Evening star., 1942-04-30
Wars Coming Makes Labrador
Land of Contrasts and Paradox
Planes Transport Luxuries to One Area;
Another Section Gets Mail Twice Year

Oh umllleSS expansion LOT lnc great
freight-carrying planes.
One can drive over 100 miles OF
eight-lape highway-the only high
way in tabrador-without seeing a
single billboard. Some of this high
way, to be sure, won't exist much
longer. 1t was created by the SIM
pie expedient of bowling over 30
foot spruce trees with bulldozers
and its base is frozen muskee, which
is new deteyiorating rapidly under
an April sun.
Much Of System Permanent.
But much of the bases highway
system Is permanent, having been
built on a 50O-feet depth of sand
plateau swept in here somehow In
centuries past. And when the two
month summer season really sets
in, about mid-July, roads won't be
necessary anyway. There is no
underbruSh in Labrador and the
spruce and birches, in most places
grow wide apart. so that you can
actually drive an automobile at q
good clip, winding your way right
through the woods, with nothing for
pavement except the endless carpet
of caribou moss.
All these things make Labrador q
land Of contrasts and paradox. Lit
tie Eskimo boys gaze in wide-eyed
wonder at the snowmobiles - air
plane-prope1ered sleds-which the
white men use in lieu of dog teams
Their fathers, accustomed to trad
ing with Hudsons Bay-get work on
construction gangs at the rate Of a
day. A week Of such wages means
more wealth than they have ever
known. No wonder the construction
bosses complain that the Eskimoa
are uncertain help. After . week,
drunk with wealth, they knock Of
and 60 fishing, or caribou hunting
The r. c. A. r. authorities and
the Grenfell mission people tell me
that I am the first newspaperman in
Labrador since 1924, when q delega-
ton from New York and New Eng
land came up to welcome the re-
turning round the world Army fiy-
ers. Even then the boys came only
as far IS the coast. Nobody seems
to know when, IL ever, another re-
porter has penetrated the Labrador
interior.
War Changes Situation.
After all, why should any white
man, except q Hudsons Bay factor
or an explorer or an artist, want to
90 to Labrador? It is the war which
has made Labrador accessible-the
war and the airplane.
This whole development was in
spired by the airplane. and the need
for continental security against air
invasion. And without the airplane
1t would not have been possible to
maintain and supply this huge base
In the old days-say a year ago
summertime sailing voyage to
Labrador, even If it only extended to
Battle Harbor, on the southeast
coast, was a great event. It took
nine or 10 days OF hardy and ad-
venturous travel.
But we new to Labrador from q
New Brunswick base In only four or
i've hours in our comfortably heated
Douglas DC-3 transport, converted
for use IS = freighter. And along
with us went half a dozen mechan-
les and electrical specialists for the
construction gangs, plus about 1000
pounds Of freight, including hun
dreds Of pounds Of fresh eggs and
frankfurters.
Now Regular Service.
This is now q regularly scheduled
air service which makes available
to the r. C. A. r. men not only such
luxuries as fresh eggs and fruit. but
airmaI. And when you think OF
daily airmail service in Labrador
think Of the Grenfell mission people
at Northwest River, who are still
living in the pre-air age. They get
mail twice year.
But the influence Of the big all
base, and its daily airmail service
is spreading, from Ungava Bay to
the Belle Isle Strait. Wing Comdr
w. c. "Packy" McFarlane has taken
to putting on moving picture shows
to which he invites the Labrador
public. The other night attended
the Labrador preview of Hound OF
the Baskervilles." The audience was
chiefly Eskimo. One parka-clad
mukluk- k-shod family included q
mother, father and IA children. An
other, with hve children, came In
from the far north by dog team and
had been IA days on the trail.
They think nothing OF travelling
two or three weeks by dog team to
see one Of Packy's pictures. And
they 60 wild with delight over the
romantic shots. When the feller
kisses the girl they are convulsed
by mirth, right down to the 4-year-
olds. Seems 1t really is true about
the Eskimos rubbing noses.
tcopyright. 1912. BY Chicago Daily Nevs.)