Iditarod pioneer., 1916-10-28
A VICARIOUS COMPLAINT

lditarod, October 16, 1916.
 Editor Iditarod Pioneer
 Dear Sir: l have just read your rather
 amusing article regarding aerial mail The
 idea that the government might use force to compel me to carry out contract with
 the postal department no doubt originated
 in the office of The Pioneer. I have not
 now and never have had such contract
 The bid rendered by me last spring was a
 tentative Cne, and was incomplete in that it was not accompanied by a bond. 1 wrote
 to the second assistant postmaster general telling him that in my opinion no contractor could meet the specifications of the depart ,ment and suggested that cert ain changes be
 made u the proposals. 1 also told him that if these changes were made the necessary bends would be furnished Che of the changes asked was that the service start during the sumner of 1917. I have heard nothing from Washington since I have recently received letters from two firms of acroplane manufactures with whom 1 cor respond, stating that the department had rejected all bids for service on the Atlantic coast and also my bid for Alaskan service
 It seems to be the policy of your paper lO INlituIt tie ltitd Ul dplldl Ildu SeTNlCp. am not certain whether you are doing this because Of lack of faith in me or because you think the scheme impractical. If for tke first reason, it IS short sighted policy because the aeroplane will shortly be used extensively for cross country Alaskan trans pcrtation whether 1 am fortunate enough to be identified with its introduction or not. If for the second reason you are certain to find yourself a prophet without honor and gre apt to find yourself in the same predca- ment as was the titled Englishman who agreed to eat stewed car wheel on the day steam locomotive attained a speed of six miles per hour!
 Although the aerorlane is an American invention, the United States is the most backward country in its development and use. We regard Russia as a semi-barbar GUS country, yet she maintains an aerial mail service over parts of her territory where conditions of climate and terrene are very similar to conditions here. l have nu- meroUs letters from seven prominent aero Ylanc manufacturers in this country, and no one of them thinks that any serious ob- steele will be met in cross country Alaskan flights. These letters were not written for the purpose of selling machines. as each of them states that the entire output of his plant for 1916 is sold to the warning ma tens. The enormous demand created by the war for aeroplanes is alone responsible for the lack of interest shown in the gov ernmcnt's attempt to establish aerial mail service in Al2.ka. The close of the war will release thousands of trained ayiators and T'iN force several large makers of ma chimes to seek new markets or quit Alaska, for obvious reasons presents the most prom jsing fed in the wcyli for the peaceful use of the aer3rlanc, and will net be Ing ncclected after the close of the war. I. is my snbticn to be first in the field
 have a great deal of literature on the @rbjcct-lettorS from Wright, Curtis. lhamaS and other well known authorities l also have cories of my correspondence with the postal department If you wish to write any more on the subject you may have these papers Had you asked for this | 5!ata before you would not have published the article l have just read
 h conciusjcn l wish to state that my as sociates and I have not abandoned this | pro- .ect. and that we hope to bring ma cline to IItar0d next summer
 Yours very truly EARL BIERS