THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by T c<
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
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Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943. at the postofl.ee at
Nome, Alaska, under the Art of March 3, 1379.
Wednesday, May 1, 1946
OPA’S ENFORCEMENT POLICIES
I
(Denver Post)
If the OPA had carried out, in the past, the liberalized
enforcement and price adjustment policies announced
by its new head, Paul Porter, there wouldn’t be so much j
heat on it now. He has taken the sensible position that
“it is the quality, not the quantity, of enforcement cases
that counts.” In a recent letter to Senator Lucas of Illin
ois, he said that enfrocement ‘‘does not mean that trivial
and inconsequential violations should lead to law suits.
It is not fair to merchants who are trying their best to
comply with our regulations to subject them to litiga
tion, under such circumstances, with is expense, annoy
ance and adverse publicity. OPA’s enforcement policies
must be consistent with the American people’s idea of
fairness and justice. I propose to make sure that they
are.”
On the matter of prices, Porter has taken the common
sense position that “we must have prompt price adjust
ments wherever necesary to relieve hardship and re
move impediments to production.” In the past, OPA has
made too much of a fetish of “holding the line.” No
matter how desirable low prices may seem to consum
ers, nobody is really benefitted by holding prices down
to the point where they retard production.
In spite of all the talk that has been heard from Wash
ington about stopping inflation, higher prices are inevi
table for many commodities, and administration poli
cies are going to be aimed at keeping prices high. The
hope is not to stop inflation, but to control it. Govern
ment spending, taxes and debts are at such high levels
that they can be supported only by high prices.
“In 1932,” Senator Thomas of Oklahoma reminded
the Senate the other day, “we had low prices. A little
more thafi 2 billion dollars in federal taxes is all that
could be collected in 1932 from the people of this na
tion. How far would 2 billion dollars in taxes go today?
It requires some 7 billions to pay interest on the nation
al debt. The budget estimates for 1947 total 29 billion
dollars. How can people make sufficient money on a
low-price level to pay the enormous tax which the gov
ernment will require?” The answer to that question
is obvious—they can’t. That explains why, regardless
of what we are told from Washington, administration
policy will be to maintain enough inflation to keep
prices up.
_ — --- — j
HONORS WELL EARNED
To Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg of Michigan and
Rep. A. S. (Mike) Monroney of Oklahoma have gone
the first annual Collier’s awards for distinguished con
gressional service.
In presenting them, President Truman said that Col- j
lier’s Magazine has done a fine thing by thus recog-1
nizing and encouraging good work in the National
Legislature.
We agree.
And, while many members of the Senate and
House served the republic’s interests well in 1945,
we admire the discernement of the jury of distinguished
citizens, headed by Owen D. Young, which chose the
two men to be honored for serving best.
Senator Vandenberg, a Republican statesman, was
selected “for his ability to rise above partisan politics
in welding together the Senate in support of American
participation in world affairs.” He richly deserves
the praise given his skill in statecraft, his awareness
SHONIMC!
i ■ m-1
of America’s responsibilities and opportunities, and
his moral courage.
Of Representative Monroney, we cannot write with
out a little special pride. We never have known any
man less interested in what seems expedient or more
interested in what is right.
Measured by years, his career in the House has not
been long, but concerning him it was said that, “with
out the aid of seniority,” he has worked with conspic
uous usefulness to improve the organization and pro
ceedures of Congress, to support price controls, to curb
inflation, showing “a profound undrstanding of the
duties and functions of a representative of the people.”
The OPA has lifted all ceilings on Christmas cards,
beginning next December. Every little while Washing
ton permits a note of cheer like this to seep out.
FAINT PRAISE—A fellow that I like to cut
Says, “Yes he’s a nice guy, BUT...’’
NEWS LETTER
By MARY LEE COUNCIL
Secretary to E. L. (Bob) Bartlett, Delegate to Congress from Alaska
m
TRAVEL ON
ALASKA HIGHWAY
Through the State Department
and the Canadian Embassy, Dele
gate Bartlett has ascertained that
it is not the intention of the Ca
nadian government to prohibit!
public travel over the Alaska
Highway.
However, owing to the difficul- j
ties, such as lack of gasoline and
servicing facilities, the Canadian
government, at the present time, |
will not encourage travel over the i
road. It is believed a travel au- j
thority board will function for the
Canadian government similar to'
the joint Canadian-American
board in operation during the
war, and permits will be issued
for travel after determining auto-i
mobiles are properly equipped to
make the trip without becoming
liabilities through mechan i c a 1
breakdown or lack of fuel. The
Delegate has urged the highway1
I be opened for civilian travel and!
1 facilities be made available.
MONEY FROM PUBLIC
LAND DISPOSAL
A portion of the money from
the sale, bonuses, royalties and
rental of public land in Alaska
would be available for the con
struction and maintenance of pub
lic roads or for the support of
public schools or other public edu
cational institutions in the Terri
tory, through a bill Delegate Bart
lett has introduced.
These benefits would accrue to
the Territory and would be in line
with provisions made regarding
public lands in the Continental
United States as contained in the
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920.
37 of all money received from
sales, bonuses, royalties and rent
als of public lands in Alaska, if
Delegate Bartlett’s measure is en
acted into law, would be paid by
the Treasury of the United States
to the Territory for public roads
and public school construction
and maintenance as the legislature
may direct.
WRANGELL NARROWS
An appropriation of $500,OOP^
has been voted by the House to
carry out the Wrangell Narrows
project authorized by Congress in
1945.
No funds for this project were
approved by the House when it
originally passed the War Depart
ment Civil Functions bill which
embraces the Wrangell Narrows
project. The Senate, however, ap
proved an appropriation of $1,- #
000,000, and the present $500,000
figure represents a compromise
between the two bodies.
The total cost of the project is
estimated at $2,731,000 to provide
a channel in the Narrows 300 fe^
wide and 24 feet deep and for aX
anchorage basin adjacent to the
channel in the vicinity of Mile 14
with a length of 500 yards, width
of 200 yards and a depth of 26
feet. Work will start on the pro
ject in the next fiscal year begin
ning July 1, 1946.
FLOOD CONTROL
PROJECTS
Kequest for preliminary survey
and examination of Chena Slough
in Fairbanks and Gold Creek in
Juneau has been made by Dele
gate Bartlett in appearing before
tho House Flood Control Commit
tee which is holding hearings be
fore drafting an omnibus flood
control bill. ^
It is believed these two projects
for the control of floods will be
included in the measure. The re
quest for survey of Chena SloujKh
anticipates strengethening of fts
banks against floods. The survey
of Gold Creek is desired for run
off and water-flow retardation
and soil-erosion prevention on the
watershed.
The committee has also consid
ered the favorable report of the
army engineers to strengthen
dike system in Skagway and res
toration of the existing breakwa
ter by construction of a 300-foot
extension. If this project is in
cluded in the omnibus flood con
trol bill when finally drafted,
funds for carrying out the project
must be appropriated by Congress^
in a separate bill. The project’s
cost is estimated at $438,000 for
new work and $10,000 annually
for maintenance in addition to
that now required.
VISITORS
Mr. and Mrs. A. P. (Bob) Brandt
of Fairbanks called on Delegate
Bartlett recently. Mr. Brandt,
Highway Patrol Officer is attend
ing the FBI school in Washington
fo» three months.
John H. Link of Fairbanks was
a recent Washington visitor.
Link was recently discharged from
the armed forecs and hopes to re
turn to Alaska soon.
Captain John J. Amend, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Homer J. Amend of
Seward, was in Washington for a
few days and visited Delegate
Bartlett’s offide. Captain Amend
is stationed with the army in To
peka, Kansas, and flies army
transport between that point, Sai^
Francisco, and Washington, D. C.
Tex Noey, formerly with the
Civil Aeronautics Administration
in Anchorage, was a recent Wash
ington visitor.
Brooks C. Johnson of Anchor
age has been in Washington on of
ficial business connected with his
position with the Office of Sur
plus Property, Department of the
Interior.
Colonel Edgar Norris, regional
head of the U. S. Public Health
Service in Juneau, has been in
Washington for conferences with
Public Health officials.