THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 613
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 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.
Wednesday, November 20, 1946
Catastrophe. Catastrophe! Catastrophe?
Does it mean that Nome must go on taking it on the
chin because the government: city, territorial or federal
does not deem it their business to protect the interests
of a community such as Nome.
Does it mean that individuals who wish to do busi
ness on the south side of Front Street must each take
care of his own property regardless of what his neigh
bor wishes to do about it.
Does it mean that, as happened this past summer, a
group of south-siders banded together for mutual pro
tection to put in a cooperative bulkhead.
Does it mean that we, each, as John Q. Citizen, must
assist in moving supplies to safe storage during each
storm, and then stand helplessly by and watch build
ings and businesses washed away by the unrelenting
sea.
Thus far it seems that Nome is doomed to remain
“punch-drunk” or “slap-happy” with a “show-must-go
on” attitude without asking for outside assistance. The
government has a greater interest in this area than any
group of individuals and should be made to see its obli
gation to maintain adequate protection for its citizenry.
Within the past month Nome has been visited by
three catastrophes—a fire in which the lives of three
children were snuffed out—two storms, 21 days apart,
which wiped out the business district on the south side
of Front Street, east of the M. & M. Bank, and severely
damaged other south side businesses.
The losses brought on by the direct route are great.
But, the losses because of the real estate eaten up by
the “sea monster” will reflect greatly upon the tax in
come to the City, which is already far too little for the
present economy, but also in loss of taxes to the Terri
tory and severe losses to the government in income tax.
It is well to bring home the points of interest to each
and every branch of government concerned.
Since the point was made about the loss of city rev
enue, it must be noted that the loss must be made up
from the other businesses in the town, whether on
Front Street or in some other part of town. The tax in
come to the city must be made up. John Q. Public will
have to foot the bill whether he lives in a house on stilts
hanging out over the water or lives on higherprotected
ground. The bills will be paid.
Since it is going to cost us something, let’s get all we
can in protection for our money.
In the case or event of a catastrophe, what sort of a
plan of action have we? None.
What protection have we that the same type of catas
trophe will not recur? None. What assurance have we
that we can cope with the situation without outside as
sistance? None.
Can we keep on taking it on the chin without com
plaining? No. There is only one solution. George cannot
do it alone. Tom, Dick and Harry, (John Q*. Citizen),
will have to pitch in and give a hand. It takes coopera
tion to put anything across, and we have some very big
problems ahead, beginning right now.
Nome needs some definite plan of action in the event
of major d is taster such as the three which occurred dur
ing the past thirty days. Definite, orderly organization
should be, and can be had, with careful planning.
If Nome is to reclaim the south side of Front Street
,as a business area with taxable income to the city, there
wil lhave to be assistance from the government, in the
building of adequate protection. Perhaps a break-water
would do the trick, at considerable cost. Not being en
HO*. LET* ALL M CALM
MANAGEMENT
gineers, we can only dream and imagine, or make arm
chair suggestions. But, in spite of our lack of experi
ence in the matter, we realize that something must be
done, AND SOON!
Labor Must Face It
(The Denver Post)
Organized labor is not being frank with itself when
it tries to evade a major share of responsibility for
what happened at the polls on election day. First reac
tions of labor leaders to the Democratic blowup dis
close a general unwillingness to face the facts.
None illustrates this better than Harry Bridges,
president of the CIO longshoremen’s union, who called
the Republican avalanche “a cry of protest against
Truman and his complete betrayal of the Roosevelt
program and promises.”
Now this, of course, is a flight into the upper reaches
of fantasy, and an extreme disservice to labor. For, un
less labor truly understands its role in the downfall of
its Democratic allies, then the comeuppance it will re
ceive from January’s Republican congress will be all
the more severe.
Labor must face it. The end of its long era of politi
cal domination is at hand. It has been a fruitful part
nership for labor, this merger of the big unions and the
national administration. It has given America’s organ
ized workers power equaled in no other time or place.
And it has been labor’s irresponsible abuse of that
power, as much as an yother single factor, which has
brought the sunset of a sympathetic administration.
The new congress, with a workable majority of Re
publicans and enough conservative Democratic votes
to override Truman vetoes, will certainly set about
rectifying injustices in our present system of labor re
lations.
iThe proposals for accomplishing this purpose wi
range from moderate to extreme—and it still rests to
some degree with labor which laws will be adopted. B'
this we mean labor’s conduct during the months ahead.
Labor still has friends in congress, and they will
fight for moderation of union-restrictive legislation.
Their success will depend upon the cooperation they
get from the organized workers.
A new rash of strikes this fall and winter—such as
the coal strike which John L. Lewis is now holding
over the nation’s head—will destroy this hope.
THAT’S THAT
The 25 per cent increase last
month in air mail revenue of the
Denver postoffice shows that cut-'
ting the air mail postage rate to i
5 cents was good business. It en- j
couraged greater use of air mail.
Postmaster Stevie predicts a still
greater increase as the public be
comes accustomed to the new rate.
By BRUCE GUSTIN
It shouldn’t belong until another
reduction in the air mail rate will
be justified.
Certainly the United States
should keep control of Japanese
mandated islands in the Pacific
which are essential to this coun
try’s security. American owner
ship, as reportedly favored by the
armed forces, would be prefer
to the trusteeship system fav<
by President Truman. His ide
that we should ask the United
tions to give the United States
sole trusteeship of these isla;
But they were captured by Am
can forces during the war. T
are now in American possess
Why should we ask the United
tions or anybody for permiss oi
keep what we already have?
A trusteeship granted by
United Nations might not be f
manent. If we ask that, it will c
stitute an admission that
United Nations have the right
dispose of these islands. There
be no assurance that even an
elusive trusteeship which might
granted to the United States wo
last. What the United Nati
grant, they also take away. If tl
tried to take away an Ameri<
trusteesnip, our veto might bl
that. And the resulting controve
might split the international
ganization wide open.
Close on the heels of the Am<
can protest against sticking
United States for half the cost
running the United Nations, S
iet Russia asailed the proposed
million dollar U. N. budget
“swollen” and called for a sh;
reduction. The fact that Ur
Sam is balking at paying m
than a fair share may force
U. N. spenders to lower th
sights. If they have to spend m
of their own money, they may f;
they can get along on consideral
less than was planned when tl
thought the United States woi
take care of half the bill.
A dangerous precedent has b<
established in the United Nati<
by the decision to take up Pol
proposals to break off diploma
relations with the Franco regi;
in Spain and exclude Spain fn
participating in any agency c(
nected with U. N. This interi
tional organization is not suppos
j to meddle in the internal affa
1 of any notion. But that is what
proposed in the case of Spain.
Soviet Russia is back of the a
tation in the U. N. to ostracize t
Franco government and bn
about its overthrow. Of course t
J Franco government is a dictat<
j ship. But so is the government
I Russia and in many other cou
l tries. The Franco regime is Fj
1 cist. In spite of Henry Wallac
opinion that Communism is “i
finitely better than Fascism,” th
are both totalitarian, dictator sj
terns, tarred with the same stic
The “public-be-dammed” poli
of some labor leaders is increasi
public pressure for drastic acti«
| by the next congress to put a st
to strikes. One of the first thin
that needs to be done is revise t;
Wagner act which invites strik
by forcing employers to negotia
contracts with labor unions ai
then leaves the unions free
break those contracts with impu
ity. The coal situation is a case
! point. John L. Lewis negotiated
contract with the government a
ter it took over the coal mines
end a strike. And now thousam
of Lewis’ miners have walked o
the iob In plain violation of the
contract
Opinions may differ as to tl
exact meaning of the Republic*
landslide in the recent electic
but one thing is absolutely certal
It did not mean any change i
American foreign policy. In tl
first place, foreign policy was n<
an issue in the campaign. And \
the second place, the policy ai
; nounced by Democratic Secretai
of State Byrnes is a bipartisa
policy. Republican Senator Vai
denberg of Michigan played a
important part in formulating i