THE NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
VOL. 46.— No. 93. NOME, ALASKA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1943. PER COPY—15c
CLAIMS TO
BE PAID
. SHORTLY
Persistent work on the part of
the Alaska Office of Price Ad
ministration to break the log
jam of unpaid shipping claims,
which has been a major head
ache for retal merchants
throughout the Territory, has
been successful, according to
word received today by Mildred
R. Herman, Alaska Director of
OPA "from Guy Green, Jr., Re
gional Enforcement Attorney of
the Ninth Region, who at Mrs.
^ Hermann’s request has been
handling the problem with the
War Shipping Administration in
Washington, D. C.
According to word transmitted
by Mr. Green, report received
from the Alaska Steamship Com
pany indicate that out of ap
proximately 1,000 claims proces
sed, 18 per cent have been paid
and 80 per cent have been ap
proved and forwarded to Alas
kan agents for payment. Only
two per cent of the claims were
disallowed and 2,000 are still
pending. Due to the manpower
shortage, work on this matter has
been slowed up to some extent,
the report stated. It is expected
that similar reports will be re
ceived from other steamship
companies in the near future.
Unpaid claims for loss or dam
ages to goods in process of ship
« ment have represented a very
serious problem to retail mer
chants, Mrs. Hermann explained.
Without definite clarification as
to responsibility in the matter,
the steamship companies have
been reluctant to settle claims
until definitely directed to by W.
S. A. Losses have been heavy, due
to inexperienced help and con
siderable pilfering and have
greatly added to the merchants’
cost of doing business, an item
which had to be absorbed by the
merchant, since it is not charge
able to direct cost and could not
be passed on to the consumer.
The Alaska Office of Price
Administration has been working
on this matter for a long time,
Mrs. Hermann stated, and is
deeply gratified at the success
of its efforts.
“Merchants are advised to pre
sent their claims promptly, giv
ing all information necessary to
enable the transportation com
pany to understand the problem
* involved. Settlement may be de
layed, but they may feel sure
that proper procedure has now
been developed and that all al
lowable claims will be paid, Mrs.
Hermann said.
BAD WEATHER
SLOWS ITALIAN
. OPERATIONS
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
ALGIERS, Nov. 12.—(P)—Head
quarters in Algiers reported ex
tremely bad weather on the dif
ficult terrain in front of the
German’s winter defense line,
which has slowed considerably
the Allied drive in Italy.
Limited gains were reported
by the Allied headquarters which
• said a 10-mile advance by Clark’s
American Fifth Army, which
captured one more commanding
feature on the slopes of Mouni
Camino near Magnana, western
end of the Allied line.
It was also announced that
Gen. Montgomery’s Eighth Army
engaged in sharp patrol skir
mishes near the central sector
♦ of Acquavia exchanging artil
lery fire with the Germans across
the Sangro river in easy stages.
A “powerful German counter
attack” succeeded in taking a hill
position and a village in South
’'’Migano, a German communique
said.
ATTENTION ARCTIC CLUB
MEMBERS AND GUESTS
Reservations for the DINNER
DANCE to behel d Saturday
November 20th at the Nevada
• Lounge, must be made by noon
Saturday, November 13th. Ac
» commodations are limited. $2.50
per plate payable with reser
vation. Phone Main 129 or Main
31.
IMMINENT
ASSAULT IS
EXPECTED
WASHINGTON. Nov. 12. —
(AP)—Signs In the South Pa
cific pointed toward imminent
assault against the Japanese from
three quarters, all aimed in a
central direction towards Toyko.
American forces are in the fi
nal stage of preparations in co
ormated drive to slash off the
southern part of the richest half
half of the enemy’s conquered
of the enemy’s conquered em
pire and at the same time gain
new footholds in further strides
toward the Japanese mainland in
two areas other th«* the South
Pacific area.
In the Australian zone the
current operations of Allied lead
ers have been massing a striking
power for months on one of these
t potential theatres in the Central
Pacific, under command of Ad
miral Nrmitz.
Ir. the Ind:a-Burma area, un
der Britain’s commando expert,
Admiral Mountbatten it is the
informed belief here Nimitz and
Mountbatten will throw forces of
action in coordination with ma
jor operations by Gen. MacAr
thur in the south. This will bring
pressure to bear on the Japanese
from three directions and mini
mize their ability to resist at
every point.
RED ARMY
ADVANCES
10 MILES
—
LONDON. Nov. 12.—(AP>—
Reuters news agency reported
from Moscow today that the Red
Army stormed a point 10 miles
northeast of the western Ukraine
rail center of Zhitomir, on the
last north and south railroad
held by the Germans, east of the
pre-war Polish-Ukraine boun
dary.
The Germans were said in
■ various Russian dispatches to
have applied torches to the Cri
mean port city of Kerch, the
population of which is reported
to be 105,000 people.
The Germans were infested
from two sides by Russian am
phibious units which shuttled
across the narrow Kerch Straits
from the Caucasus.
The Moscow radio declared
that the German line in the Go
mel sector of White Russia, near
the famed Pripet Marshes was
i “broken”. h
British Broadcasting Company
said that it was In this area the
Germans said yesterday that the
Russians were attacking with nu
merous rifle divisions and masses
of tanks, and numerous planes.
It is reported the Russian gain
of the Zhitomer area may mean
an overnight advance of Vatu
tin’s first Ukraine army of 18
miles to place the Russians with
in 70 miles of the old Polish
frontier.
A German communique assert
ed that Nazi Rumanian troops
halted Russian attempts to ex
tend their bridgeheads around
Kerch and thwarted efforts of
the Red Army to reinforce their
pasitions already established on
the eastern shores of the Black
Sea peninsula.
ANOTHER DENIAL
Elsewhere in this issue of The Nugget there appears
verbatim a reprint of an article which dealt with an al
leged food wastage on the beach of Nome.
Recently, The Nugget received a letter from Butler,
Indiana, inquiring as to the truth of the statements
made in this article, and further seeking to know “how
come” such could be the case when, in their particular
instance, they presumably were “on short rations” and
could see no justification for such “waste”.
Herewith we reprint the letter:
Butler, Indiana
“To the Postmaster,
Nome, Alaska.
“Dear Sir:
“Am enclosing an article taken from The News-Sen
tinel of recent date, which is published in Ft. Wayne,
Ind. The story seems almost incredible to us here in
Indiana and I would appreciate very much either a con
irmation or denial of its truth.
Here in this land of plenty, we are on rather short
rations, to which we are perfectly willing to submit, if
the food which we are compelled to go without is used
for any good purpose. But to have this food so shame
fully wasted is not much to our liking.
“Am enclosing a self-addressed stamped envelope
and would appreciate very much a reply stating wheth
er this article is true or just ‘enemy propaganda’.
“Thanking vou in advance,
‘^incereiy
SUSAN A. BLAKER”
In rebuttal, OPA Director Sidney Rood denied such
statements, declaring all food on hand at the time was
protected in warehouses and in good condition at all
times.
Mr. Rood’s denial appears in full below:
“NOME, Alaska—(UP)—Reports that extravagant
amounts of food and supplies had been shipped by the
government to Nome and allowed to spoil on the beach
were vigorously denied recently by Nome OPA Direc
tor Sidney Rood.
“ ‘All food is properly warehoused and in good condi
tion, Rood told the United Press.
“ ‘Such a report is entirely false and I believe it eman
ates from a deliberate attempt of a trouble-maker. This
lie may be propaganda to stir cynicism and complaint
among American people during this period of rationing.
“ ‘I believe, however, that it emanates from a dis
gruntled local merchant who has attempted to blud
geon the government into selling him goods cheap.
“ ‘I am the custodian of these civilian goods which are
in excellent condition.’
“The reports also were branded as false by Ralph
Kitzmiller, a Nome city councilman.”
LEGATIONS
IN MEETING
OTTAWA, Nov. 12.—(AP)—
The Canadian legation and
Washington’s United States lega
tion here raised the status of
embassy minister to foreign coun
tries and elevated their rank
to ambassador.
Canada thus becomes the first
British Dominion to establish
an office of highest diplomatic
status in a foreign country, while
the United States becomes the
first nation to establish an office
of similar status In this British
Dominion.
a -- -
PETER BERG IN
NOME ON VISIT
Pete Berg, well-known Nome
ite, is in town on a visit. His
home at present is in Kodiak
with Mrs. Berg and daughter",
Norma. Hs son, Harold, is with
the armed forces in the Aleu
tians.
ADM. ROCKWELL
DECORATED
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.—
(AP)—The Navy department to
day announced the award of the
Legion of Merit to Rear Admiral
Rockwell 47, for meritorious
conduct as commander of the as
sault force which attack Attu.
Admiral Rockwell, a native of
Woodstock, Conn., lives with his
wife Mrs. Mary Allison Rock
well at Coronado, Calif.
He is commander of the am
phibious force in the U. S. Pa
ficic fleet and was formerly com
mandant of the 16th naval dis
trict with headquarters at Ca
vite at the outbreak of the war.
ROY ADKINS IS
PROUD FATHER
Roy Adkins is wearing a broad
smile today, having received
a telegram stating that he has
a new daughter. Mrs. Adkins and
daughter Sharon ^ left Nome
about a month ago.
ARMY PRIVATE
IS GIVEN
HIGH HONORS
•
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 —
(AP)—An army private, former
ly a Colorado farm laborer who
led an American battalion to
victory in the high snow-bound
mountains of Attu almost single
handedly to break the final Jap
resistance there, was awarded
the nation’s highest decoration
posthumously.
He was awarded the Congres
sional Medal of Honor it was an
nounced at Secretary of War
Stimson’s press conference today.
The War Department head told
of the heroic and gallant action
of Joe P. Martinez, 23, of Ault
Colorado, who fell under the hail
of Jap bullets with his rifle still
in action.
The incident occurred last May
as American forces ware bat
tling in one of the bitterest en
gagements in the Pacific war to
smash the enemy’s hold on stra
tegic Attu.
The medal will be presented to
i the young soldier’s father, Man
j uel Martinez, by Major Gen.
Frederick Uhl, commanding gen
eral of the Seventh Service Com
mand at the Martinez home near
Ault, on November 16th.
FREED OF
CHARGE
—
NASSAU. Bahamas, Nov. 12.—
(AP)—Alfred De Marigny was
today freed of murdering the
fabously rich Sir Harry Oakes,
by the Bahamas Supreme Court.
He immediately hurried to the
arms of his wife, Nancy daugh
| ter of the man he was accused of
murdering.
i
NA3IED FIRST
AR3IY NURSE
Miss Clara Kuhlman the nurse
in charge of the Maynard Cpl
| umbus Hospital, has received
word that her application for U.
S. Army nurse has been accept
ed and that she will soon be
called into service.
Miss Kuhlman has the distinc
tion of being the first nurse in
our Division to go directly to the
service.
The people of Nome owe Miss
i Kuhlman a debt of gratitude, as
she has been the only nurse in
our hospital for several weeks,
making it possible to keep the
hospital open. The nurses en
gaged were delayed by transpor
tation.
I As much as she will be missed
her many friends made during
her stay here, are admiring Tier
for answering the call to duty
and giving her services where
they are most needed.
ENTERTAINS FRIENDS
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
Little Bunny Doyle entertained
her friends Wednesday afternoon
in honor of her third birthday.
There were 10 children present,
Elaine Klokkevold, Gary Bing
ham Ludwig and Ruth Towner,
Helen and CeRoy Reader, Phil
lip Carlson, Burleigh Booker and
Alien Doyle. The traditional
birthday cake and gingerbread
babies were enjoyed by all. Other
guests present included Mes
dames Carlson, Bingham, Ry
dene Reader; Booker, Towner,
Maclvor, Doyle and Miss Wald
heim.
r i -
WARSKH*
SINKINGS
‘FALSE’
ALLIED HBADJXTARTERS IK
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC.
Nov. 12.—(AP)—American nvi
rines reinforced army troops to
day to definitely win the first
round in the battle of Bougain
ville.
Attempts of the Japanese to be -
cloud the fact with wild claims
of having 3unk many warships
in the area was “withbut basin
whatsoever’’
A spokesman from Gen. K&ac
Arthur’s headquarters announced
that a six-mile long beachhead
on Empress Augusta Bay wan
“firmly secured”.
The Japanese claims of sink -
ing warships in a naval battle
and the subsequent naval action
reported off Bougainville the
nights of Noember 1st and 2nd,
also was branded as being “with
out basis’’ by the spokesman
The spokesman, in reference to
the naval action referred to,
said that a Japanese cruiser and
four destroyers were sunk, while
two Japanese cruisers and two
destroyers were reported -lam
aged, without a loss of a single
American warship.
Headquarters previously had
reported the battle prevented the
Japanese task force from getting
closer than 40 miles from the
marine beachhead.
Tokyo radio has been flood
ing the air with reports that
95 Allied war vessels had been
sunk in the naval and air action
in a period of less than two
weeks.
Acquisition of the Bougain
ville beachhead means the defi
nite failure of the Japanese to
pinch it off.
Putting several hundred troops
ashore on barges, MacArthur’s
spokesman said meant the Amer
icans were now firmly estab
lished in the rear of the Japanese
in the Buin and Bougainville
sectors.
The beachhead secured on tha
south shore also placed Ameri
cans directly athwart of the Jap
anese supply line to Buen—«
Shortland area.
LEBANESE
PARLIAMENT
DISSOLVED
LOMDON, Nov. 12.—(AP)—
Amid disorders and mounting
protests the Lebanese parliament
was dissolved by French Com
missioner Jean Hellu, who ask
ed former President Emile Ed
deh to form a new government
immediately.
Lebanon, predominantly Mos
lem territory lies between Pa
lestine, Turkey and the British
Egyptian governments.
The Egyptian press, Arab lead
ers protested yesterday’s arrest
of members of the government
parliament.
One British-owned Cairo pa
per, Bourse Egyptienne, propos
ed editorially that President
Roosevelt arbitrate the dispute
arising over Lebanon’s status aa
a representative of the French
Committee for Liberation.