THE NOME MJGGET
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MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
Assignment For Victory
Yesterday came the timely and momentous an
nouncement that General Douglas MacArthur assum
ed the United Nations supreme command in Australia.
MacArthur’s new assignment cannot but be a fillip
to the whole Allied Forces which has watched with
high acclaim his staunch defense of the Philippines,
over which his new command in the southwest Pac
ific will continue to extend.
How well this news portrays to us that "those in
the know” are working industriously for victory. We
can’t all be "in the know” because we dare not risk
letting the enemy guess our plans. What better ex
ample have we than MacArthur's aerial trip from the
war zone of the Philippines to Australia and his sub
sequent assignment of command. It is now an accom
plished fact — so we may now broadcast the glad tid
ings — and what is more we are now well pleased to
let the Axis Powers become aware that our most re
nowned and courageous soldier is in the director’s seat.
MacArthur’s assignment is an assignment for
VICTORY.
Washington Current Comment
Washington has become a boom town. No matter
where one wishes to go, it is difficult to get there and
back. One of the District Commissioners proposes a
parking space for ten thousand autos, available without
charge to each car owner who carries three other per
sons to work. In spite of its activity, the city has be
come sober-minded in many respects. The customary
Army Day parade, for instance, has been abandoned.
Director Landis, of the Office of Civilian Defense, says
that the District is doing a “swell job,” but points, as
an example, to Boston, where ten thousand volunteers
tf»re at their posts in fodrteen minutes.
Lincoln’s birthday did not interrupt the activity of
the capital to any appreciable extent, but it was cele
brated in a quiet way. The Marine Band assembled at
the great memorial building and played the national
anthem. A wreath was placed at the foot of the statue,
the bugles sounded, the President stood bare-headed
and at attention, and the ceremonies were over. It was
Lincoln's wish that “government of the people, by the
people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
/Vs Mr. Roosevelt looked at the effigy of his predeces
sor, perhaps he thought that after the lapse of eighty
years, the old peril had come to life again.
The papers quote a Japanese officer as saying that
all Japanese forces sent to the Philippines must die
there. The hardening of the human soul produced by
war is evidenced bv the fact that practically everv
citizen of the United States, covertly if not openly, is
in hope that the officer is right. Perhaps those who live
to hate suffer a larger detriment than those who die.
Having thus eased the conscience by delivering a short
sermon on the demoralizing effect of war—“Remember
Pearl Harbor.”
Speaking of Pearl Harbor, there was satisfaction in
the news that a few days ago the Pacific fleet took a
toll of five Jap warships, eleven auxiliary vessels and
more than forty planes. It may be that the quick and
spectacular work done by aircraft has attracted away
from purely naval affairs, more attention than should
have been permitted. The Germans were willing to
take long chances in sneaking two warships out of a
French harbor. It requires something like the Norman
die disaster to start the people thinking that a boat
js a structure that cannot be assembled overnight.
The launching of a vessel does not mean that it is ready
for battle. A house is far from completed when the
frame is erected and the clap boards in place.
On the subject of men, streets already are named
for Gen. MacArthur. No doubt he appreciates the
honor, if he knew the facts, but it is safe to say that
he would be better pleased with a few transports nam
ed for Dan Dunn or Donald Duck, and a hundred thou
sand men regardless of name. Mr. Willkie would have
Gen. MacArthur brought back and given supreme1 com
mand of the army, next below the President. The
Philippine defender at least has the full confidence of
his countrymen. Mr. Churchill is said to be slipping
from grace in England, on account of British reverses,
the latest of which is the loss of Singapore. Public
esteem is a fickle creature.
The world doesn’t trust dreamers. The more you
keep your feet on the ground the sooner you’ll have
them on a desk.—San Francisco Chronicle.
Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much;
Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.-—Cowper.
J
Governor Says Alaskans
Are Ready To Fight
By FRANK I. WELLER
WASHINGTON, March (Wide World) — Maybe!
all the Americas are lucky that Ernest Gruening is;
Governor of Alaska.
President Roosevelt says Japan may try to capture!
islands and harbors of the vast, thinly populated terri-i
tory as a possible bridge-head against the Western:
Hemisphere — but Gruening is determined to ready
them instead for an American attack on Japan.
The 55-year-old New Yorker, who talks straight
about things, has just left Washington for Juneau
after a trip here for assurance that Alaska will get
adequate defense if not actual offense, bases and garri
sons and a brand new highway from Seattle up through
Canada to Fairbanks to supply them.
“Let’s Smash Hell Out of the Japs”
“Defense is obsolete,” he says, “Let’s smash hell
out of Japan. Offense is the best defense, and what we
need is some fast and furious American-style war.
Alaska is a triple threat to the Japs, for we can strike
north, west and south. We can put in bomber bases
that would be nearer the enemy (due to earth curva
ture) than Honolulu or Auckland, New Zealand. We
are a near and natural spearhead of aid to both Russia
and China.”
Gruening is a White House political appointee and
does not presume to speak for the Army or Navy
high commands. He views are entirely civilian Gruen
ing is a fighter, and a personal friend of every nation
from the Arctic Circle to the South Pole. He is de
voted to Alaska and to her future role of military im
portance to the Pacific Coast.
He is a 1911 Harvard graduate in medicine, but he
chase rather than practice in the celebrated footsteps
of his father to go to bat as a newsman on the Boston
American. Subsequently he flourished as crusading
j editor of the Boston Herald, Boston Traveler. New
| York Tribune, and the Nation (magazine).
In 1924 he fought the publicity fight for Senator
I Robert M. LaFollette’s presidential campaign. In 1927
he founded the Portland, Me., Evening News. He says
, he did his best day’s work when the News, the only
; paper in Maine then opposed to the Insull Utility in
terests, stopped the siphoning of hydro-electric pow
I er out of that state.
Dr. Gruening raised a rumpus until U. S. Marines
were withdrawn from Haiti and lambasted this coun
try’s pre-Roosevelt policy of military and financial act
ivity in Latin America. He says the Roosevelt-Hull
“Good Neighbor” policy is a monumental achievement
of this administration.
Stickler For Accuracy
Gruening is a stickler for accuracy. You observe:
"Alaska was purchased 75 years ago for $7,000,000
and since then has paid off more than 300 times in
fish, gold, furs, metals, lumber and so on.” He replies:
“Secretary Seward bought Alaska from Russia in 1867
for $7,200,000 and Americans have taken out $2,565,
724,833.19 of natural resources.”
He has another trait distracting to men of lesser
learning. “Prime Minister Churchill,” he says, “Will
go down in history as a male Cassandra.” Well, this
turns out to have been a mythological Greek prophet
ess who was fated to tell the truth and never have
anyone believe her. He believes President Roosevelt
will score with Washington and Lincoln “whenever
the world has time to look back on his record in peace
and war.”
The Governor, like many governors, is sort of fat
around the middle, stands 5 feet 8 and weighs 180
pounds. Right now, he is tastefully tailored in sub
dued break-at-the-angle suits, but most Washington
folk remember him when they made his pants too short.
Ho is a fierce exerciser (he won't tell the score) at both
tennis and bridge and, of all things, he likes to swim
in Alaska’s cold waters before breakfast. But he says
he does not spring out of bed whistling in the sunrise.
One-Man Chamber of Commerce
Gruening would make a swell one-man chamber of
commerce for Alaska. He tells about reading Fair
banks newspapers by the Midnight Sun and says fine [
soil and almost continuous daylight during May, June:
and July grow prodigious vegetables. “If you see a!
farmer lifting something as big as his head,” he says j
“That is not a cabbage — it merely is a very small |
Brussel Sprout.”
He is gravely proud and concerned, however, for
his 72,524 Alaskans, their 586,000 square miles of
territory twice as big as Texas, 21 incorporated towns,
155 commercial flying fields, infant Army, Navy and
air bases and Alaska’s developing waterways, high
ways and railways.
His hardy Alaskans, he says, can shoot down am
eagle at 300 yards and will fight to a man to protect j
their $100,000,000 of wildlife resources, 85,000,000 I
board feet of timber. 10,000,000 tons of Kasaan Pen in
sular iron ore, the great fisheries which produced
$36,440,660 of wealth in 1940 and the minerals and
metals including gold worth $28,470,000 in that year.
Wisdom consists in rising superior both to madness j
and to common sense, and in lending one’s self to the
universal delusion without becoming its dupe.—Arniel
PIONEER LINE
Bases At 4
NOME : : : FAIRBANKS
PASSENGER INSURANCE CARRIED
FREIGHT — EXPRESS — MAIL
WIEN ALASKA AIRLINES *
_
No Group Or Glass Deferment
Gan be Made Except Bv Gongress
Emphasizing that no group or class deferment from
military service can be made except by Congress, Brig
Gen. Lewis B. Hershev, Director of Selective Service,4
told a press conference that three basic facts must be
kept in mind in interpreting any statement concern
ing the operation of Selective Service. These, he said,
are:
1. No group or class exemption, or deferment, can be
made in addition to those exemptions specifically stat
ed in the Act.
2. A deferment because of occupation can be grant
ed only to an individual by his own local board and ah'
deferments are provisional, subject to withdrawal, and
given only to serve the National interest — not the
registrant’s interest.
3. Three things must be proven by an individual
seeking deferment by his local board: (a) That the
particular business, industry, or profession in which
he is engaged is necessary in the War Production Pro
the work he, personally, is doing is essential to its
gram for national health, safety or interest; (b) that
functioning, and (c) that there is no supply from which
a replacement can be secured. *
“A particular fact to keep in mind when interpreting
any memorandum concerning deferments issued by
National Selective Service Headquarters, or any an
nouncements by other agencies, group spokesmen, or
individuals,” the General said, “is that neither the Di
rector nor anyone else in the Selective Service Sys
tem. except a local board, can grant deferment even to
an individual and that no group or class exemption--,
can be made except by Congress.”
Memorandums issued by his office, General Hershev,
said, merely advise State Hdqrs. and, through them,
local boards of findings and views of those National
Govn. departments and other agencies which have
direction and supervision over the Nation’s war ef
fort. The sole objective, he declared, is to facilitate
coordination of local with national action. They are
not mandatory in any sense of the word, he asserted,
and could not be so under the law.
Further, the General pointed out, should a local
board misinterpret any National or State Hdqrs. mem
orandum and so base an individual deferment, tfee
Selective Service System provides a check through the
Government Appeal Agents who are appointed for
every local board on the recommendation of the Gov
ernor of the State. The Government Appeal Agent rep
resents the Government and is in duty bound to take
the necessary steps to bring about proper classification
when he does not believe a registrant’s status is clear
lv proven; also any person offering evidence that any
deferred classification is not in conformity with the
law can request the State Director or National Direct
or to appeal to the President.
I he only exemptions ol groups or classes of regis
trants, Gen. I-Iershey pointed out, are specifically pro
vided in the Selective Training and Service Act and
apply to certain National and State officials, including
members of Congress, certain members of the Diplo
matic Corps and certain of their alien attaches and
employees, and ministers and theological students of
established religions.
“Any other registrant seeking deferment from mili
tary service,” he asserted, “must apply for it through
his local board. Also no deferment because of occu
pation can be made for longer than six months, when
it must be reviewed, and each local board is charged
with the duty of keeping constant scrutiny of each
registrant it has deferred and of reclassifying him at
any time the reason for his deferement ceases to exist.”
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