THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 • P. O. Box 618
SLSO PER MONTH flt.00 A YEAR
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.
Friday, October 5, 1945 _
The Air fcoute Conflict
(Anchorage Times)
So much confusion has marked current discissions of
air routes to and through Alaska that it is difficult to
separate the wheat from the chaff without a thorough
picture of the proposition in general as it effects Alaska
with especial consideration of each area and communitv
and the benefits that stand to be gained or lost.
This confusion has not just “happened, like Topsy.
It has been planted, cultivated and harvested by selfish
interests, each with a definite motive and a definite
goal.
It is historically a fact that Alaska has suffered from
its own disunity. There is danger that this disunity
might once more damage the best interests of the Terri
tory. In 1903 a committee of Senators came to Alaska
to learn what Alaskans wanted in the way of govern
ment. They found every city with a different story.
They found Alaskans themselves were not in accord.
They returned to Congress, reported the disunity and
did nothing on the basis that if Alaskans could not agree
•n the proper course certainly Congress could not do so
successfully.
This summer more legislators came to Alaska and
found disharmony on subjects pertaining to govern
ment and legislation.
Today some Alaskan communities are joining with
Seattle in an attempt to have the main air route to the
Orient pass through that city, a course of action that
would eliminate the proposal to give Alaska a direct air
Jlne connection with Chicago and New York. Anchorage
is apparently leading the battle to defend the proposed
inland route to the States, with the support of many
powerful individuals and organizations within Alaska
and also with the unanimous support of the Alaska De
velopment Board.
The future of Alaska is involved. The issue is much
bigger than any one city and is well worth careful study
by all persons interested in the development of the Ter
ritory.
Seattle’s Objections
(Anchorage Times)
The current conflict between Seattle and Alaska in
-general — and Anchorage in particular — has shown
Seattle to be adamant in its opposition to the inland
route. In Seattle it was contended that the program
sought only to put that city on the main line to the Ori
ent, a project which Alaska could readily join. But any
suggestion that some sort of an inland route be estab
lished brought vehement objections from Seattle, re
gardless where the main line to the Orient may operate.
The Ancohrage Chamber has concluded that, Seattle
will use any means of preventing the establishment of
a route which will mean that city loses its present
monopoly on trade and commerce with Alaska.
The Anchorage Chamber, with the unanimous sup
port of the Alaska Development Board, offered to back
Seattle’s move to have the main line through that city.
In the offer, however, was the provision that establish
ment of the main line through Seattle must not jeopar
dize the establishment of some sort of an ir^lanf .^olJte
to Alaska. Seattle refused to take a favorable attitude.
The suggestion that Anchorage, Seattle and perhaps
*11 of Alaska could work together toward the establish
ment of a local air service from Chicago to Alaska to
connect with the main line coming from Seattle, was
turned down in no uncertain terms by the Seatlte lead
ors.
This inland route is considered indispensable because
it would provide a connection in Alaska that would
compel the through planes to the Orient to call at an
Alaskan port. Seattle claimed such a line would estab*
lish Chicago or St. Paul as a “gateway” to the Orient.
The Seattle Star last September 4 declared that the pro
posed inland route “jeopardizes our lucrative trade
with Alaska,” a statement that seems to be supported
by Seattle’s attitude.
It is a great ability to be able to conceal one’s ability.
—La Rochefoucauld, 1665
. i*' r
A ship and a woman are never sufficiently adorned.
—Plautus, c.200 B.C.
/ • . 1 *
An adult is one who has ceased to grow vertically
but not horizontally. —Author unidentified
Advice is not disliked because it is advice; but because
so few people know how to give it.—Leigh Runt, 1821
Vouth is a blunder; manhood a struggle; old age a
regret. —Benjamin Disraeli, 1884
Anger is never without a reason, but seldom a good
one. —Benjamin Franklin, 1753
WASHINGTON
NEWS-LETTER
By MARY LEE COUNCIL
Secretary to E. L. (Bob) Barlloit.
Delegate to Congress from Alaska
i i ’ : !•■■
Delegate Seeks Veterans
Administration Regional
Office In Alaska
Declaring that “it has been con
cluded that a regional office for
Alaska is not feasible,” General
Omar N. Bradley, Administrator
of Veterans Affairs, has made
known his decision following rep
resentations made to him by Dele
gate Bartlett and many other in
terested persons urging establish
ment of a regional office in the
Territory with branch and contact
offices throughout Alaska. General
Bradley’s statement reads as fol
lows:
“You may be assured that the
Veterans Administration has not
been unmindful of the problems
presented in rendering compre
hensive service to the veterans of
j Alaska by virtue of the conditions
individual to the Territory.
“The question of creating a
complete regional office in a se
lected city has been made the sub
ject of a careful and intensive
study during the past several
months and it has been concluded
that a regional office for Alaska
is not feasible.
“Since it is believed that ade
quate regional office service may
be afforded Alaskan veterans by
the Seattle, Washington, office, no
change will be made in the pres
ent arrangement. The Administra
tion will exert every effort to pro
vide service in Alaska commen
surate with the factors involved."
Delgeate Bartlett and Governor
Gruening, who is now in Wash
ington, are personally urging upon
General Bradley that faster, more
adequate and efficient service can
be rendered to veterans by the es
tablishment of a regional office in
Alaska.
Federal Works Agency
Projects
Four projects in Alaska have
been approved by the Federal
Works Agency in its program to
advance Federal funds to local
public organizations for the plan
I
ning and designing of public
works to be constructed during
the post-war period.
Money for the planning of a
water supply dam and sewers in
Wrangell and a library and fire
station in Juneau will be advanced
under this program.
Delegate Bartlett hopes that all
eligible applicants will take ad
vanage of the FWA program for
the planning of much-needed pub
lic facilities throughout Alaska.
The program is authorized by
Title V pf the War Mobilization
and Reconversion Act. The ad
vances by the FWA are repayable
without interest when, as, and if
local funds become available for
construction.
If the projects do not material
ize, the funds advanced are not
repayable. Such advances are
made by representatives of local
public bodies in incorporated
towns or cities. Applications
should be sent to Mr. L. R. Dur
kee, Division Engineer, Bureau of
Community Facilities, Fede r a 1
Agency, Division No. 8, 511 Alas
ka Building, Seattle 4, Washing
ton.
Dillingham Boy
Gom To Annapolis
Delegate Bartlett has been in
formed that Eric Neil Fenno, of
Dillingham passed his mental and
physical examinations and enter
ed the United States Naval Acad
emy at Annapolis on Sept. 15.
Post Office Closed
The Post Dffice Department on
July 27 dlosed the Russian Mission
post office inasmuch as a candi
date for the postmastership was
not available, according to infor
mation given Delegate Bartlett.
Russian Mission Is located on
the lower Yukon, approximately
one hundred miles from the coast.
Surplus Porperty
In Alaska
The disposal of surplus property
in Alaska by the Surplus Property
Office of the Department of In
terior, will require the services of
about one hundred persons in the
Territory, Delegate Bartlett was
informed this week by Director
John M. Barringer.
The Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration office in Alaska under
David Browne, which formerly
handled the sale of surplus prop
erty, had seven employees.
Delegate Moves
Delegate Barltett and his family
have moved from their residence
in Arlington, Virginia, to Wash
ington. Their new address is 1718
33rd Place, S. E., and their home
i ohone is Atlantic 5991.
| 7 * J
j
Fourth-Class Postmasters
j The Senate Committee on Post
j Offices and Post Roads has re
| oerted favorably to the Senate
Delegate Bartlett’s bill which prp
' vides that an emplpyee of the Fed
ral Government, who is a citizen
of t)ie United States, shall be eli
gible for appointment and com
pensation as postmaster of any
fourth-class office in Alaska.
The bill, which previously h^s
passed the House, is necessary be
cause many of the fourth-class of
fices in Alaska have had to be
closed due to the ruling of the
Comptroller General that a person
receiving compensation through
; employment by the Federal Gov
i ernmnt, such as a teacher of the
j Office of Indian Affairs, cannot
- undertake the duties and pay of a
second Government agency.
j Hatch Act
I
| Favorable action by the House
: Committee on the Judiciary is an
ticipated on Mr. Bartlett’s bill
which provides that employees of
the Federal Government, includ
ing employees of The Alaska Rail
road, residing in municipalities on
the line of the Railorad, may par
ticipate in local political activities.
A subcommittee of the Judiciary
Committee has acted on this mea
sure and will report it favorably
to the whole committee for fur
ther action.
Gold And Silver Mine
Operators May
Get Relief
The House Committee on Mines
and Mining has acted favorably
upon the bill of Representative
Engle of California which pro
vides for suspension of enforce
ment of certain obligations against
the operators of gold and silver
mines who have been forced to
cease operations because of the
war.
The bill, which was substituted
for Senator McCarran’s bill which
passed the Senate some months
ago, provides that any operator,
who because of the unavailability
of supplies and equipment is un
able to continue operation of his
silver or gold mine and thus ful
fill any contract to purchase such
property or requiring the perform
ance of certain work on his prop
erty, may appeal to a United
States district court for relief. The
court, after hearing, may order
suspension of work to be done in
order to fulfill any contract or
make any disposition of the case
as may be equitable to conserve
the interest of all parties. In no
case will the suspension extend
for more than one year after the
end of the war.
Visitors
Miss Yvonne Mozee, daughter
of Mr. Ben Mozee of Nome, called
on Delegate Bartlett while visiting
in Washington.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ala of Fair
banks called on Delegate Bartlett
Mr. Ala, who is now in the army,
expects his release within the
month, and he and Mrs. Ala hope
to return to Fairbanks in the
spring.
Miss Miriam Dickey of Fair
banks is spending a short time in
the Capital.
9