THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME. ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box Cio
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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, Wednesday, June 22, 1949
MEDICAL MEN REMOVE FISHBEIN
(Hugo S. Sims)
The action of the board of trustees of the American
Medical Association in ousting Dr. Morris Fishbein
from from all the important positions he has occupied
for many years in the operation of the association, has
created something of a sensation in medical circles
throughout the United States.'
Dr. Fishbein has been editor of the Journal of the
American Medical Association, having built it into a
position of importance among such publications, and
has generally been regarded as the spokesman for the
Association. His activities extended far beyond his du
ties as an editor, including many radio and platform ap
pearances, where he spoke in behalf of the Association
in opposition to practically all compulsory forms of
health insurance.
Not only did the Board announce the retirement of
Dr. Fishbein, as soon as he can train assistants to take
on his several jobs, but bluntly ordered the doctor not
to make any more speeches on any controversial sub
jects or write editorials except under the supervision of
an executive committee. He was also forbidden to grant
interviews except on “scientific subjects” or to accept
any speaking engagements without the approval of the
committee.
The board of trustees in making its announcement,!
spoke of criticism of Dr. Fishbein “from within and \
without” the profession and took cognizance of the fact
that “the public has come to believe that the editor is
spokesman” of the association. It expressed the viewi
that the membership wants elected officials to speak
authoritatively on matters of medical policy but took no
notice of criticism of its action as “rank ingratitude”
and a “blow to the prestige of organized medicine.”
Newspaper reporters, questioning physicians at At
lantic City, said that some of them considered that “the
high brass” in the Association needed “a scapegoat” as
the “national education campaign” against compulsory
health insurance started and decided to “throw Dr.
Fishbein to the wolves” to create the impression that
his views are no longer those of the American Medical
Association.
We have no inside information as to the reasons that
controlled the board of trustees in dismissing the man
who has travelled and spoken extensively “selling” the
official policies of the association to the people of the
United States. Certainly, Dr. Fishbein was something
of a mouthpiece for the association in its opposition to
President Truman’s health insurance plan and, so far as
an outsider can judge, he was zealous and efficient in
putting over the propaganda line.
Whether he also played an important part in develop
ing the American Medical Association into what has
been described as a “tight union” is uncertain, but it
will, no doubt, be difficult for the association to get an
other man as well known as Dr. Fishbein and as capable
in presenting its viewpoint to the public at large.
LABOR S INDICTMENT OF T-H SUMMARIZED
(Bellingham, Wash., Labor News)
labor’s indictment of the Taft-Hartley law is neatly
summed up in a new pamphlet issued by the American
Federation of Labor entitled, “What’s Wrong With the
Taft-Hartley Law—Plenty.”
The 30-page booklet brings together and boils down
labor’s arguments against the obnoxious, repressive leg
islation which, in the words of AFL President William
Green, has for its purpose “to make strong unions weak
and weak unions weaker.”
The pamphlet was distributed to all Congressmen on
the even of the opening of debate in the House on the j
subject of labor legislation. It climaxed the continuing
I I, SAW
campaign of the AFL, begun with the original enact
ment of the Taft-Hartley law, for its repeal and the re
enactment of the Wagner Act with suitable amend
ments to strengthen unions and protect the public in
terest.
Assailing the Taft-Hartley law for its interference
with collective bargaining, the pamphlet presents de
tails on the following 7-point indictment of Taft-Hart
ley obstructionism in the field of labor relations and re
strictionism of the American labor niovement:
1. Taft-Hartley has put all unions under a cloud of
suspicion.
2. Taft-Hartley has disrupted peaceful bargaining
relations.
3. Taft-Hartley has turned NLRB into a weapon
against organized labor.
4. Taft-Hartley has helped employers to evade un
ionism.
5. Taft-Hartley has made it impossible for unions to
act together as a labor movement.
6. Taft-Hartley has increased hostility between em
ployees and employers.
7. Taft-Hartley has hindered settlement of “nation
al emergency strikes.”
BEGGARS WITH “CONDITIONS”
In Shanghai, China, General Chen Yi, one of the Chi
nese communist leaders, recently faced the fact that
material and technical help would be needed by his
country to develop and that the Soviet Union, and its
family of communist nations, now preoccupied with
their own reconstruction, would be unable to bear the
burden of such help.
The conclusion of the General was that the help
would have to come from somewhere else and, accord
ing to reliable reports, intimated that aid from any for
eign nation, including the United States and Great Bri
tain, would be welcome, provided it was offered on the
basis of “sovereign equality.” He insisted that com
munist China would not beg for assistance and would
not accept it with “imperialist conditions attached.”
While the general may not have had the authority to
speak for the communist party, the attitude expressed,
no doubt, reflects that of the leaders of the Red faction
in China. Granting the correctness of his conclusion,
that China needs outside assistance, those living in the
so-called “capitalist” countries, including the United
States, might be pordoned for smiling at the effort of
the suppliant to fix the terms and conditions of the aid
to be “accepted.”
It is about time for the United States to seriously con
sider the advantages that might accrue from letting in
digent people of undeveloped areas “stew in their own
juice.” If the rulers of these parts of the world do not
wish to cooperate with Western civilization, they might
as well learn that what happens will be more painful to
them than to the “capitalist” country they very fre
quently denounce.
! CONGRESS
I HIGHLIGHTS
‘Continued from Page One)
ham, Mass.
The Senate was making slow
■ progress in its scrap over new la
bor legislation. Consideration of
1 minor bills delayed a resumption
of debate.
Just when voting will begin on
amendments to the controversial
labor issue is uncertain. Some had
predicted it would begin Monday.
But the various proposals for
handling national erne r g e n c y
strikes have brought long and de
laying oratory. These are some of
the plans:
1. Senator Morse 'R.-Oro.) wants
to rely on Congress to act in each
separate strike that imperilled the
national health or safety. (Oppon
ents criticize this sharply on the
grounds that Congress is a “polit
ical arena,” that a filibuster could
block action, that Congress is too
slow, etc.)
2. Senator Tatt (R.-Ohio) pre
fers the curb already contained in
the Taft-Hartley act. This cuio:
court injunctions; (labor is bitter
ly against injunctions, and has the
backing of President Truman'.
3. Senators Douglas (D.-Ill.' and
Aiken (R.-Vt.) suggest government
seizure and operation of industries
up to 90 days, while an emer
gency board and the disputing
parties arbitrate. (Opponents say
this is unsound and “not fair” to
labor, although some labor lead
ers have indicated a willingness
to accept this plan). y
The House today considered
private relief bills. Other develop
ments on Capitol Hill:
Atomic—Two more Hanford,
Wash., atomic projects were haul
ed up for critical Congressional
scrutiny today by Senator Hicken
looper <R.-Iowa>. He has charged
the atomic energy commission
with “incredible mismanagement.”
Hearings are being held by the
Senate-House atomic committee.
Yesterday Hickenlooper criti
cized the building cost of a junior
high school at Hanford which ran
i about $2,000,000 more than the or
iginal $1,786,000 estimate. Today
he asked the AEC to explain <1) a
: iper dump and pipeline project,
and (2) lumber stockpiling at Han
ford.
Meanwhile, the Senate appro
priations sub-comm i 11 e e held
closed hearings to finish work on
a bill that includes an AEC re
.quest for $1,090,000,000 for the
fiscal year beginning July 1.
Housing — House Democrats
were called to a special party cau
cus today as administration lead
ers sought to put over the Presi
dent’s housing bill, already passed
by the Senate. In advance of the •
meeting of all 261 party members,
leaders indicated they might try
for a two-thirds vote to virtually
bind all House Democrat members
to support the measure calling for
slum clearance, low-rent public
housing, and rural farm home aid.
HOUSE APPROVES ALASKA
AGRICULTURE EXTENSION
HfP) Special Washington Service)
WASHINGTON </P), The House
approved yesterday legislation to
extend the same benefits for agri
culture extension work as States
have.
Congress determines annually
how much each State is to receive
but heretofore the maximum au
thorization for Alaska has been
less than for the States.
The House also approved legis
lation to increase the basic au
thorization for the agriculture ex
periment station in Alaska from
$37,500 to $75,000.