The Daily Alaska empire., 1937-09-22
WHY THE CANADIAN ROUTE?

For several months negotiations have been going on relative to the starting of air mail route to Alaska via Edmonton, Canada. Several weeks ago a representative of the Postoffice Department was m Edmonton in consultation with Canadian and air line officials and from ths conference grew the general belief that an air mail line would be started In fact one company announced plans for the Inauguration of an air line and sent scouting plane out to map out flight details
 A storm of protest has arisen from the Pacific Coast cities including Vancouver in British Columola, and from Aaskans Not especially against the estab- lishment of an air line via Edmonton, but because of the establishment such route in preference to one I'D the British Columbia and Southeast Alaska coasts to make connections all over the Territory The general theory is and it is probably near correct that if an air mail route is started from Great Fals Mont via Edmonton to Whitehorse and then TOT redistribution in Alaska, route via coastal Alaska may have to wait long time before the Postoftce Department can see it's way clear to establish two air mail routes to the Territory.
 It is naturally assumed that the ambition of an air mail route to Alaska from the States is to the Territory and not to give contract to some concern which might want to start line to the north To serve the Territory it follows that the major points of the Territory and its closest business connections the Pacific Northwest should have first consideration It is only by establishment of route up the coast that such goal can be achieved.
 In the first place it is shorter than any contem- plated route across Canada and touches the ceners of population with direct connection to Interior and Westward points by established line operating mt of Juneau Bringing air mail into Alaska across Canada and via Whitehorse would be going around to bring it in the back door. The only logical busi- ness entrance to Alaska is through the Southeast which any map will reveal east of the major portion f Alaska
 An air mail route up the coast would not only be shorter and therefore faster, which, after all is the purpose of air mail but it would serve all Alaska and it would serve through the Pacific Northwest which is the Territorys major business contact point. A mail plane coming frcra Seattle would touch Vancou- yer. Prince Rupert Ketchikan Wrangen Petersburg, Juneau in almost a direct line From here direct connection now available to Fairbanks via Pacific Alaska Airways and another direct line could be tabished to Cordova, Anchorage and Westward points, or distribution could be made by feeder lines out of Fairbanks.
 This was the original plan for the Alaska air mail program. It still is the plan And it is the one with which the Alaska Aeronautics and Communications Commission and representatives of Federal aeronau- tics and communications groups including the Bureau of Air Commerce the Federal Aeronautics and Com munications Commission and the U. s. Weather Blu reau, endorsed when they met here several weeks ago
 Just why the Postoffice Department, which has been giving us encouraging reports from time to time on the proposed establishment of air mail route Alaska. should suddenly abandon the original plan for line from Seattle north via the coast line in