THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
E. P. BOUCHER ... Managing Editor
CLINTON GRAY . Production Manager
Telephone: Main 125 $1.50 PER MONTH
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Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the
postoffice at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 187J
HOW LONG IS A POOR GIRL SUPPOSED TO WAIT ?
WE BOTH WIN
If you like quiz programs, try this one for size:
What European country has the lowest living
index and the highest wage scale . . . has the soundest
currency in the world . . . has never asked U.S. tax
payers for a dollar—under the Marshall Plan or any
other aid program?
If you need hints, it’s about one-tenth the size of
California. It has no minerals, no coal, no oil. It has
only enough tillable land to support its population
three months of the year. And, with 1 /500th of the
world’s populations, it carries on l/50th of the world’s
trade—for cash.
It’s Switzerland, of course, the country that last
year bought 194 million dollars worth of American
goods, and sold us 164 million dollars worth of pre
cision machinery, textiles, cheese, watches and watch
movements . . . the country that spent $48 per capita
for American food, automobiles, tobacco, drugs and
most everything you can think of, while Americans
spent 92 cents per capita for Swiss products.
There is no mystery about the dependence of the
Swiss on export trade for their very existence, but the
heated discussions in this country over tariff rates
have failed to reveal our dependence on these Swiss
goods. The large American watch industry created by
the import of Swiss watches and movements is a prime
example. The 58 million dollars worth imported in
1952 not only filled a consumer demand, but sup
ported a 300 million dollar U.S. industry devoted to
assembly of the movements and production of finished
timepieces. Also concerned were America’s 30,000
jewelry stores, which depend on watch sales, repairs
and attachments for nearly half their business.
The statisticians figure we do alright since, on a
dollar basis, the Swiss watch business means 85 cents
for us and 15 cents for Switzerland.
We hope the Randall Commission, appointed by
President Eisenhower to work out a new foreign trade
and tariff policy, has the patience to dig to the bottom
of all these import-export situations and recommend
revisions only where they are needed.'
Remember the popular song of long ago:
“I missjny Swiss,
My Swiss Miss misses me . . .”?
We wouldn’t want it to come true.
Sen. Lyng Gives
His Views On
Controversial Law
When queried by the Nome
Nugget concerning the suddenly
enforced Land Registration Act of
the 1953 legislature, Territorial
Senator Howard Lyng gave out
the following statement:
In the 1953 session of 'the legis
lature two companion bills were
introduced in the- House. They
were House Bills 56 and 124. H.B.
56 created the Territorial Depart
ment of Public Lands and the
Office of Land Commissioner.
H.B. 124 required the registration
of ownership of all real property
•in Alaska and placed administra
tive responsibility in the Depart
ment of Public Lands, charging
•the land commissioner with duties
•and powers incident thereto.
Both of these bills passed the
Senate on the last day of the last
session, and had the name of Rep
resentative Howard Pollock, An
chorage Republican, on them.
However, they were both admin
istration “must” pieces of legisla
tion, sponsored by the Department
of the Interior and Governor-des-1
ignate Heintzleman, then in Wash
ington, D.C.
This was admitted, in response
to my questions, by Assistant Re
gional Forester for Alaska Charlie
Burdick, who, after I had spoken
against one of these measures,
asked for and was granted the
privilege of speaking from the
spectators’ gallery. Burdick then
stated that the establishment of a
land department was an immedi
ate necessity, as otherwise the ter
ritory could not receive the gift
of two and half million acres of
land that the federal government
desired to ^convey to Alaska.
I had asked the Senate to con
sider turning this legislation over
•to the newly created Legislative
Council for study, public hearings
if deemed necessary, and a proper
bill drawn up for presentation to
the next legislature. ,
Shortly after Governor Hein
tzleman toOk office he appointed
a recently retired, long-time fel
low-employe of the U.S. Forestry
Dept., Mr. W. A. Chipperfield, to
the $9000-a-year position of land
commissioner.
In the Monday edition of the
Nugget appears a statement by
Land Commissioner Chipperfield.
After reading it I advise anyone
who registers real property in the
City of Nome with the U.S. com
missioner, to write in the follow
ing: “I pay this under protest.”
I agree with Mr. Chipperfield
that the next legislature should,
and probably will, repeal that part
of the law that concerns incorpor
ated municipalities, school dis
tricts, and public utility districts,
where land registration is already
maintained and available at all
times to any citizen, including the
land commissioner.
The Land Registration Act in its
present form is confounding and
confusing to most, incensing to
many, and a costly nuisance to all
concerned.
It also is one more of the many
pressing and pertinent reasons for
a special session of the legislature
in the immediate future.
We offer 7 different
TRAVEL BOOKS
for $10.00
Out of print, hard-cover books
•bout experiences in
far away lands.
Fred W. Lunan, Floyd Street
North Billerica, Mass.
v }CX<
Ike Says Soviet Rejection
Will Not Stop His Work
For Atomic Control Plan
(Continued from Page One)
offer by the Soviets, Eisenhower
said, would not stop him from
trying to meet the problem of
international control in another
way.
The President said the admin
istration has received no official
Soviet reaction to the plan he
outlined to the U.N. General As
sembly.
At the news conference the
President also:
Commended Vice Presilent Nix
on on the accomplishments of the
world tour he completed this
week. Eisenhower said both the
official reports and those in the
press made it clear that Nixon did
a splendid job of representing the
United States abroad.
Declared with a smile that he
has not the slightest objection to
newspapers using his nickname
“Ike,” in their headlines. He has
been called Ike all his life and it
is all right with him, the Presi
dent said.
Discussed his Christmas holi
day plans and added an apology
to newsmen who will accompany
him to Augusta, Ga., starting
either Christmas Day or the day
after.
Theater To Postpone Final
3-D Showing Till After
Christmas Tree Program
The management of the local
theater has announced that due to
the interest shown in the three
dimension show being featured
tonight, tomorrow and Friday the
doors for the 7:15 show will be
open at 6:30 so that people will
not have to stand out in the cold
longer than absolutely necessary.
The new management, which is
endeavoring to cooperate in all
civic projects, has also announced
that they will hold the last show
on Friday evening until 9:45, so
that those who are attending the
Community Christmas Program
and have not had an opportunity
to see the Wednesday or Thursday
shows may get in on the late and
last showing.
Fire In North Star Basement
The Fire Department was call
ed out last evening to the base
ment of the North Star Grill
where a fire is being kept >to
keep supplies in warm storage.
A temporary wall on the south
side of the enclosure of tarpaulins
and plywood caught fire from the
temporary stovepipe, causing a
blaze.
Something NEW at the Merc.
— It's PUTTS —
Cool Reception
By Congressmen
To UMT Proposal
WASHINGTON, (JR— Most mem
bers of Congress who expressed
■themselves Tuesday on a Presi
dential commission’s recommen
dation for a military manpower
policy recoiled from its central
idea—universal military training
for youths nort drafted.
The National Security Training
Commission said Monday in a
special report to President Eisen
hower that UMT could be put into
effect by January, 1955, or earlier,
operating simultaneously with the
draft. The plan would require
Congressional approval.
The commission proposed a
lottery to determine whether a
youth would get six months train
ing or be required to serve two
years as a draftee.
The group said the program,
while not achieving absolute
equality, at least would avoid
what it called the present unfair
situation in which veterans are the
only reservists available to be
called up in a sudden war emer
gency.
Under the proposed UMT pro
gram, the trainees would be called
ahead of veterans.
The commission contended its
program also might save money
by permitting a reduction in the
regular military forces, and might
help deter war by setting up a
steady program of long-term pre
paredness.
More On Death of Pete Anderson
Additional news on the death of
Pete Anderson was received by
Mrs. Salisbury of the Terr. Wel
fare Office. Anderson passed
away on Nov. 30 and was buried
by the Lutheran minister of Sit
ka in the Pioneer Cemetery.
Anderson was the rugged type
of pioneering pro'spector who
never lost hope that someday he
would find a good paystreak. In
his own quiet way he served his
community and church, serving
without pay for several years as
janitor of the Community Meth
odist Church here.
NOTICE
The Noma Common Council
■hall sit at a Board of Equaliza
tion between the hours of 7:30
and t:30 p.m., Dec. 15. 16. and 17.
1953. Taxpayers have this oppor
tunity to make adjustments in
their Real and Personal Property
assessments.
Nome Common Council
By Carrie M. McLain.
City Clerk
Publish Dec. 11, 14, 16