™E NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
62nd Year No. 57 NOME, ALASKA, MONDAY, MAY 15, 1961 Per Copy 15^
Nome Selected
Site for State
Vocational School
Nome is to be the site for the
first State Vocational School, it
was announced by the State
Board of Education who made the
choice from seven applications
and were unanimous in chosing
Nome.
The million and a half dollar
school will be available to both
students and adults seeking to
learn a trade or improve the
knowledge about the trade they
are already in.
In making the decision to place
the school here on Satellite Field
many things were taken into con
sideration such as transportation
facilities, power, condition of the
ground, the fact that the title
to the land can be readily ob
tained from the U. S. Smelting
Co., proximity to a first class city
which is complete with court
system, hospital, and recreational
facilities for both students and
the staff which will maintain the
school.
It was expressed by members
of the Board that they expect
that they may be the first of sev
eral vocational schools through
out the state so that crafts, build
ing and construction workers can
be trained to fill the jobs within
(Continued on Page Two)
Army Group
Overthrows
S. Korea Govt.
SEOUL, Korea W — Army of
ficers in a broadcast today an
nounced they had taken over the
Korean government from Prime
Minister John M. Chang, the suc
cessor of Syngman Rhee.
The report of a successful
couip d’etat was broadcast at 5
a. m. over Seoul radio. The broad
cast said government buildings
and the Seoul radio were under
rebel control.
The leader was identified at Lt.
Col. Chang Do-Young, chairman
of the Military Revolutionary
Committee.
There was sporadic shooting in
the downtown area but there was
apparently no sign of resistance.
Armed marines rode in trucks
in the streets. No policemen were
in sight.
Chang, long in opposition to the
Dictator Syngman Rhee, became
Prime Minister after the revolu
tion of April, 1960. In the last
year there have been a number
of demonstrations against Chang’s
policies.
The Chang regime has been
plagued by economic instability
and increasingly violent demands
for his resignation. Several out
bursts were touched off by two
government security measures
aimed at controlling Communist
activities and unruly demonstra
tions.
Today’s statement by the Re
volutionary Committee declared:
“The purpise is to correct cor
rupt politics and to drive out in
competent political leaders.”
The rebel broadcast said to
day’s coup was aimed at strength
ening South Korea’s anti-Com
munist stand and this country’s
relations with the United States.
The Revolutionary Committee also
vowed to wipe out corruption
and build-up the national econ
omy. It said a fresh start can be
made in civilian rule after the
revolution is completed.
Vice President Johnson
Arrives in Hong Kong
For 24-Hour Rest
By Roy Essoyan
HONG KONG UPl — Vice Presi
dent Lyndon Johnson arrived to
day for a 24-hour rest from his
Asian tour, which he described
as “a mission to the strong points
of freedom in Asia.”
In a brief airport speech on his
arrival from Formosa, Johnson
praised this British colony on Red
China’s doorstep as “a show win
dow of the free way of life in
Asia.”
Sir Robert Black, governor of
the colony, greeted Johnson and
his wife, Lady Bird, at the air
port.
Suntanned and in high spirits,
Johnson looked like a tourist visit
ing the tourist meca of the Far
East.
Johnson sad he was stopping
here “both ror a rest and for some
very necessary staff work re
garding the balance of our mis
sion.”
Hong Kong newspapers ignored
the visit.
Anti-Communist and other
papers praised Johnson’s visit and
urged him to take back to the
United States a picture of the
Communist threat to Southeast
Asia.
Hong Kong is a 400-square mile
enclave on the coast of Communist
China and its politically sensitive
government discourages political
demonstrations.
Johnson’s visit here has been
described as strictly unofficial.
He plans no formal calls, speeches
or news conferences. A boat ride
around Hong Kong ’s scenic har
bor is the only item listed on his
program.
Johnson and his party of 32 will
leave Tuesday for Thailand.
Conference on
Laos Will Open
Tomorrow
GENEVA UP) — Britain and
Russia announced tonight the 14
nation conference on the future
of Laos will open tomorrow after
four days’ delay.
The decision was announced by
the two co-chairmen of the con
ference, over objections of the
pro-Western Laotian government
to a compromise proposal for
seating Laotian delegates of three
separate factions on a basis of
equality.
The announcement said the co
chairmen had agreed to seat
“representatives from Laos” —
a terminology that meant that
all the three rival warring fac
tions in the Laotian struggle for
power would have equal repre
sentation.
The United States delegation
agreed reluctantly to this idea only
after President Kennedy approved
it.
HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE . . .
SCARBOROUGH, England UPC
Girls wearing nylon panties can
cause explosions or fires, the
Royal Society for the Prevention
of Accidents was warned here.
Chemist J. L. Howlett told the
society conference:
“Test on female clerical staff
wearing nylon underwear and
leather soles revealed charges of
600 volts after walking 25 yards.”
Howlett suggested women work
ing in dangerous locations should
wear “conducting footwear,” shoes
that would dissipate the electri
city as fast as the undies gener
ated it.
Possibility JFK
And Khrushchev
May Meet Soon
J
PALM BEACH, Fla. I/P — A
Kennedy-Khrushchev conference
on corrosive cold-war problems
has become a definite possibility.
The chances that one will be held,
and held soon, are rated current
ly at 3 to 2.
But the grave issues of Laos
and a valid ban on nuclear arms
tests could turn out to be for
midable barriers. In contrast,
quick progress toward solutions
could do much to assure a con
ference.
President Kennedy may extend
a visit to Europe, which starts
May 31, and stay on for his first
meeting with Soviet Premier
Khrushchev if things work out
as they now appear likely to do.
Either Stockholm or Vienna is
regarded by the United States as
a suitable site for the President
and Premier to meet face to face
across the conference table.
At the moment, it was learned,
a meeting definitely is under con
sideration but no firm decision
has been reached. That may come
within a week.
Prospects that the leaders of the
world’s two greatest powers may
consult produced hearty endorse
ments and words of caution from
various leaders in Washington.
The Soviet premier had sug
gested previously that he would
like to meet Kennedy. He said
so soon after Kennedy took office.
And it was understood that the
present impetus for a conference
originated less with Kennedy than
with a new tip from Khrushchev
to Llyewellyn Thompson, U. S.
Ambassador to Moscow, that he
wouldn’t mind talking to the
American President.
Fire-Bomb
Destroys Bus of
“Freedom Riders”
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. UD — A
bus was destroyed by a fire
bomb and several members of a
racially mixed group of “Free
dom Riders” were beaten as they
tried to bring their test of bus
station color barriers to Alabama
Sunday.
Members of the group, 16 white
and 8 Negro, vowed at a rally
Sunday night, however, to con
tinue their swing that started in
Washington 11 days ago.
In Washington, the National
Assn, for Advancement of Colored
People urged the FBI to investi
gate the incidents, saying buses
and passengers in interstate
travel were involved.
The Justice Department said
that the FBI had been directed
to make an investigation to es
tablish possible violation of fed
eral laws.
All told, 13 persons were taken
to hospitals Sunday — 12 for
smoke inhalation suffered when
some one in a crowd of angry
white men threw a fire bomb
into a stalled bus, and one for
head cuts suffered at the hands
of white men using pipes for
clubs at a Birmingham bus sta
tion.
No arrests were made.
The “Freedom Riders” — eight
white persons and eight Negroes
—are members of the Congress
of Racial Equality. They are rid
ing regularly scheduled buses
through the South to test racial
segregation.
1,300 ACRE BLAZE
DESTROYS 8 HOMES
IN HOLLYWOOD HILLS
HOLLYWOOD UP — Firemen
yesterday quenched the last wisps
of a 1,300-acre blaze that des
troyed eight homes and badly
damaged 16 others in the Holly
wood Hills.
Policemen barred the curious
from the area. Newsmen estimated
damage at $1.5 million. Some
homes destroyed or damaged
were in the $80,000 to $100,000
class.
The fire started Friday night
when a wind-broken power line
fell into the foothill area’s dry
brush. As wind drove the flames
across valleys and up hillsides,
500 persons left their houses.
Author Aldous Huxley’s castle
home, a 35-year landmark, was
destroyed. Huxley also lost his
vast collection of books and manu
scripts.
The fire was declared controlled
at 6:30 p. m. Saturday. Some
pockets of fire burned until yes
terday.
World Pays
j Tribute to
Gary Cooper
By Bob Thomas
HOLLYWOOD UP — The body
of Gary Cooper lay in a mortuary
chapel today as the world paid
tribute to his greatness.
Rosary will be recited tonight
for the 60-year-old star, who lost
his fight with cancer Saturday.
Tuesday his friends among the
waning ranks of Hollywood greats
will file into the church of the
Good Shepard in Beverly Hills
for the funeral.
The shock of his passing was
not lessened by the fact that it
had been known for a month that
he was dying. As the news swept
around the world, it evoked words
of appreciation for the lanky
Montanan who personified the
American hero.
Pope John XXIII cabled a mes
sage of sorrow to Cooper’s widow
and daughter. The British Broad
casting Corp. telecast a 15-minute
tribute to the actor. “We feel
we’ve lost our best friend,” said
the movie critic of the Tokyo
Shombun.
The Washington Post editor
ialized Cooper “came to be a sym
bol of the vigor, courage and hero
ism in American life.”
The London Times devoted 800
words to Cooper, calling him “the
All-American Hero.”
Even the Communist press paid
tribute. In Paris, the Humanite
headlined: “America Loses Cow
boy Number One.” Rome’s L’Uni
ta proclaimed: “A Great Actor
Disappears,” the major Yugosla
vian daily, Borba, said: “Gary
Cooper will survive his physical
death because he was one of the
best of the great film creators.”
GOV. EGAN ATTENDS
GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE
SALT LAKE CITY OB — Dem- j
ocratic Gov. William A. Egan o>f
Alaska, attending the Western
Governors Conference here, said
yesterday his state has immense
resources of timber, minerals and
lumber but they aren’t being used, j
He explained “mining has lost
its attraction, people have quit i
building with lumber and the j
water that could be harnessed j
for power is pouring into the!
Pocific.”
Seattle C of C
Opposes Mail
Trucked to Alaska
SEATTLE iffi — The Seattle
Chamber of Commerce today
mounted a strong attack against
a proposal that would place Alaska
mail contracts now in the hands
of the Alaska Steamship Co. with
truck lines operating over the
Alcan Highway.
Postmaster General J. Edward
Day, on a Seattle visit, said such
a move was contemplated.
The Washington, D. C., office of
the Seattle Chamber said Sen.
Warren Magnuson, ^D-Wn.), will
urge a study of the proposal.
D. E. Skinner, president of
Alaska Steam, said a loss of the
mail contracts “would have a
serious impact on Alaska Steam’s
ability to offer the same services
to Alaska,” particularly to the
Alaska Rail Belt.
The contracts total $1,200,000.
Skinner said the proposal if adopt
ed would subtract some $800,000
from this total.
Don Follett, general manager
| of the Chamber, said an experi
i ment in trucking mail to Alaska
i was tried in 1948-49 and found
unsatisfactory.
Follett said that the proposal
would result only in some im
provement to mail service to
' Fairbanks, “at the expense of all
other Alaska points.”
The proposal, Follett said,
would work a definite hardship
on water services to Alaska,
“which we need desperately to
build up.” In addition, such a
plan “would be seriously detri
mental to development of the
Alaska railroad,” Follett said.
In defense of the proposal, Day
said the Postoffice Department
always has had to take cognizance
of changing transportation pat
terns.
“If we had opposed change
merely in sympathy for the prob
lems of single transportation
agencies we would still be carry
ing the mail by stage coach.”
Steel Industry’s Recovery
Gaining Momentum
From Prolonged Slump
PITTSBURGH UP> — The steel
industry’s recovery from its pro
longed slump is gaining momen
tum.
Production and employment are
rising. A moderate rate of opera
tions should be maintained the
rest of the year.
That’s the consensus of steel
leaders and analysts, based on im
proving mill orders and general
economic activity.
In recent weeks thousands of
furloughed steelworkers have been
called back. The number of idle
open hearths and other steel
making furnaces has dwindled al
most daily.
Two sets of figures reflect the
upward trend. In the final week
of March, production totaled 1,
632,000 tons. Last Week 1,943,000
tons came from the nation’s mills,
the most since mid-May of 1960.
11 STUDENTS CITED
Eleven students have been cited
as .AMU honor students with grade
point averages from 3.5 to 4.0.
Among them was Raymond Ar
nold, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur
Arnold. Among the 12 merit stu
dents maintaining a grade point
average from 3.00 to 3.49 was an
other Nome student. Karen Bald
win, daughter of Robert Baldwin.