m NOME NUGGET
OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN ALASKA—MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
VOL. LV No. 34 NOME, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1953 Per Copy—150
House Votes For
$120,000 Matching
Fund For AVA
By JAMES HUTCHESON
JUNEAU, UP — One-sided votes
brought death to a bill for a ter
ritorial 40-hour work week in the
Senate Wednesday as the House
was approving a $120,000 appro
priation for tourist promotion.
These were the highlights of the
legislative afternoon. The House
also wrestled with provisions of a
bill to extend veterans’ benefits
to those who have been in mili
tary service recently. The Senate
busied itself writing amendments
into bills for knocking the lone
remaining member — a Democrat
— off the Employment Security
Commission and reconstituting it.
None of these bills reached a final
vote, however.
Senate Tables 40-Hr. Work Week
The Senate voted 13-3 to Wil
liam Beltz’ 40-hour work week
bill after grocers and restaurant
operators testified it would mean
paying time and a half for the
sixth day they would have to re
main open. They said also it
would necessitate higher costs to
the public. The only votes against
tabling the bill were cast by
Beltz and Sen. William Percy Ipa
look, Kotzebue.
The House voted 20-2 for the
$120,000 appropriation for the Al
aska Visitors’ Association on a
3-1 matching basis. To get full
benefit of the appropriation, firms
interested in tourist promotion
would have to raise $40,000. The
appropriation for the present bi
ennium was on a straight match
ing basis.
Debate over the measure found
the strange situation of the Re
publican speaker, George Misco
vitch of Flat, and the Democratic
floor leader, Wendell Kay of An
chorage, speaking in agreement.
Kay succeeded in writing in an
amendment to restrict the expen
diture of territorial money to ad
vertising and promotion in printed
form after Jim Chadwick, associa
tion manager, appealed for the
right to spend the money for radio
and television opportunities.
Rep. Morrell MacSpadden of Ju
(Continued on Page Four)
Coplin To Convert The
Nevada Building Into
Motion Picture Theater
Frank Coplin has announced
that the Nevada Building (now oc
cupied by the Golden Goose Bar
and Restaurant) is being con
verted into a theater which should
be ready for use within a month.
Coplin stated yesterday that he
has arranged for film contracts
with well known movie producers
and had bought out an entire the
ater in the States, the equipment
from which is being shipped north
immediately. The equipment in
cludes, seats, projectors, screen,
etc.
He said that the Nevada Bldg.,
which was built after the 1934
fire, is well adapted tcf being con
verted into a theater, and future
plans include a balcony and
slanting floors for a better view
of the screen.
Coplin states he will be sole
owner of the new theater.
Reds Suggest Conference
Aimed At Avoiding
Border Air Clashes
BONN, Germany, UP) — Allied
officials Friday studied a Soviet
suggestion for a British - Russian
conference aimed at avoiding air
clashes along the East-West bor
der in Germany. British sources
described the Red reply to a west
ern protest as somewhat concilia
tory but there was no reaction
from American or French quar
ters. •
The suggestion was made last
night by Gen. Vassily Chuikov,
Soviet commander in Germany,
in otherwise rejecting a joint pro
test from the Western occupation
powers against hostile action by
Soviet fighter planes toward three
British aircraft last week.
Basketball Coach and
Gambler Costello Named
In Half Million Dollar Suit
LEXINGTON, Ky., (.ft—Univer
sity of Kentucky basketball coach
Adolph Rupp, and gambler Frank
Costello have been named as de
fendants in a suit demanding
triple damages of half a million
dollars for alleged gambling
losses.
Also named as a defendant was
Ed Curd of Lexington, who earlier
this month was indicted on a
charge of income tax evasion.
The suit was brought in Lexing
ton Federal Court by Mrs. Lucille
Chumbley Bradberry of Athens,
Georgia. She is the sister of Geo.
Chumbley, who was identified as
one of the alleged losers in
gambling operations the plain
tiffs claimed were conducted by
Curd and co-conspirators.
The suit charged that Curd,
Rupp and Costello conducted a
fraudulent scheme of gambling in
schools, colleges and university
sports. It further asserted that the
defendants had seduced student
leaders to betray their institutions
in athletic events..
West Germany Is First
Nation Meet U.S. Demand!
For European Army
BONN, Germany, UPI—Disarmed
West Germany emerged Friday as
the first nation to meet America’s
demand for “clear and visible”
progress toward creation of a
two-million-man European army
to include German troops.
By the sizeable margin of 224
to 165, the Bundestag (lower
hou$e) of the West German par
liament finally approved the
treaty Thursday night. Its com
panion Allied - Bonn peace con
tract was okayed 226-164.
To Permit Canadian Boats
Carry Passegers and Cargo
Bttween Alaska and U.S.
WASHINGTON, »£*—-The Sen
ate Interstate Commerce commit
tee Thursday approved a bill to
permit Canadian vessels to trans
port passengers and merchandise
between points in Alaska and the
United States.
The measure would permit the
Canadian ships to carry passen
gers between various Alaskan and
U.S. ports until June 30, 1954.
Present law permits only U. S.
vessels to transport passengers
and merchandise from one U.S.
port to another.
Will Meet Half
Way Any Russian
Peace Proposal
WASHINGTON, UP) — President
Eisenhower said Thui'sday the
new Russian regime will never be
mef less than half way by his ad
ministration in any effort toward
world peace.
But he said the Soviet Union so
far has made no formal - peace
overture.
The President also told his news
conference that he sees in the re
cent series of Communist aircraft
attacks on American planes no
change in the intentions of the
Soviet Union.
Eisenhower also:
j Reiterated that tax reduction j
must be ‘deferred until a balanced
budget is in sight.
2 Declared he sees no point in
questioning the loyalty of the na
tion’s churches. This was in reply
to a question as to whether he
favored an investigation of pos
sible Communist influences in
the churches.
Q Said his nomination of Chas.
o
E. (Chip) Bohlen to be ambassa
dor to Russia seems to him to be
a very good appointment. The
President made that remark in
reply to a request to comment on
a statement by Senator McCarthy
that it was a serious mistake for
the administration to press for
Senate approval o‘f the nomina
tion.
4, Declared he feels this nation
cannot afford to reduce its com
bat strength, but that he does
hope to get more national defense
for less money by eliminating
waste and duplication.
5 Said government staffs have
been studying a pro'posal for au
thorization of big increases in
military and civil defense, but
that no conclusions have been
reached.
g Said he would not want to
do anything unnecessarily provo
cative at the moment with res
pect to any move in the United
Nations to brand Russia an ag
gressor in Korea.
Shirley Booth and
Gary Cooper Win
Acting Oscars
HOLLYWOOD, GP> — Stage vet
eran Shirley Booth and Gary
Cooper Thursday night won Os
cars for the top mdvie performers
of 1952.
“The Greatest Show on Earth”
was named the best picture of the
year.
Gloria Grahame, southern belle
of “The Bad and the Beautiful,”
and Anthony Quinn, revolutionist
of “Viva Zapata!” were named the
best supporting players of the
year by the Motion Picture Ac
ademy.
John Ford, already winner of
three directing awards, won an
other for “The Quiet Man.”
Miss Booth, 45-year-old New
Yorker, was honored for her poig
nant playing of the housewife in
“Come Back, Little Sheba.”
Cooper, veteran of 28 years in
films, won his Oscar in a fam
iliar role—the dutiful marshal in
“High Noon.”
Portland Firm To Start
$40 Million Lumber and
Pulp Mill Near Wrangell
PORTLAND, GP)—Pacific North
ern Timber Co., which was allow
ed a tax amortization on a lum
ber and pulp chip mill near Wran
gell, hopes to start constructing
the plant this summer, an officer
of the company said Thursday.
A tax amortization off 40 per
cent on the $40,502,570 project
was granted by the Defense Pro
duction Administration.
Robert F. Johnson, president,
said the mill will cut approxi
mately 100,000 board feet of
spruce and hemlock per day, and
produce about 75 tons of pulp
chip a- day.
An effort will be made to start
construction this summer, John
son said, but if that is not possible
work will be started as soon as
weather permits in 1954.
Johnson also is president of the
C. D. Johnson Lumber Company
of Portland. Associated with him
is William Crooks, president of
P. L. Crooks & Co., Portland. They
are associated also in construct
ing 400 housing units at Anchor
age.
Heintzleman Working
On Plans For Industrial
Development of Territory
SEATTLE, UP)—Alaska’s gover
nor-designate, E. Frank Heintzle
man said Friday he hopes to have
a few days of informal confer
ences with Alaskan legislators be
fore the present session concludes
next week “to discuss territorial
problems.”
Heintzleman, stopping here for
a two - day stay while enroute
back to Alaska where he will be
come governor April 10, said he
still is formulating his plans and
has nothing to announce at this
time.
He expressed the hope his in- 1
formal conferences with the legis
lators will provide him with such
information as he does not now
possess regarding the territory.
He would not discuss possible
appointments he may make or
other plans he may have, saying
“That will wait until I reach Ju
neau Sunday.”
He declined comment on other
matters except to say “I have
been working on the problem of
industrial development while in
the east and may have something
to say on that later.”
A. Polet Resigns From
Development Board
JUNEAU, OW — Gov. Gruening
announced Thursday the resigna-'
tion of A. Polet of Nome from
the Alaska Development Board,
in which he has served since its
inception in 1945.
The announcement said the re
signation was due to' ill health.
Polet is ^2.
The governor lauded his “long
and unselfish service.”
Gruening said he wouldn’t ap
point a successor but will leave
that for the new governor.
A bill to reconstitute the whole
board has passed the House but
has not been acted on yet in
the Senate.
Legislature Passes
Investigating
Committee Bill
By JIM HUTCHESON
JUNEAU, GP) — Legislative ac
tion was completed Thursday
afternoon for creation of a six
member legislative committee to
investigate all levels of terri
torial government.
The Senate passed the bills 14-2
with only Democrats Wm. Beltz
and Wm. Egan, against.
Bills to abolish the Employment
Security Commission and create
a new one also won Senate ap
proval.
The bills previously passed the
House but the new commission
bill must return there because
the bill was amended.
Senators voting against repeal
were Republicans John Butrovich,
A. F. Cole, Elton Engstrom and
Percy Ipalook; and Democrats
Wm. Beltz and Wm. Egan.
The repeal has been labeled by
Democratic critics as a “bill to
abolish Ralph Rivers from the
commission. Rivers, Fairbanks
mayor and former Democratic at
torney general, is the lone remain
ing member of the commission.
Before enactment of Rep. Her
ald Stringer’s investigating com
mittee bill, with a $75,000 appro
priation, Butrovich told the Sen
ate, “This is not a witch hunt”
proposal, but it designed to bring
thorough examination of how the
government can be improved.
Sen. Howard Lyng declared that
if phases of the territorial govern
ment “are not good, we want to
inform the people about what is
going on. This is the only way we
can do it. No- honest territorial
employee has anything to fear.”
The investigating and examin
ing committee would be empow
ered to employ special investi
gators and examiners. The sweep
ing scope of its authority is re
flected in the title of the bill
setting forth its purposes “of in
quiring into official conduct, ad- •
ministrative acts and operations
of all territorial boards and com
missions and elected and appoint
ed officials and employes, to' in
stitute proceeedings in court and
to cooperate with the Attorney
General of the United States, the
FBI and other federal agencies.”
The House gave final legislative
approval to a bill providing a new
wing to the Pioneers’ Home at
Sitka.
Two New Pulp Operations
In Sight For Alaska
SEATTLE, (#)—B. Frank Heint
.zleman said Friday two new pulp
operations comparable with the 47
million dollar Ketchikan develop
ment, are in sight for Alaska.
The territory’s governor desig
nate told interviewers one of the
new pulp projects under active
consideration is destined for the
Sitka area. The other will be in
the Juneau or Petersburg vicinity,
Heintzleman said.
He said these two projects are
not yet in a stage which would
permit him to discuss interests in
volved, but he said he is having
continuing discussions with pros
pective operators.