THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome, Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
S1.50 PER MONTH S16.00 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, March 22, 1946
COMMITTEE REPORT
FAVORS TERRITORY
Last August, 1945, The House Committee on Terri
tories paid a visit to Alaska, and under date of February
13, 1946, made their report to the House of Representa
tives.
The entire report is practically summed up in the
following:
“Alaska is a rugged, frontier area with many natural
resources of great value and good* possibilities for
growth and developments.
“There are many very fine little cities, towns, and
communities in Alaska occupied by fine, progressive,
sound-thinking American citizens. But these cities and
towns, as has been indicated, are scattered over a large
area covering millions of acres and thousands of miles.
None of them have anything like adequate transporta
tion facilities connecting them with each other or with
the States. In fact, the most of them have no facilities
at all except by air, or by very irregular steamship serv
ice. It is indeed surprising to see the fine progress that
is being made and the fine spirit prevailing among the
people when we take into account the difficulties of
travel, the scanty facilities provided, and the exceeding
ly high charges for the use of such facilities as do exist.1
“Alaska has, generally speaking, a hard climate, but
one that many prefer. Those who are able to adjust
themselves seem to be getting along well.
“Large portions of the area have never been fully |
explored, and there is no complete data as to the full
extent of minerals and other natural resources within
that area.
Alaska is capable of supporting a population much 1
larger than that now living the^e. It is capable of af
fording many opportunities. . . .”
Strategic Importance of Alaska
“The Territory of Alaska is now recognized as one
of the most strategic areas of the world and, therefore,
Occupies a most vital position in the life of our country.
At the same time it is still largely a frontier area and, as
such, those who cast their lot and their fortunes within
the Territory are confronted with the natural problems
typical of such a new and undeveloped section.
“Our Nation alone can act toward safeguarding and
developing Alaska, and it is our Nation and our people
that would stand to suffer should we fail to recognize
and assume this responsibility.
“Our country should not be negligent in opening up
Alaska to new settlers and providing opportunities for
them to become economically secure. To establish a
stable economy for a sizable population of American;
citizens within the Territory is one of the best safe
guards we can take.
Basic Transportation Facilities Needed
“The first and foremost need in Alaska is a basic
transportation system. Such a system must of necessity
include rail, highway, and water transportation facili
ties. These should also be coordinated with air trans
portation. In order for such facilities to be of great value
in developing Alaska they must offer rates low enough
to make such facilities available to persons of moderate
means. With this basic need supplied, Alaska’s popula
tion and conditions generally within the Territory
should take on a normal, healthy, and continuing
growth. Other improvements and developments would
then naturally follow in sequence. . . .
Comments on Transportation Rates
“The entire rate structure on such transportation fa
cilities as now exist—railway, steamship, airways, and
_frSTTIHg m SHAPE foe THINGS TO COME
S
highways—is now entirely too high for their proper use
in developing Alaska. With the basic transportation
facilities coordinated there should be a reevaluation of
the entire rate structure. Other air lines should be per
mitted option to compete with present lines. . . .”
RARE PHENOMENON WITNESSED HERE
(Courtesy U. S. Weather Bureau)
The optical phenomenon produced by the sun Thurs
day morning at about ten a.m., was not only spectacular,
but it was also a rare phenomenon. This phenomenon
was unusual also in that it was man-made.
An airplane flying at about 7000 feet produced vapor
trails. These vapor-trails spread out until a thin layer
of clouds very nearly covered the whole sky. Vapor
trails consist of very fine ice crystals or snow and the
light from the sun shining through these crystals will
take several paths and produces, in each case, a corre
sponding and peculiar optical phenomenon. This phe
nomenon is known as refraction.
In the particular display there were four distinct
halos of various sizes. The bright spots on each side of
the sun are known as sun-dogs, mock suns or parhelia.
The several halos observed are known as the 22 halo,
46° halo, and the circumzenithal arc. These halos are
produced by refraction of the sun by the ice crystal and
their formation is definitely known and understood.
However there are some halos that are very rarely seen,
and in this particular display there was one such halo,
almost directly overhead. There is little knowledge
about the formation of this latter type of halo.
WAS CHURCHILL MISUNDERTOOD?
It is NOT surprising that efforts of former British
Prime Minister Churchill to promote an alliance be
tween the United States and Great Britain are misun
derstood on both sides of the Atlantic. Over in England,
he told a joint session of the Virginia legislature, he has
been accused of trying to make Britain the forty-ninth
state of the American union, while in this country some
people think he is trying to get the United States to re
enter the British empire.
During the war, Churchill once decleared that he did
not become his majesty’s first minister to preside over
dissolution of the British empire. He is still trying to
preserve that empire. The end of the war found the
United States and Russia the two greatest world pow
ers. They both were strengthened militarily while Brit
ain was weakened, by that conflict. British hope of sur
| vival as a great power now depends upon a closo work
ing agreement with either the United States or Russia
I or both. And it is only natural that they should look
| first to the United States.
J
AMPLE FOOD TO SHARE
WASHINGTON—The drive for
a voluntary belt-tightening under
the direction of former President
Hoover, in order that famines in
Europe and Asia might be averted,
orobably will still find the United
States with the fullest market bas
ket in history.
The “probably” is there because
a bad growing season might cut
into present estimates of 1946
crops. But if all turns out as the
Department of Agriculture ex
‘pects, we can voluntarily reduce
our diets and still eat better than
we have in any previous year.
Except for sugar, eggs and
wheat, there will be more of vir
tually everything than there was
in 1945 and—except for sugar
alone—far more than in the 1935
1939 pre-war years.
The sugar shortage, along with
the shortages in fats and oils, is
a world shortage that the United
States can’t do much about re
lieving.
The President has promised
370,000.000 pounds of fats ann
vegetable oils to the stricken na
tions. This may cut a bit into
civilian diets here, but that is only
a little more than 5 percent of the
6.7 billion pounds forecast for this
year. Butter, classed as a fat by
the Department of Agriculture,
probably won’t be plentiful on the
table this year.
The egg situation is far from
anything to worry about. Civilians
will have an average of 365 eggs
apiece this year. While they con
sumed an average of 390 apiece
last year, they only got away with
298 each in the 1935-39 period.
While it is estimated that there
will be four pounds of flour less
per person this year than last, it
still will amount to 157 pounds,
four more than was consumed in
the five-year base prewar period.
It is estimated that there will be
ten pounds more per person of
fresh fruits than the 138 pounds
i of prewar days; nine pounds more
• of dairy products than the 801
I pounds; 15 pounds more of pro
I cessed fruits and vegetables than
the 67 pounds of 1935-39.
The meat situation will be much
better than last year. The depart
! ment estimated that there would
be 150 pounds of red meats and
■ 29 pounds of poultry meats avail
able for every man, woman and
child in the country this year.
That compares with 132 pounds of
the former and 29 pounds of the
latter last year and 126 and 21
pounds respectively in the base
i period.
Starting from this level, Hoover
! and his associates shouldn’t have i
such a hard time convincing the
nation that “our national self-re
‘spect and duties as human beings”
; (as President Truman put it) de
mand that we voluntarily sacrifice
a little from our groaning tables
to relieve what appears to be the
! worst food crisis in the history of
Europe and Asia.
Once the drive gets under way
and the tragic condition of starv
ing millions brought home to the
American people, it’s almost cer
tain they will rise to the occasion.
They always have—even when
they had far less than now.
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