THE NOME NUGGET
• Published Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
NOME, ALASKA
E. P. BOUCHER . Managing Editor
CLINTON GRAY .Production Manager
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Entered as second class matter October 14, 1943, at the
postoffice at Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING AB|il|T^ASE|WP?
IT WASN’T UNANIMOUS
(JUNEAU DAILY EMPIRE)
While we have come to regard a decision of the
Supreme Court as infallible, we can’t but think that if
the four members of the court who voted to free Harry
Bridges of the 1949 indictment against him had exper
ienced the shipping strikes that have resulted from his
activity as a left-wing longshore leader, they would
not have been so ready to dismiss the charge against
him.
Why nothing was done about the indictment
against Bridges on charges of lying when he told a
1945 naturalization hearing that he was not a Commu
nist before this, we have no idea.
Though four of the Supreme Court justices decided
that the indictment was now ineffective as the statute
of limitations had run out, three justices joined in a
dissenting opinion. These rugged indivdualists were
Justice Reed, who wrote the dissenting opinion, and
Chief Justice Vinson and Justice Minton, who joined
him.
It was the vote of Justices Burton, Black, Frank
furter and Douglas that freed the former Australian
from the indictment ':hat had been returned against
him four years ago.
As Alaskans who have suffered from Bridges’
stranglehold on West Coast shipping, we wish that one
more of the Supreme Court judges had made a majority
out of the minority vote.
MATTER OF PRINCIPLE
The million non-operating rail workers of 15
unions, who have served new demands on 311 U.S.
railroads, say they don’t want more wages—not right
now. They’ll ask for money in September.
The “fringe” benefits they are now demanding in
clude longer vacations, paid health and welfare pro
grams, increased overtime rates for Sundays and holi
days, and more liberal free transportation allowance.
This may not be money to a railroad worker—but
it would be to your scribe.
Everyone favors federal economy—on projects in
the next division.
We are waiting to see those three - dimension
curves Holly’wood is now talking about.
\
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1,000 Dead, Missing
After Worst Flood
In Japan's History
TOKYO, Modern Japan’s most
disastrous flood left almost 1,000
persons dead or missing Saturday
as angry waters covered whole
villages and forced thousands to
hills and rooftops on the southern
island of Kyushu.
National police described as un
precedented the toll of 242 known
dead, 703 missing and 725 hurt as
rivers swollen by a three - day
cloudburst swept over parts of
the northern half of the island—
an area roughly the size of the
state of Massachusetts.
Japanese press reports said all
488 inhabitants were believed lost
in a village where the Chikugo
River burst its banks and swept
away 193 houses.
No American casualties were
reported and there was only min
or damage at three U.S. airbases.
U.S. military units pitched in
with manpower, medicine, planes
and boats to help feed and evacu
ate some 610,000 inhabitants of
the stricken area.
Twenty-two inmates broke from
a jail at Kurume, a city in the
northern part of the island. They
were still at large. The UJS. Army
airlifted water purification equip
ment to Kurume.
Police said the flood wrecked
at least $33 million worth of
buildings and farmland.
De Gasperi Will Be Asked
To Form His Eighth
Italian Government
ROME, OP—Premier Alcide de
Gasperi handed his government’s
resignation to President Luigi Ei
naudi today and Einaudi began
consultations expected to end in
his asking de Gasperi to form his
eighth Italian cabinet aligned with
the Western allies.
The Premier action was a form
ality necessitated by Italy’s elec
tion of a new parliament in April.
Thotlgh most observers antici
pated de Gasperi would eventual
ly be asked to' form the govern
ment, there was some speculation
he might prefer a younger mem
ber of his party to take over the
cabinet reins. In that event, de
Gasperi, probably would continue
as foreign minister, a post he has
held along with the premiership.
Legion Convention Asks
Dispersal of Military
Shipping to Alaska Cities
CORDOVA, Uf)—The Alaska De
partment of the American Legion
asked at its concluding conven
tion session Saturday for dispersal
of military shipping as a result of
the burning of the Whittier docks.
It proposed that the shipping
be divided among Anchorage,
Cordova, Valdez, Seward and
Homer.
Foster R. Sims, Palmer dentist,
was elected department command
er. Mrs. Forbes L. Baker of Fair
banks was named auxiliary presi
dent and Clyde Burkett of Fair
banks was elected to head the
Forty et Eight.
Most of the resolutions concern
ed Alaska development proposals.
Other resolutions asked for an
increase in the Alaska Civil Air
Patrol and for restoration of the
cost of living allowances that
were cut from enlisted military
personnel.
NOTE OF THANKS
We wish to thank everyone for
their help and kind expressions
during our recent bereavement
—Floyd Pavwok and Family
Mrs. Nerland Appointed
Second Division Member
Territorial Board of Health
JUNEAU—Gov. B. Frank Heint
zleman has announced the ap
pointment of Mrs. Andrew H.
Nerland of Nome as the Second
Division member of the Territor
ial Board of Health.
Mrs. Nerland was first appoint
ed to the Board of Health on Oc
tober 31, 1952.
The complete membership of
the Board of Health now is:
Dr. Arthur N. Wilson, Ketchi
kan and Mrs. Andrew H. Nerland,
Nome, whose terms expire on the
fourth Monday of January, 1957,
and Dr. Asa T. Martin, Anchorage,
Byron Gillam, Fairbanks, and
Mrs. Edward Amell, Anchorage,
whose terms expire on the fourth
Monday of January, 1955.
Unusual Tornado in California
STOCKTON, Calif., (J!—A tor
nado — unusual for California —
skipped through a Stockton lum
ber mill Sunday, tore apart a 50
by 100 foot building, and left
town without causing further
damage.
Two truck drivers at the mill
escaped uninjured.
NOTICE
All bills for Pioneer Wafer are
io be paid to Joe Kroninger, man
ager, or Box 293.
See John Lundeen for service
or call Main 59.
— Pioneers’ Meeting —
Wednesday, July 1
Pioneer Igloo
8:00 P.M.
Shipping Firms Against
Proposed Barge Service
To West Coast Ports
ST. LOUIS, UPl—Representa
tives of railroads and shipping
companies voiced opposition Fri
day at an Interstate Commerce
Commission hearing to proposed
barge service from St. Louis to
West Coast ports.
The authority for such service
is sought by Alaska Freight Lines,
Inc.
Rolf Wisness, district manager
erf Luckenbach - Gulf Steamship
Company, said his company has
ample accommodations to carry
extra freight from St. Louis to
Gulf and West Coast ports.
Railroad spokesmen testified
that the barge service would ham
per their operations. Several St.
Louis firms testified in favor of
the service Thursday, saying it
would reduce shipping costs for
them.
The hearing, conducted by ICC
Examiner Claude Rice, is expect
ed to end Saturday.
Legal Blanks Ed The Nome Nugget
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