THE NOME NUGGET
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Publishing Company, Nome, Alaska.
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Lick Hitler First?
. •
Rear Admiral Yates Stirling, Jr., U. S. N., retired,
writes in a recent issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer that
the defeat of Hitler is the first goal of the Allied troops
and that it has been decided in London and Washing
ton that the bulk of British-American military strength
this year shall be thrown against Adolf Hitler.
Rear Admiral Stirling says that it is safe to assume
that the domain of Hitler is easier to attack than that
of Emperor Hirohito, that Germany is but a stone’s
throw from the great land, sea and air bases into which
the British Isles have been converted.
Etirling secs the immediate task of the United States
in the Pacific as that of guarding our vital base in Ha
waii, to assure the safety of Alaska, and to protect the
supply line of our troops in Australia.
We hesitate to disagree with a military expert, but
it seems to us that at the same time we must make sure
of our defenses in the Pacific. And in modern war, the
only good defense is to smash out with a better offense
than the enemy can.
At the same time, should we allow the Japanese to
consolidate their tremendous gains in the Pacific be
fore tackling them in earnest, that job is going to be
much tougher. Not only that, but the Nipponese war
machine, like all aggressor nations, will not stop if
given the chance to take its breath in the Far Pacific
but probably would lash out for new fields to conquer—
closer to home. —Juneau Empire.
“Shared our-dar’* Move For Trans
portation Now Becoming National
WASHINGTON—Just how serious the shortage of
transportation for individuals is becoming is indicat
ed by the fact that President Roosevelt helmself paus
ed in his many, other duties to eall for an immediate
“share-your-car” movement.
He didn’t restrict his plea to Washington either, or
to war work communities. Through the American
Municipal Association and the LT. S. Conference of
Mayors, he has put it squarely up to every city in the
country and thus to every car owner, whether he driv
es a broken down old jalopy or the last specially built
streamlined job to roll through the dealer’s doors.
This is one contribution to the war effort that is go
ing to have to be voluntary. Laws can draft men into
the Army and rationing can curtail the use of every
thing that’s turning up short. But it would be impos
sible to police the whole nation to see if every car
owner is doing his duty in sharing his car with his
neighbors and fellow workers. The appeal will have to
be made on a basis of patriotism and the success of the
movement will depend on that.
Transportation officials have estimated that the
share-your-car drive could easily reach proportions
where 5,000,000 cars could be taken off the streets and
highways without impairing the war effort. Think what
that alone would mean in savings in gasoline, rubber,
and wear and tear on cars that cannot be replaced for
the duration.
There’s nothing complicated about this “share-your
car’' business. To some extent, it already has been put.
into effect in Washington and many war industry cen
ters. Automobile association officials here have work
ed out several suggestions that will get the job done.
(1 ) Workers who are in the same factories or build
ings and live in the same neighborhoods can organize
groups of from three to six, each driving his car one
day or week and picking up the others.
<2) Business trips in cars may be synchronized by a
little inquiry or verbal advertising. Salesmen who trav
el the same route might double up.
(3) Housewives who do their marketing by auto
can form “share-the-cap” groups with neighboring
housewives. Shopping expeditions can-be organized
the same way.
(4) If children are taken to school by car, the same
neighborhood groups can be worked out.
There is hardly a purpose for which the car is used,
whether it’s recreational, or business or social in which
the “sharc-your-car’ formula cannot be applied.
If the government officials have their way the,
“share-1 he-car" movement will rapidly develop to:
that point where the man or women who habitually
and needlessly rides alone will be as unpopular in the
community as the slacker of World War I.
Dollars Sent Away for Printing Never
Lome Back -■ Let Us Do Your Printing;
Silver Spoon Officers
At the beginning of the Civil War there was an un
written law that each Congressman could name one
brigadier general. How we ever got an army mobilized
with a tradition like that seems miraculous at this dis
tance. But the situation became so serious that Lincoln
finally set up the requirement that every brigadier
general “must have military experience.”
We’ve come a long way since 1361 in the appoint
ment of generals, just as we’ve come a long way in de
velopment of the draft.
But—we have been handing out far too many com
missions to men unqualified for them, men without
military experience.
That’s why the Record endorses the proposal of Rep
resentative Faddis, of Pennsylvania, written into the
pending Army pay bill. It requires that future com
missions be granted only to graduates of officer’s train
ing schools, National Guard and ROTC officers, or
those who have completed training at approved mili
tary schools.
This is so obviously sensible we can’t understand
why “quickie" commissions have been tolerated, ex
cept in a few special emergency cases. Secretary of
War Stimson moved to clamp down on them weeks
ago, but Congressional action should put a final stop
to the practice.
This war won't be won by blind leading the blind.
While the armed forces do have real use for a few civ
ilian specialists, the number is so comparatively small
that it cannot explain the number of “quickie” com
missions that have been granted.
Congressmen should welcome the Faddis proposal as
a means for protecting them from the demands of in
fluential constituents for commissions for their sons.
That such demands have been made is no secret; that
favorites have gotten commissions is no secret either.
This war won’t be won by officers with silver spoons
in their mouths.
It will be won by officers with brains in their heads.
Let’s make sure our officers are the winning kind.
—Philadelphia Record.
“Quickie” Commissions In Army.
Navy Marine Corps to Be Scarce
WASHINGTON — Those “quickie” commissions in
the Army, Navy and Marine Corps are going to be
scarcer. From now on, the boys are going to find it
pretty hard—maybe impossible—to become shavetails,
captains, colonels or brass hats without doing their full
quota of right shoulder arms, squads oblique, hit the
deck and find your fox-hole.
For a long time now, congressmen have been snip
ing away at the boys who got their bars and stripes
by pulling someone else’s bootstraps. But often the
sniping was more political than sincere. Recently it
has taken a reverse turn.
A week or so ago, Rep. Donald O’Toole of Brooklyn
let loose a blast against heroes and near-heroes of the
sports world who were being handed commissions as
Army, Navy and Marine physical education instruct
ors, that echoed in sports columns clear across the land.
Favor Granting Commissions to Specialists
Mr. O’Toole wanted to know why the sports fans,
should be given cushy berths in the training centers,
with no more to do than to see that the boys did a
daily 1-2-3-4, or got their quota of softballs.
| A lot of fairminded critics admitted there was some
thing to be said on both sides, but when Chairman
Carl Vinson, of the House Naval Affairs Committee,
and Rep. Charles I. Faddis, of Pennsylvania, both
Democrats, cut loose on “quickie” commissions (those
granted without previous military training) the other
day, they didn’t leave any room for admitting both
sides of the argument. You either agree with Vinson
and Faddis, or you don’t, and you better make up your
mind quickly, because if they have their way, there’s
, going to be a law and soon that no commissions will
be granted to men who haven’t gone the regular route
of military training.
Vinson even is in favor of seeing that graduates of
Annapolis and West Point do nine months to a year in
the ranks before they wen their stripes or bars and be
fore they earn the privelege of being saluted first.
The House Military Affairs Committee, however,
favors granting commissions to specialists in civilian
.ranks, where it is determined that such special skills;
are not available otherwise.
Vinson’s swing against “quickie” commissions is an
important one, but the prime mover in the scrap is
Faddis. It was the congressman from Pennsylvania
| who tied an amendment to the new pretty popular bill
for raising the pay of Army and Navy men, providing
i that no future commissions may be distributed to men
without military training.
As one member of congress put it—but STRICTLY
off the record—“Judging by the demands from back
home for commissions that many congressmen have
had, 1 can’t imagine any one voting against it—unless,
| of course, it’s a record vote.”—by Jack Stinnett.
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ALASKA TERRITORIAL GUARD
On May 25, 1942, Governor Grunning and Colonel
Murphy visited our city for the specific purpose of pre
senting the organization plan and general outline for
establishing a company of the Alaska Territorial Guard
in Nome under Section 7, Act of December 31, 1941,
Public Law No. 392. When Alaska’s National Guard is
in the Federal Service the Governor, through volun
tary enlistments, may form a Territorial Guard, which
the Secretary of War may issue equipment.
By such an organization private citizens can secure
arms and organize an outlet for the American urge to
defend one's home. By organization a more effective
unit could meet the enemy; and by organization those
defending their home would then have the status of
an organized armed force and be due such considera
tions as are due soldiers under the rules of warfare
and the conduct accorded military prisoners.
Colonel Murphy has been detailed by the Alaska
Defense Command to assist the Governor in setting
up these units, the main points of which are:
1. Eligibility: All male persons regardless of race,
or pyhsical condition, may volunteer for serivce.
2. Service: Upon acceptance for service officers will
be appointed and commissioned by the Governor and
privates will receive warrants issued by the Governor.
Any man may resign at any time for any reason with
out stigma as all service is voluntary. Service will only
be in and about the municipality of Nome, and the unit
cannot be called to duty in any other part of Alaska.
Service is without pay.
3. Duties: The unit will be organized for duty only
during emergency. Training will involve only such
rifle practice and tactical drill as the Guards’ local
officers deem necessary to build a unit that will func
tion. Such training will not interfere w'ith regular
work. It is not expected that any member will be re
quested to "stand watch" or do "guard duty” except
in an emergency. In the event of an emergency the
unit will observe military discipline and operate as an
individual fighting force under its own officers.
4. Equipment: Regular army rifles will be issued as
soon as they can be secured; and of all the cities of Al
aska, Nome will be the first to be supplied with rifles.
It will be impossible to secure other than regular army
caliber shells. An A. T. G. arm insignia will he adopt
ed by the local unit to be worn by all members.
5. Registration: Registration forms will be available
at the office of the City Clerk, beginning Monday, June
1, 1942, for volunteers. Get yours and sign up.
In that Nome is one of the important outposts in
the combat zone and the formation of this unit is one
of immediate necessity. The more quickly we enlist,
the more quickly we will get rifles and have target
practice. One hundred and twenty volunteers are need
ed to form a complete company. Let it be said that the
men of Nome ate prepared to defend their homes and
property.