THE NOME NUGGET '
Published Monday. Wednesday and Friday by the
i NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME. ALASKA
• Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
W. A. Boucher .Owner-Publisher
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943. at *he postoffice
at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
Nome. Alaska, Wednesday, October 5, 1949
LITTLE THEATER GROUP OF NOME
(By Norman L. Bellury)
A group of ambitious persons in Nome and on Marks
Air Base have organized a Little Theater Group not
long ago and they are hoping for the support of all citi
zens of the Nome area to insure the success of their un
dertaking.
The initial movement was spontaneous and many peo
ple have already become members of the group, and
many others are needed. The Little Theater Group is
already conducting initial rehearsals for a Christmas
play, Dicken's immortal “A Christmas Carol."
The Nome area is in need of a cultural movement of
this order. Talented persons have too long been com
pelled to hide their powers. This is their opportunity to
express themselves and take part in the things that
mean so much to them. Through the long winter months
that lie ahead almost unlimited opportunities exist for
those who are willing to put forth the effort required.
A stage play is not made up of actors alone. The “be
hind the scenes” workers make up the real heart of the
business and persons who have a knack with tools, cos
tumes, and the art of make-up are urgently needed.
There is a satisfying flavor in the successful production
of a play in which you have had an active part. To see
it reach its successful conclusion at the final curtain,
and know that it was made possible through some effort
on your part, is really satisfying. Any good stage play
depends largely upon the scenery and lighting effects.
The actors are heavily handicapped when they are poor
ly supported, and any play is only a half-success when
the spirited cooperation that is necessary is lacking.
To the residents of the Nome area the Little Theater
Group offers an unparalleled opportunity to participate
in the arts. Great benefits can be gained from such j
work, both in an individual sense and to the community
at large. Strangers are gathered together and, through
the medium of close cooperation, learn to judge those
values that make up a successful personality. Many
close friendships have resulted from little theater move
ments, and invaluable training and experience is offer
ed to those who seriously consider making the stage
their career. Young persons, especially, benefit in this;
way, although this not meant to construe that the field
is limited to them alone. The older folks, who are often
the real backbone of the organization, can reach into
new fields, extending their business relations and their
abilities to handle groups.
The little theater group is made up of amateurs, a
non-profit unit in the sense that the members are not
paid for their work. Expenses must be met, of course,
and admission charges largely cover these.
Therefore, it behooves each and every one in the
Nome area to give whole-hearted support to this group.
We believe the Little Theater is a worthy organization
• and deserves the support of the entire citizenry of the
Nome area.
A BILLION DOLLAR PROPOSAL
William E. Warne, assistant secretary of the Interior
Department who is in the Territory and who met with
all the heads of government departments in a confer
ence recently at Mt. McKinley Park, has announced a
new plan for the development of Alaska. The plan in
cludes a billion dollar development similar to the Ten
nessee Valley Authoriay and would be known as the
Alaska Development Corporation. The problems of the
proposed program are well propounded in the Anchor
age Daily Times, from which we quote:
“The proposal presents some interesting problems for
Alaskans to ponder. Until Mr. Warne makes known the
details and powers of the huge corporation, local con
siderations must assume the legislation will bring to
YOU’RE TEU.INO US»_
BEVIN
|___— I
Alaska the worst forms of bureaucracy.
If the project is found to be desirable with bureau
cracy operating in its most obnoxious forms, then the
program must certainly be approved by Alaskans. At
the same time, however, it can be hoped that the corpo
ration powers will be such as to make the bureaucracy
not so obnoxious. Only Mr. Warne can reveal that phase
of the program.
The development corporation financed with gigantic
sums from the federal treasury is considered necessary
for Alaska because of the failure of private capital to
come north for development projects. History proves
that private capital is not available. There has been on
evidence that this situation has or is about to change.
It is also well known that most of the problems of
Alaskan development hinge on the availability of
money. Most of Alaska’s problems could be eliminated
if enough money were available.
Consequently, if Alaska is to be developed there must
be a huge investment in the Territory. If private funds
will not be forthcoming then the federal government is
the onl yother possible course.
This leads to the conclusion that Uncle Sam is the only
man who is going to put in the money to bring about
the development that has been found a national neces
sity.
When the federal government spend money in an
area, bureaus always follow the funds closely. Thus if
Alaska is to receive the benefits from a billion dollar de
velopment, the federal supervision must be expected.
On the other hand, if Alaska seeks freedom from the
bureaucratic domination it stands to lose the billion dol
lars and all the benefits that would come from settle
ment projects, development of cheap power, cement
plants, synthetic fuel plants and numerous other op
portunities for employment and production.
At first sight, it appears that Alaskans have a tough
choice. If they want their land developed they must
live under a mighty bureau that will control a large seg
ment of their economy. If they oppose and eliminate the
bureaucratic controls they will lose the development.
The only logical answer seems to be that Alaska must
be emphatically in favor of the billion dollar program
and, at the same time, prepare to fight vigorously and
perpetually the obnoxious conditions that probably
would arise as federal administrators, great with power,
build up fantastic and clumsy organizations fraught
with red tape, inequities and sometimes oppressive pol
icies.
The explanations of the development program to be
made by Secretary Warne may furnish enlightenment
as to the methods of administering the funds. This pro
posed legislation is one of the most important proposi
tions which has emanated from Washington in recent
years. It will affect the daily lives and the livelihood of
virtually every Alaskan. It has no many desirable fea
tures that opposition to it is most difficult. It may be
that Alaskans, if they are to see their great land devel
Little Theater
Group Have Try
Outs For Play
Monday night at 7 o’clock the
Little Theater Group of Marks Au
Base held their second meeting at
the Service Club. Approximately
thirty-five members were present
and copies of the proposed play
“A Christmas Carol,” by Charles
Dickens were distributed to those
present. Miss Virginia Bushko.
president of the Group, began the
initial reading of the play and the
various roles were picked up by
other members present. All roles
will be cast strictly on a try-out
basis and everyon is eligible to try
out for any part he or she may
want to play.
The need for a choir was em
phasized. Few people are known
who might take part in the chor al
group and members were asked to
, talent scout -about the base and in
Nome until about twenty-persons
with good singing voices had been
found for the choir. Capt. Ambos
is presently attempting to organ
ize a choir on the base and anyone
interested in group singing is
urged to contact him. Singers are
urgently needed, and anyone who
can sing, or knows of -anyone else
who can, should contact the Little
Theater Group on the Base as soon
as possible, so preparations can be
made to interest them in joining
the group.
Some sixty people will be need
ed to produce the play and the
call for members is still out. About
forty members have submitted ap
plications to date. Anyone inter
ested in producing a stage play;
acting, make-up costumes, stage
! euipment, finances, and all the
other jobs connected with a pro
1 duction, are urged to join the
group ot once. More members are
urgently needed if the play is to
be a success. There is a definite
j need for talented children in the
play. Many child roles are por
I trayed and, as yet, no definite
children have been assigned to fill
them.
At the conclusion of the first
reading, suggestions were in order
and several of interest were put
forward and plans were made to
act upon them when organized re
hearsals begin in the near future.
The Group will meet again next
Friday night at 7 o’clock at the
Service Club on the Base and,
once more, all persons who are in
terested in theater work are urged
to attend this meeting and assist
in producing this play. Next Fri
day’s meeting will begin as a busi
ness meeting, which will last
about an hour, and then the initial
casting for the play will be given.
Copies of the play are available
for all members of the cast and
the Group is making every effort
possible to insure that the play
will be a success in every way
possible.
Mrs. Cyril Seeds left today with
Pan American and plans to go to
Talkeetna to look after some min
ing property and other affairs
there. After visiting with friends
along the way she plans to return
to Nome.
oped, are destined to become the
slaves of a bureaucratic system
in its most repulsive form. Yet the
benefits accruing from gigantic
developments may well outweigh
the ineqities and injustices that
so often come with bureaus.
A complete text of the proposed
! bill is available at the Nugget of
fice toy anyone interested in read
ing it.