THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 '
$1.50 PER MONTH *16'00 A YEAH
w. A and EMILY BOUCHER.Editors
Entered as second class matter October 14 1943. at the postoftice at
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.__
Friday, October 19, 1945_
Alaska Day—October 18
* * *
SPEAKING OF FOLLY
When it was purchased from Russia we called it
“Seward’s Folly”—“Seven million dollars for that ice
box!”
_But if we don’t spend millions on developing
Alaska now we may learn what folly really is!—“Um-m
it is one-third as big as the United States—it is poten
tially rich and vitally important to the national de
fens'e—and Siberia IS pretty close, isn t it'
* * *
The Future of Alaska ...
Senator Magnuson has wisely proposed that the United
States Government institute a development program in
Alaska in proportion to Soviet Russia s undertakings
behind the northern coast of Siberia.
The Soviet enterprise, as Mr. Magnuson pointed out,
includes trunk highways already constructed in the |
Siberian maritime provinces, with a projected extensive ]
inter-connecting road system, and agricultural experi-;
ment stations and tset farms which are producing types,
of cereals and breeds of cattle adapted to the region. I
The Senator could have said more.
The same Siberian area has been thoroughly charted
bv a Soviet scientific mission to record for exploitation
the water power and mineral and timber resources.
Furthermore, Russia—in possession of Sakhalin and
the Kurile Islands—has been laying out airfields and
presumably seaport facilities in the Siberian north
above Vladivostok, making a vast strategic military
and naval base, which, if unmatched, wcuid give Rus
sia unchallenged command over a vast section of the
Northwest Pacific.
There is a reason for Russian activities.
Russia has regained the use of Port Arthur as a
"warm” harbor and has announced that the Russian
government intends to make its weight felt in Pacific
^ That alone is a sufficient reason why the United
States should give at least similar attention to Alaska
as an inte gral part of our own Pacific defenses.
But there is still another reason—the unused wealth
of Alaska belongs to us and should be utilized by us,
and^Alaska can support a population adequate for the
our pose.
We need Alaskan minerals.
Alaskan forestry can furnish enormous quantities of
lumber of which our own resources are becoming de
lved ’and wood pulp for our chamical and paper in
dustries, now mainly an import from foreign countries.
• Alaskan fisheries are of tremendous importance in
_ future food supply, while the rich fur-seal grounds
are in the Pribiloff Islands, off the shore of Alaska, in
the Bering Sea.
Alaska also lies under the “great circle” which makes
the shortest air route between our cities and the larg
est centers of Northern Asia.
We need commercial airfields in Alaska, and the late
war proved how vital Alaska is to our navy and avia
Uon forces, for our Pacific Coast defense line begins in
Alaska in the North.
Finally, Alaska is national territory and, unlike the
States on our mainland, requires to be developed by the
federal government, and can be so developed without
infringing upon state sovereignties.
Alaska has one-third the area of the United States
proper.
It can add inestimably to our national income and
equally to our national security, but not if we let it lie
neglected while Soviet Russia turns neighboring Si
beria into a productive stronghold.
—Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
:N * *
Alaska Tied By Ickes
The truest remark yet attributed to Secretary of the
Interior Harold L. Ickes on the subject of Alaska was
his statement that the nation’s attitude toward its
northern Territory “is nothing short of benighted.”
“As long as we treat Alaska like a stepchild it will re
spond as a stepchild,” Mr. Ickes asserts.
The whole history of Alaska from the purchase in
1867 bears out the truth of Mr. Ickes’ new thesis, though
the lament comes strangely enough from the lips of the
man whose late intention (only partially retracted) was
to give a good part of the Territory back to the aborig
ines.
Mr. Ickes, however, has become a champion of state
hood for Alaska, a proposition that is still hotly debated
among Alaskans themselves and others interested in
the future of the Territory.
During hearings before Congressional committees
last summer, Alaskans repeatedly declared that state
hood would be a “hollow shell” unless the stranglehold
of Washington bureaus is removed from the Territory’s
resources.
Rep. Jed Johnson, chairman of the committee of the
House which holds the purse strings of the Department
of the Interior, contends that Alaska is not ready for
statehood, “because it is not willing to pay the fiddler
and tax itself sufficiently to carry on state business.”
Another member of the same committee has advo
cated a vote by Alaska citizens on the desirability of
statehood, after widespread discussion of what the step
would cost.
After, too, it should be added, assurance that state
hood would remove the stranglehood of the bureaucrats
in Washington.
Thus Alaska, standing at the threshold of what might
be a new era of progress and usefulness to the nation,
still is blown by the bleak winds of controversy.
It has been and remains Alaska’s misfortune to be
treated like a stepchild. One of her greatest misfortunes
befell when she became the stepchild of Mr. Ickes and
his ilk.—Seattle Times.
*
DARK AHgft Of PEACE
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WASHINGTON
NEWS-LETTER
By MARY LEE COUNCIL
Secretary to E. L. (Bob) Bartlett,
Delegate to Congress from Alaska
DEPENDENTS OF MILITARY
PERSONNEL MAY NOW
ENTER TERRITORY
Following representations made
by Governor Gruening and Dele
gate Bartlett to Secretary of War
Patterson, instructions have been
issued allowing entrance into the
Territory of dependents to join
military personnel serving in
Alaska.
The permission granted will af
fect the personnel of both the
Army and Navy serving through
out the Territory with the excep
tion of the Aleutians and Kodiak.
While expressing themselves
pleased with the order, the Gov
ernor and the Delegate have
urged its extension to Kodiak.
IMPROVED MAIL SERVICE FOR
BRISTOL BAY REQUESTED
Upon the request of several
residents of the Bristol Bay area,
Delegate Bartlett has urged upon
the Post Office Department that
winter restriction be lifted on alll
mail to Koggiung, Naknek, Ege
gik, Pilot Point, Ugashik, Clarks
Point, Dillingham and Ekwak.
The Post Office Department
has informed Delegate Bartlett
that as the result of his request
an investigation into the feasibil
ity of improving the mail service
to the points mentioned has been
ordered.
It is hoped the investigation will
reveal that it will be possible to
lift the winter restrictions, thus
allowing parcel post to be sent
and delivered throughout the
year.
APPOINTMENT OF FOURTH
CLASS POSTMASTERS
The Senate has passed Delegate
Bartlett’s bill which provides that
persons already in Federal Gov
ernment service may be appoint
ed as postmasters of fourth-class
postoffices in Alaska.
Many post offices in the Terri
tory have been closed because the
only persons willing or able to
undertake the duties of postmas
ters have been teachers or special
assistants of the Alaska Native
Service. The Comptroller General
ruled sometime ago that a person
receiving payment from the Fed
eral Government for performing
services for one agency could not
receive compensation for perform
ing duties of another agency. Del
egate Bartlett’s bill thus rescinds
the ruling of the Comptroller Gen
eral, so far as appointment of
postmasters of fourth class offices
in Alaska is concerned.
The bill which passed the
House some weeks ago is now be
fore the President for his signa
ture.
ALASKA MAYORS APPOINTED
TO NATIONAL RIVERS AND
HARBORS CONGRESS
Delegate Bartlett has been in
formed that upon his recommen
dation mayors of twelve Alaska
communities have been appointed
to the advisory committee of the
National Rivers and Harbors Con
gress.
The Congress functions in the
interest of conservation and de- ^
velopment of the land and water
resources of the United States in A
connection with flood control,
navigation and irrigation.