THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome, Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 61b
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER .!.Editors
• I
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR <
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the postoffice
at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
Friday, December 26, 1947 j
Bright—But Safe!
(By Palmer Hoyt)
JUST WHEN the holiday merriment sings along hap
pily toward a grandiose climax, the statisticians inevi
tably put on their black gloom caps and voice warning.
This time it is the dignified and austere statistical divi
sion of the Metropolitan Insurance Comuany.
“ ’Ware Christmas tree fires!” it says, with shudders.
Somehow accidents seem to increase in all holiday
periods. At Christmastime a majoritny of the mishaps
result from Christmas tree conflagrations. At this point,
of course, the statisticians unavoidably, get in a strong
free plug (no pun) for the electrical industry.. Electric
lighting for Christmas trees has been indubitably the
safest for brightening the yule trees that they have to
recommend it. And the electric wiring and bulbs (an
other good boost for the industry) should be of ap
proved design. Old-fashioned wax or tallow candles
should never be lighted on a tree. Further, other dec
orations should be of non-inflammable material and
movable combustible goods should be taken away from
the tree before the lights are turned on.
So, now, children, if pop and mom have taken care of
these precautions, you’re safe in rushing forw#*d to rip
the wrappings from the packages at the foot of the tree.
But have a care! Don’t trip on the rocket plane, and keep
Annie’s hair out of the propellor. For good measure, too,
warn dad to keep his cigar out of the tinsel and the tis
sue paper.
i
Stalin Gets Slapped
(Rocky Mountain News)
EVENTS DURING the past few weeks have been bad
for Russia.
In London the long-suffering representatives of
America, Britain and France replied to Molotov insults
by charging the Soviet government with wholesale
theft and lies.
Secretary Marshall proposed closer relations between
the United States and Britain—to which Russia objects.
And in Rome the government, which Stalin is trying
to overthrow, quickly broke the violent Communist
general strike. All this bad news for-the Kremlin fol
lowed the similar defeat of Red efforts to destroy the
French government by strikes and insurrection.
The bitter denunciation of Russia climaxed the for
eign ministers’ conference. Molotov had been misusing
it for the twin purposes of arousing German nationalism
against the Western Allies and of trying to get 10 bil
lion dollars in German reparations—most of which
America would have to pay in the end.
Foreign Minister Bevin’s response was that while
America and Britain have been forced by Russia’s divi
sion of Germany to subsidize their zones, Russia has
taken seven billion dollars in reparations behind the
backs of the Western Allies.
Foreign Minister Bidault said Molotov’s statements
against France were “contrary to the truth.’’ Secretary
Marshall charged Molotov with “perversion and delib
erate misconstruction’’ of Allied policy.
Even more remarkable than the Democratic states
men’s stand against Russian warmongering, and the
successful action of the Rome and Paris governments
against Soviet internal aggression in their countries, is
Moscow’s attitude when caught red-handed.
After the serious charges made by the Western Allies
against Russia—so serious that in the old days they
would have led to immediate war—a Soviet spokesman
blandly announced he could see no reason for a break
down of the Big Four conference.
Apparently Stalin thinks he can go on indefinitely
WOMAN’S WORK IS NEVER DONE
u'leus
i
with his cheating and lies and betrayal of the Democ
racies at no more cost to him than a few harsh words
from Marshall, Bevin and Bidault.
And apparently he thinks that, despite his failure to
overthrow the French and Italian governments, they
will go on tolerating his Fifth Columnists until he fi
nally succeeds.
Crazy as such an idea sounds, if Stalin holds it the
Democracies themselves are largely to blame.
Until recently the French and Italians at home were
cozy with the Reds. The American, British and French
governments have been turning the other cheek to Stal
in’s blows for so long, it may take him a while to real
ize they will not take much more.
Therein is the grave risk of war. Not that Stalin will
precipitate war now deliberately—he is not ready yet.
The danger is that he will over-reach himself. Aggres
sors usually do.
Meanwhile, the Democracies must stand together in
defense against his threat. Especially, as Secretary Mar
shall told the Pilgrims Society in London, the United
States and Britain should proclaim their “close and fra
ternal relationship.”
If the combined leadership of the two strongest Dem
ocracies cannot stop Stalin before it is too late, there is
not much hope left.
We think it can be done, but it is getting very late.
Italy Is The Danger Line
(By Jack Foster)
PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S warning of America’s con
tinued interest in protecting Italian independence was
necessary to prevent misunderstanding of our military
withdrawal.
Comments from both right and left in Italy and else
where in Europe indicate they understand the Presi
dent to mean that American troops will return quickly
if necessary to prevent Soviet external or internal ag
gression.
Under the treaty we had to withdraw from Italy.
That was desirable. But it was unfortunate that the sim
ilar nominal provision in the Satellite treaties allowed
Soviet troops to remain in those countries under the
guise of protecting communications with occupied Aus
tria—which will be indefinitely, if Stalin has his way.
As the President pointed out, under the Italian treaty
and the United Nations, we still are obligated with
others to protect the peace and security of that country.
Stalin should know in advance that any serious threat
there, either by his militarized Yugoslav puppets or by
his Communist agents in Rome, can cause a World War
Hitherto Stalin has been acting as though he were noi
aware of that.
Collapse of tfle Communist-controlled general strikr
in Rome last week fe not a measure of Red strength.
Firmness on the part of the Rome government was ef
i fective in a premature test of strength. But the two an:!
a quarter million Italian Commun
ists—and another million fellow
travelers—can cause far more
trouble when they are ready.
They can strangle from half to
two-thirds of the factories, and
they are well armed for civil war.
Large-scale unemployment, black
marketing and crushing poverty
under inflation are counted on by
the Reds to swell their ranks. If
they do not win the March general
elections, they probably will resort
to violence.
j The Trieste situation is even
more explosive. One spree by the
trigger-happy Yugoslav troops
might precipitate a clash at any
time. The excellent American
British token force could not hold
out long if Tito decided to move.
Under the circumstances, it is
essential that we give Italy eco
nomic aid, that we keep an ade
quate Mediterranean fleet nearby,
and that in case of need our evac
uating army be prepared to return
on invitation of the representative
government.
1
.LOOKING
f AHEAD
n GEORGE 1 BENSON
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EUROPEAN SKETCH
A midwestern acquaintance of
mine recently gave to a group of
businessmen what he called a re
port of “a roller skate trip over a
very large subject.” Sterling Mon
ton, Chicago banker and industri
alist, was reporting on a seven
weeks trip to Europe. His re
marks seemed to me worthy of a
larger audience. A shrewd observ
er and a careful scholar, Mr. Mor
ton made his first of many trips to
Europe as far back as 1896!
This recent trip, according to
Mr. Morton, was no V. I. P. excur
sion. «The Very Important People
sometimes arrive at conclusions
that have been planned by their
hosts in advance). Actually, Mr.
Morton rented a small French car
and drove it 2,500 miles, talking to
everybody along the way. Because
he speaks French fluently, our
midwesterner was taken for a
Frenchman when outside France,
for anf Englishman when in
France—but harly for an Ameri
can at any time.
Out Of Balance
“We saw lot of poor people,
lots of shabby people, but we saw
no one who really looked starved”
he said. “But crops were poor—I
have never seen Europe look so
dry and sere. It will be a hard
winter no matter what may be
done to help out.” We should ad
minister our relief directly, he be
lieves so that it is known who
gives it. “The Russians got much
more publicity and good will from
a couple of cargoes of wheat they
sent to France than we have had
for the billions we have spent.”
In France, Mr. Morton reported
the cost of living up ten times
over 1937, with wages having in
creased six times. “How an eleva
tor operator, for instance, can live
on 8,000 francs a month is a mys
tery. Or how a laborer can be con
tent on the official ration of two
fifths of a pound of bread a day.
Things are very much out of bal
ance.” However, Mr. Morton sees
France on the road to recovery, in
a physical way.
Peacetime Damage
BUT: “France is cursed with
government employees. There al
ways were droves of them—now
there are hordes! One former Ma
qui suggested the way to improve
conditions was to machine gun
half the “fonctionaires’! Even Sen