THE NOME NUGGET
Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
Telephone: Main 125 P.O. Box 618
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
E. P. BOUCHER . Managing Editor
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943. at the
postoffice at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
THE PUBLIC DEBT
Representative Wright Patman, Texas Democrat,
recently told the Iowa Banker’s Association that our
national debt of approximately $260 billion will “prob
ably never be paid.” The people of the country might as
well accept this debt “as a permanent fixture,” Patman
said.
Representative Patman is a member of the House
Banking and Currency Committee and has long studied
banking and economic policies followed by the govern
ment. His most interesting comment along this line is
that he believes the national debt could be carried by
the 12 Reserve Banks, and thus the taxpayer could be
saved a six-billion-dollar annual interest charge.
However, the congressman does not advocate this
step because he feels the evils which came with it out
weigh the benefits.
“There is no way wTe can stop Congress from fur
ther using this easy method which is so painless, in pro
viding money,” Patman said. He believes, therefore,
that until a better way is found to provide the necessary
media of exchange, the national debt be accepted as a
permanent fixture.
Patman also believes that our economy needs the
national debt, in one way, because the monetary sys
tem is based upon a national debt. He does not favor
repudiation of the debt — not a penny of it.
DEMOCRATIC MILITARY SECRETS
The democratic countries, especially in the last
few years, have experienced considerable difficulty
holding on to military secrets. From the United States
and Great Britain and other democracies, the secret of
the atom bomb and many other choice bits of military
information, have leaked to the Communists.
The latest confusion was caused when an American
aviation publication published the detaiis of a new Brit
ish jet engine. These details were classified as secret in
u England, and a spokesman of the Ministry of Supply
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I said that security officers were investigating, in an
effort to find out how the details and specifications of
| the British engines found their way into publications
in other countries.
Likewise, about six weeks ago, a group of news
I papermen visited the new U.S. airbase at Thule, Green
land. Much of what they saw was classified as “secret”
and they were told they could'not write many details
of the base. Shortly after returning from Thule, one
of the reporters stepped in at the Coast and Geodetic
Survey Office in Washington. There, for a nickel, he
purchased a detailed chart of the air base at Thule.
perhaps, such confusion is only normal in demo
cratic countries. However, it is a bit discouraging to
learn, every year, that the secrets of a year or two
before have been sold or stolen and found their way to
Moscow. It is more disconcerting to learn that our own
carelessness has speeded this information on its way.
It is obvious that the time is appropriate for a gen
eral tightening of the cloak around military secrets.
We can’t tell each agency involved just what to do, but
we can call atterltion to the fact that something should
: be done.
38-37 In Overtime Game
In Tuesday night’s doublehead
er basketball games, the Nome
Nanooks were edged by the 142nd
Detachment in an overtime tilt
38-37 and in the first game the
5001st trounced the CAP 27-13.
The high school led 'through the
first half and at halftime held a
' 7-13 margin over the base team.
The third quarter ended at 25-25
and the end of regulation play the
score stood 33-33.
In the three minutes of extra
period play, the scrappy 142nd
dunked in five points while limit
ing their opposition to the slim
margin of four. Both teams were
off on their free throws, missing
the majority of their to'sses.
For the winner, Pate, Maack
and Fulton hit 15, 11 and 5 res
pectively, while for the Nanooks,
Elmer Green was high point man
was 13, followed by Buzzy Swan
berg with 10, George Bell 5, Milt
Willoya 4, Sam Mogg Jr., 3, and
Robert Herman and Dave Bill 1
each.
In the preliminary game, Rea
mer of the 5001st hit for 10 points,
McIntyre 7 and Damm 5. For' the
losing CAP, Dacey 6, Blowart 4
and Grossoehme 3.
"EXPENSE" COFFEE
DRUGST&RE BRAGS
DANVER, Mass., (/P)—A store
which not-too-modestly admits to
having sold the most expensive
cups of coffee in the world is
a highlight of this town’s 200th
anniversary.
The drug store in which three
armored truck guards sipped cof
fee while their truck was looted
last March has hung a huge
counterpart of a coffee cup in
front, inscribed: “The Home of
the $681,000 Cup of Coffee.”
Inventory Blanks at Nome Nugget
Flyer Says Reports
On Unsuitability of
C-I19s Were on File
(By the Associated Phess)
The Air Force in Washington
said it has no intention of ground
ing the C-119s “unless a pattern
of mechanical failure is estab
lished by accident investigations.”
A reserve officer said reports
the transports are “not suitable”
for Arctic operations have been
on file with the Air Force since
last April.
Maj. William H. Jay, former
commander of the 65th Troop Car
rier Squadron, said he and an
other squadron commander filed
the reports. Now a commercial
airline pilot, Jay said the reports
recommended the “boxcars” - be
replaced by C-54s and C-124s.
Another report, Jay said, was
submitted by Maj. M. Letts, now
with the 77th Squadron on duty
in Alaska on Operation Warm
wind.
Jay said both reported serious
difficulty in operating the planes
in Arctic weather.
An Air Force spokesman said
no report on the C-119s being
unsuitable for Arctic operations
had been l'eleased.
A C-119 smashed into an Alas
kan peak Nov. 7, killing 19 men./
Another vanished with 20 aboard
in Alaska Saturday, the same day
a Flying Boxcar crashed in Korea,
killing all 44 aboard.
Two Russian Jets
Shot Down By U.S.
At Sea Near Korea
WASHINGTON, (/P)_'The Navy
reported yesterday two Russian
made jet fighter planes had been
shot down at sea only 35 miles
southeast of Korea.
A third Russian-made aircraft
was damaged in the action, which
took place late Monday, the Navy
said. It placed the scene in the
Sen of Japan, about 100 miles
southeast of Chongjin. It said
Navy jet pilots shot down the
two Mig-15s.
Although Navy planes were
credited with one of the first
downings of a Mig jet in the Kor
ean War—in the autumn of 1950
—Navy and Marine air encount
ers with the enemy fighters have
been rare, only five Mig kills
having been credited to Navy and
Marine pilots throughout the con
flict.
One of the American planes
was hit during the encounter but
was able to return to the carrier
Oriskany, floating home base for
the squadron.
One Mig pilot was seen bailing
out. A second Red plane was last
seen in a steep, spiral dive and
smoking badly. A third Mig broke
off the action after having been
damaged.
The surface of Lake Michigan
is more than 21 feet belo'w that
of Lake Superior.
OLDEST LIFE INSURANCE
POLICY WRITTEN IN 1868
DES MOINES, Iowa, UP) —
Charles H. Hutsonpiller, 97, who
took out his policy in 1868 when
you had to get special permission
to make the “hazardous trip” to
California, has been recognized as
owner of the oldest life insur
ance policy in force in the United
States.
Hutsonpiller said h i s father
bought him the $1,000 10-pay
ment Northwestern Mutual Life
Insurance Policy when he was 14
on the promise he would never
' drink liquor. He said he never
has.
The hand - written policy con
tained a special clause granting
permission to travel to or from
California. Hutsonpiller has taken
advantage of the clause several
times.
In the 83Vt years the policy
has been in force, dividends have
totaled $578. Premiums totaled
$340.90. The policy will mature
when Hutsonpiller reaches 100.
Job Printing At The Nugget
I
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86 PROOF • THE OLD HERMITAGE
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