvdedge
been a tangible stuff, subservient to lock and keys.
But that isn’t the case. Americans and British were
net the only ones working on the atom. We don’t know
how many other governments at this moment hold blue
prints which can flower into atomic bombs with a day’s
—or a month’s—further development. We can be cer
tain, however, that such blueprints are in existence. We
can be just as certain that atomic power' will be familiar
in every nation a few short years hence, guard its sec
rets as we will.
_
'
By GEORGE S BENSON
President of Harding College
Searcy. Arkansas
HIGH AVERAGE
Now comes a pause for taking
stock. America has just concluded
a global war. Perhaps it is not
quite fair to say the Americans
won it, but, at least, they put a
stop to it, which was the import
ant thing. Conquering heroes are
coming home by shiploads and re
placements are going forth to
stand guard over the peace they
have bought so bravely at such a
fearful cost.
Success in battle consists of get
ting there first with the most.
This proverb has been attributed
to more than one military hero
but it probably originated with
that picturesque cavalry general
of the Civil War, Nathan B. For
rest. At any rate, it is still true.
This war was old when America
got in it, but each individual con
quest proved the old formula was
sound.
A War of Machinal
Mechanical devices, in infinite
variety and uncomputed tons, put
an end to the conflict. They were
made in America. Moreover the
ships and cars and planes that
took them to far-flung points of
need were likewise made in
America. If any other nation of
people had been able to do it, they
would have done it before Pearl
I Harbor. Only America had what
[ it took.
But what is this rare and magic
quality? The answer is easy: it is
average greatness. An outstanding
genius here and there does not
make a competent race. Such men
are useful but they are not the
people. A young man to whom I
handed a dipolma in June, 1943,
reported proudly in August that
he had been one of 6,500 obscure
chemists who helped develop the
atomic bomb.
The Home Front
Where, but in America, is it
possible to find 6,500 obscure
chemists? Chemists of his skill
and training are worthy of dis
tinction in some countries, but in
America they engage in volume
production. They work on what
amount to assembly lines. And the
result brings a war-weary world
a breath of relief from starvation
and suffering and sorrow.
The exceptional “average great
ness” found in America is the rare
quality which must not be sacri
ficed. If we keep it, this country
need never come under the heel
of a foreign enemy or a home
grown despot. But if we keep it
our people must know what it is
and how it is obtained. Without
further a-do, average greatness is
a product of the kind of liberty
America enjoys.
Our No. 1 Resource
The average American soldier
is not a great general but he pos
sesses generalship, a human trait
apart from rank. From youth he
has known his right to own any
thing he could get honestly, his
right to hold any office to which
he could be elected, his right to
compete. Where competition is not
open, learning is lavished on the
few and mediocrity paralizes
progress.
I have said this before, but it
will bear repeating: The much
maligned American system has
made this nation great, prosper
ous, enlightened and resourceful,
able to do big jobs in a hurry, get
there first with the most and turn
defeat into victory. Economic in
dependence and personal self re
liance are pillars of education.
America’s most valuable resource
is resourcefulness.
DISCHARGE BUTTONS’
NOW MADE OF METAL
Headquarters, Alaskan Depart
ment—The small gold lapel but
tons worn by honorably discharg
er veterans of World War II, and
commonly known as "discharge
buttons,” are now being issued to
dischargees fabricated from gold
plated metal instead of gold
plated plastic as formerly, the
War Department has announced.
The change to metal was made
because metals from which the
buttons are fabricated are now
more readily available than early
in the war.
Veterans who have already
been issued the plastic button up
on discharge may apply at the
nearest Army installation with
their discharge papers for a gratu
itous issue of the metal button.