The Cordova daily times., 1919-04-14
STEAMSHIPS NOT TO BLAME
 FOR ALASKA MUDDLE.

Comment has been quite genera throughout Alaska over the article appearing in the March number o1
 Railway & Marine News, under the caption Post Office to Blame for Al aska Muddle." In further reference to the unfortunate situation, it is pointed out that many people have re ceived the idea that the steamship companies were responsible for fore ing the United States mails to be car ried by freight to Alaska, whereas the facts are that the steamship compan. ies offered to carry the mails for ex. acty the same revenue per trip as they had in the past. This, however the post office department refused to pay, despite the greatly increased cost of operation.
 Every American citizen has a right to conduct his business on basis that will bring him a reasonable re- turn on the money invested. If, as a result of his own unwisdom, any man should sell his goods or his services at less than cost, he would be forced out of business.
 The American people in all fair nes do not demand that any man sell his goods or his services at less than cost, but if he should sell at less than cost, they would not pity him so much as they would condemn him for his foolishness.
 Several months ago the govern ment asked the steamship companies which serve Alaska to carry the mail at less than cost. If the people of Alaska will examine the situation carefully they will realize that if the steamship companies attempted to carry the mails under the contract de- handed by the post office depart ment the companies would be in the same position as merchant who drove himself into bankruptcy by selling his goods at less than cost.
 When the post office department asked for bids on the Alaska mail contract, the steamship companies igu, ad as closely. as they could, and the submitted bids in which they of fer to carry the mails for exactly the me revenue per trip as they had in the past
 Despite the tremendously increased cost of operation which the steamship companies had to bear the post office department arbitrarily decided that the companies were asking too much. The result was that the post office department resolved to discontinue giving the people of Alaska mail serv- ice, deciding to send mail by freight instead.
 As a result of this decision, the people of Alaska have suffered the greatest inconvenience and delay, but they must place the blame where the blame belongs It is easily within the power of the post office depart ment to remedy the situation.
 It stands to reason that the steam. ship companies will gladly carry the mail if they can do so without suffer ing loss. No individual or company is going to refuse any contract If 1t offers profit.
 The government has received in numerable protests from the people and the commercial bodies of Alaska against the handling of mail by freight and express, as at present. To offset these protests, the impression has been given out that steamship companies were arbitrary and exhor bitant in their bids. A good many people in Alaska received the idea that the steamship companies were responsible for forcing the mall to be carried by freight, whereas the facts are that they offered to carry the mail for exactly the same revenue per trip as they had in the past, dspite the increased cost of operating their vessels.
 The steamship companies never did make any profit in their mail con