THE
NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
64th Year No. 74
NOME, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1963
Per Copy 150
JFK Outlines Civil Rights Program
He Will Propose Next Week Based On
“Race Has No Place In American Life”
WASHINGTON OP — President
Kennedy has warned the nation
discrimination against Negroes has
lighted “fires of frustration and
discord” that threaten lives and
the public safety.
The President outlined a broad
legislative program he will pro
pose to Congress next week. He
said it will be based on the propo
sition “that race has no place in
American life or law.”
A great change is at hand, he
said, and “our task, our obligation,
is to make that revolution, that
change, peaceful and constructive
for all.”
Kennedy appeared Tuesday eve
ning on radio and television in a
fireside civil rights lecture to
Americans of both north and
south only hours after Alabama
Gov. George Wallace bowed to
federal pressure and stepped aside
to let two Negro students register
at the previously all-white Uni
versity of Alabama.
“I hope that every American,
regardless of where he lives, will
stop and examine his conscience
about this and other related inci
dents,” said Kennedy.
“When Americans are sent to
Viet Nam or West Berlin, we do
not ask for whites only,” he said.
“It ought to be possible, therefore,
for American students of any color
to attend any public institution
they select without having to be
backed up by troops.”
“In short,” Kennedy added,
“every American ought to have
the right to be treated as he would
wish to be treated, as one would
wish his children to be treated.
But this is not the case.”
Kennedy, declaring that Ameri
ca faces “a moral crisis as a coun
try and as a people,” said he will
ask Congress to make a civil rights
commitment “it has not fully made
in this century.”
The President said he will pro
pose legislation that would:
1. Prohibit stores, hotels, restau
rants and theaters from discrimin
ating against Negroes.
2. Allow the federal government
to take a more active part in court
suits aimed at desegregating pub
lic schools.
Open House for New FA A
Flight Service Station
During Midnight Festival
Federal Aviation Administration
officials are inviting the public to
take part in the opening of Nome’s
modern new Flight Service Station
at the Nome Airport.
On Saturday morning, June 22,
as a feature of the Midnight Sun
Festival, a motorcade of cars will
leave from the Federal Bldg., at
10 oclock.
Anyone wishing to ride to the
opening ceremonies will find
FAA cars waiting on the street
in front of the Midnight Sun Festi
val headquarters.
On the arrival of the motor
cade to the new building, the
reigning Queen of the Midnight
Sun Festival, Ann Chambers, will
cut the ribbon to officially open
the Flight Service Bldg.
The visitors will be taken on a
tour of the building and the na
vigational aides will be explained.
It is expected that Sen. E. L.
Bartlett will be in Nome from
Washington, D.C., for this official
opening.
3. Afford greater protection for
Negroes’ right to vote.
Acknowledging that new laws
are not enough, Kennedy said,
however, that in too many parts
of the country wrongs are in
flicted on Negroes because they
have no remedies at law—and
“unless the Congress acts, their
only remedy is the street.”
In Congress, leaders of both
parties promised to put their
shoulders to the wheel.
“I recognize that Congress has
a responsibility in this field,” said
Senate Republican leader Everett
Dirksen.
Senate Democratic leader Mike
Mansfield predicted, “We’ll have
civil rights legislation at this ses
sion and it looks like we will be
in session for the remainder of
the year.”
But from a southern Democrat
came warnings of filibuster and
violence.
“If the President tries to enforce
his legislative proposals I think
it will mean violence,” said Sen.
Allen Ellender, (D-La.).
“The threat I just heard tonight
that the Negroes will lie in the
streets if there is a filibuster —
which there will be — will mean
a lot of bloodshed. I’m sorry this
is what is in store — more vio
lence, bloodshed without question.”
FOREIGN WINNERS
ROME {ft — Gregory Peck, Ger
aldine Page and Darryl Zanuck
were foreign winners last night
of 1963 David of Donatello awards,
among Italy’s top film prizes.
Italian winners were Gina Lol
lobrigida, Silvana Mangano, Vit
torio Gassman and Vittorio de
Sica.
The miniature golden reproduc
tions of Donatello’s statue will be
presented July 27 to Peck as the
best foreign actor for “To Kill
a Mocking Bird,” to Miss Page
as best foreign actress for “Sweet
Bird of Youth,” and to Zanuck for
“The Longest Day,” named the
best foreign film.
TWO BOYS FROM NOME are making iheir first trip away from
the Arctic this summer spending their school vacation at the farm
of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph O'Connell of Hammond. Wis. Charles
Tucker. 12. left, and Larry Keller. 12. are shown with Pat
O'Connell, who was their teacher last winter. The three flew
to Anchorage and drove the remaining 3.800 miles to Wisconsin
over the Alcan Highway with another Nome teacher. They plan to
return to Alaska in early August. Larry and Charles are having
their first experiences with farm life, big cities, and the com
parative fast life in the south 48. One of their first big attractions,
of course, was trees. Probably one of the biggest kicks the boys
have, however, is laughing at people and saying. "No. we don't
have any penguins and we don't live in igloos.
Negro Civil Rights
Leader Gunned
Down in the Dark
A Mississippi Negro civil rights
leader was killed today by a bul
let fired into his back from the
darkness.
In Maryland, two white men
were wounded by gunfire in a race
riot in Cambridge.
In contrast with violence else
where, two Negro students strolled
peacefully across the University
of Alabama campus today to their
first day of classes. Federalized
National Guardsmen and U.S. Mar
shals stood watch over the tran
quil scene.
North and south, what President
Kennedy last night called discri
mination — ignited “fires of frus
tration and discord’’ burned in
mass protest demonstrations,
picketing, sit-ins and conflict.
Within hours of Kennedy’s ad
dress, Edgar Evers, 37, Mississippi
field secretary of the National
Assn, for the Advancement of
Colored People, returned to his
home from an integration meet
ing. He was shot down in his
carport as he stepped from his
automobile and died within an
hour.
(Continued on Page 2)
Exercise “Arctic Shore”
Part of exercise “Arctic Shore”
by Co. F of the 23rd Infantry, Ft.
Richardson, got underway yester
day with three “boxcars” bringing
in the advance party with cars
and equipment.
This morning the airdrop involv
ing about 150 men will take place
over Satellite Field and maneuvers
will continue for four days with
vehicles and tanks being dropped
to carry on the exercise.
Co. F is the only tactical air
borne unit in Alaska.
On platoon from the battle
group’s Co. B will act as the ag
gressors for the maneuver and
they will attempt to hold the air
strip against F Co.’s airborne as- ,
sault. ,
This is the first drop of heavy
equipment the airborne company
has staged since it was activated
at Ft. Richardson last year.
First White Student
In 88 Years Enrolls
At Negro University
HUNTSVILLE. Ala. UP) — While
two Negro students were enrolling
under court order at the University
of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, a white
student enrolled at a Negro school
here.
The white student, Robert Muc
kel, 29, a chemistry teacher from
Utica, Neb., signed up yesterday
for summer classes at Alabama
A & M under a National Science
Foundation grant.
Muckel is believed to be the
first white student in the school’s
88-year history.
Muckel said he did not know
that A & M was a Negro school
until he applied for campus quar
ters for his family.
“I am no martyr,” he said. ‘‘I
came here just to continue my
education.”
Nevada Voters Nix
Sales Tax for Schools
CARSON CITY, Nev. W —
Nevada voters surprised state leg
islators yesterday and turned down
a proposed one per cent sales tax
increase that would have been
spent on schools.
With unofficial returns almosl
complete, the proposal got onl>
17,134 votes. There were 34,23<
against passage—a 2 to 1 margin
The turnout was an estimated 5
per cent of the 102,282 registere
voters. ,
The extra penny tax would ha\
raised an estimated $10 million
year, much of which would ha\
gone for emergency school aid.
The 1963 legislature submitte
the tax package after rejecting an
boost in gambling taxes—a mai
source of income for Nevada.
Gov. Egan Foresees More
Japanese Investments
HONOLULU UP — Gov. Wm.
Egan of Alaska arrived from Japan
for an overnight visit yesterday
and said he is optimistic his two
weeks of talks with Tokyo business
leaders will mean “even more
Japanese investments” in the 49th
State. ,
Egan said Japan has made “de
cided investments” in Alaska, par
ticularly in the development of oil,
gas, timber and copper. “And we
expect even more Japanese money
in Alaska to help our iron indus
try,” he said. “We’re working on
this now.”
The Alaska governor spent 16
days in Tokyo conferring with
businessmen on Japanese-Alaska
trade and investments. He noted
few states rely as heavily on
foreign trade as Alaska.
“Part of this,” he said, “can
be attributed to the fact that Alas
ka is in a strategic location on the
Pacific rim. Our ports are closer
to Japan than to the rest of the
United States.
“And we have a wealth of natu
ral resources which has laid dor
mant for so long. These are the
resources which Japan needs.”
Egan, accompanied by his wife,
will fly home to Juneau today.
0 '
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WEATHER OUTLOOK
Continued fair with occasional
patches of fog.
Low tonight 35, high tomorrow
50.
In the last 24 hours: High of
52, low of 35. Max. wind 17 mph
from the east. Sunrise at 1:24 a.m.,
sunset at 10:39 p.m.
Temps, a year ago today: High
of 44, low of 36. Extremes on this
dates since 1907: High of 78 in
1937, low of 29 in 1933.
End of an Era: Last Dog Sled Mail
Route Terminated on St. Lawrence
WASHINGTON UP — A color
ful era for the U.S. mails — the
dog sled — will end officially with
fanfare tomorrow.
Actually, Chester Noongwook
made his last dog sled run last
January, when an airplane took
over his route on St. Lawrence
Island.
But postal oldtimers decided j
that there should be more to it 1
than that, as the dog sled takes |
its place in postal history along;
with the colonial post rider, the,
overland mail and the pony ex
press.
So ceremonies were arranged
when it became known that Asst. 1
Postmaster Gen. Wm. Hartigan
would be making a visit to Fair
banks.
Noongwook will be on hand to
receive a certificate commending
him for “exceptional services in !
carrying the United States mails, j
under difficult conditions — in the
finest traditions of the American
postal service.”
And Hartigan will tell Noong
wook that both he and his dogs
will be on a standby basis, so that
the mails will go through as al
ways if, for any reason, the planes
should fail.
Noongwook is only 27, but his
route is an old one. It has been
handed down for generations.
Noongwook’s own huskies won’t
be on hand for the Fairbanks
ceremonies, but Alaska postal of
ficials arranged to have a similar
team present.
The last of the dog sled mail
carriers normally used 10 or 12
dogs over his 100-mile route from
I November through May. The rest
of the year, he used a boat.
The dog route followed the
northern coastline of St. Lawrence
Island, between Gambell and Sa
voonga. The boat route went di
rectly over open sea between the
points.
Noongwook received about $40
for his weekly roundtrip.
The growth in air transportation
spelled the end of mail delivery
by dog sled in remote areas. Dog
sled routes were numerous during
the closing decades of the last cen
tury and well into the 1920’s and
beyond in some areas.
To properly take note of the
Fairbanks ceremonies, the Post Of
fice Dept, delved into some past
history and came up with these
tidbits:
It was commonplace in the old
days for the sleds to carry 700
pounds of mail. Sometimes two
sleds were coupled together, with
as many as 25 dogs used.
A typical dog sled route was
over the bleak and hazardous trail
between Kotzebue and Barrow, 650
miles, where temperatures often
reached 60 below zero. North of
the Arctic Circle, mails often were
carried all year round over ice.
As late as the 1920s, about 75
per cent of the offices in the Alas
ka interior not served by rail
road had to be served by man and
dogs.
The official passing of the dog
sled will mean some revision in
the speeches of postal officials.
They long pointed to the dog sled
as a symbol of postal versatility.