THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 61 a
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
W. A. Boucher .Owner-Publisher
Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943. at the postoffice
at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Nome, Alaska, Friday, April 15, 1949
A CONGRESSMEN S DECISION
(Bv Clarke Beach, (/P) Features Writer)
What do Congressmen think about when they cast
their votes in the House of Representatives?
Many of them have thinking apparatuses with a kind
of high and low gear. This was clearly demonstrated
when two votes were taken on a motion to kill the vet
erans’ pension bill. On the first vote the majority of
Congressmen decided to kill the bill. On the second
vote, taken within an hour, the majority decided not to
kill it.
On the first vote the House was sitting as a “commit
tee of the whole” when an individual’s vote is not re
corded. On the second test the body was sitting as the
House of Representatives, and a record was kept of how
each member voted.
When the vote was taken in committee status, lbd
members voted to kill the measure. When they voted in
House status, only 120 voted to kill. Thus at least 43
Congressmen either switched sides or failed to vote
when the roll was called.
“I voted on principle when my vote wasn’t on the rec
ord," one well-known legislator jovially explained.
“When I was on the record, I rose above principle and
voted politically.” Another member, one of the 120 who
stuck by his original vote, got a good natured slap on
the back from a colleague after the balloting was over.
“Well, guess we won't be seing you around here any
more after next year,” said the colleague. “It's great to
be a statesman. But I’d rather be a live Congressman
than a dead statesman.'’
Rep. Javits (R.-N. Y.) said on the floor that he had
made up his mind after a sleepless night to vote against
the pension measure. “If we are taken in by this, we do
not deserve to be trusted with the destiny of America,
much less that of the world,” he remarked.
One Congressman told this reporter that on every roll
call vote some member or other risks his political future
by voting in a way that he knows will be unpopular
among his constituents. The folks back home probably
won't read the Congressional record, and many of them
will not know at the time how he voted. But there is al
ways someone back home waiting for him to make a
slip. That someone undoubtedly will use the record
against him when campaign time comes.
If he is licked, he won’t be in the House to vote the:
right way when some other measure comes up which
may be more important. Thus runs the philosophy of
many members, says one seasoned Representative.
Many say that eventually they want to do something
good for their country but that if they don’t stay in Con
gress they’ll never be able to do it.
The issues which can be poisonous generally concern
the constituent’s pocketbooks, one Congressman mused.
Their pensions, taxes, agricultural and other subsidies,
the building of public works, the extension of govern
ment controls over business.
Some of the poisonous issues, he went on, carry their
own antidotes. If you cast a vote for oleomargarine, you
antagonize the dairymen but you gain the support of
the housewives. If you cast a vote that angers lafoor you
gain the support of management. If you back rent con
trol you make landlords your enemy but gain friends
among tenants.
“But when you cast a vote that seems to be against
veterans,” he continued, “there’s nobody to save you.
Nobody is opposed the veterans. Least of all me.” (He is
a veteran himself).
Another war veteran, who is a freshman in the House,
thus analyzed the frame of mind of many of his col
leagues:
“Their voting for pensions isn’t so much a matter of
shrewd political analysis. They are being controlled by
We lift our hearts exultingly to ccclaim the Cross.
Grant all of us the power of the resurrection is our
earnest prayer this Easter Season.
their fears. They don't know how good a case there is
against taking up veterans' pensions at this time with
out thorough committee spade-work on the thing.
“I think if the leadership of the House had taken a
stronger position and had come up with good strong ar
guments, their courage could have been bolstered. I
don't think I’ve killed myself politically by opposing the
bill. I believe the people of my district will approve of
what I’ve done when they hear what I have to say about
'a.
It.
EXPERTS WOULD FORTIFY THE MOON
With few explanations, said to be omitted for secur
ity reasons, the House recently unanimously approved
the establishment of a $161,000,000 network of land
based radar warning and control installations at points
throughout the country believed by the military to be
the most effective against sudden and secret enemy at
tack.
In addition, at an estimated government cost of $200.
000,000, the House approved the building up of a prov
ing ground, 3.000 miles in range, for trying out guided
missiles. It was stated that the present try-out installa
tions were being fast outgrown.
It is difficult for the people of the United States to
pass intelligent judgment upon the necessity for such
expenditures but, in the absence of general information,
one must presume that the military leaders of the na
tion are acting intelligently in asserting that there is
immediate need to get these plans started.
It was pointed out by one member of the House that
an enemy, having aircraft comparable to our B-36,
would be able to escape interception by flying at 40,000
feet at a speed of about seven miles a minute. A radar
warning of their approach, he insisted, would have to
be given while the airplanes were at least 185 miles
away for effective interception.
While we are cognizant of the tendency of military
experts to exaggerate the potential of our possible en
; emies and of the fact that they would “fortify the moon”
if they could get the funds and reach the earth’s satel
, lite, we find it difficult to believe that responsible ad
1 visers of Congress, on matters of defense, are so intense
1 ly interested in their particular branches of the armed
forces that they would ash for such expenditures with
out reasonable evidence that they are necessary in the
, defense of the United States.
_:_
; It seems impossible to determine whether the nation
j is in the beginning of a recession of just catching its
; breath for another round of inflation . . . The Russians
! profess to believe that the whole world is plotting
I against the Soviet; they will be dangerous, perhaps, if
the time comes that they really believe it. . . . The peo
| pie of Nome would be surprised at what they could oc
complish when they just make up their minds to accom
plish something.
CHURCHES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Lenten Devotions
Tonight—7:30
Services in honor of the Passion
of our Lord.
Holy Saturday—
Blessing of Easter Water and
Easter Candle—5:30 a.m.
Mass—6:30 a.m.
Easter Sunday—8:00
Mass and First Communion ex
ercises.
9:30—High Mass.
There will be no mass at the
Base Chapel.
LAVINIA WALLACE YOUNG
MISSION
Pastors - Rev. H. R. Amundsen
and Rev. Theran McGrew
Sunday:
11:00 a.m. Sunday School.
7.30 p.m. Evening Service.
Wednesday - 3:30 p rn - C v.'.
dren’s M.racle Book Club.
Thursday - 7:30 p.m. - Prayer
Meeting.
FEDERATED CHURCH
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Sunday School
Easter Program, followed by egg
hunt for the children and coffee
for the parents. .
Superintendent,. Mrs. Ken Rank
Evening Services 8:00 p.m.
Speaker, Chaplain R. W. Fricke.
Community chorus directed by
Mrs. W. Cameron.
PENTACOSTAL ASSEMBLY OF
GOD
Third Avenue West
•
Sunday—
Sunday School . 10:00 a.m.
Special Easter Service 11:00 a.m.
Evening Service 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday—
Young Peoples Meeting 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday—
Bible Study 7:30 p.m.
Friday—
Bible Study and
Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
EVERYONE WELCOME
CHURCH CF THE NAZARENE
Third and Division
Paster—Lewis I. Hudgins
“Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends.’’ John 15.13.
10:00 a m. Singspiraiion and Sun
day School classes.
11:00 a.m. Morning message.
7:00 p.m. Young People’s Meeting.
7:30 p.m. Singspiration and special
music.
8:00 p.m. Evening message.
Wednesday: 7:30 p.m. Melody an !
Prayer.
Come and bring your Bible.
You are ever welcome t© attend
these services.
NOME GOSPEL MISSION
of
Alaska Evangelisation Society
Rev. Yarn Rivaling. Patter
4 <• • * %*■
Sunday:
2:00 p.m. Sunday School far
boys and girls.
Preaching service in the Eskimo
language by James Savok.
7:30 p.m. Gospel Servioe.
| Tuesday:
7:30 p.m. Prayer and Testimony
j Thursday:
2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Bible Club for
i Boys and Girls.
Friday:
7:30 p.m. Bible Study.
PAA OFFICE TO BE CLOSED
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
The Pan American office will
be closed Saturday afternoon on
account of the Easter services. In
case of emergency call Black 70.