The Wrangell sentinel., 1947-07-25
THROUGH THE SENTINEL RERISCOPE


 Alaska bush pilots, some 45 strong were up in arms. Civil Aeronauties Board had lowered the boom Eighteen of the 45 had been notified by CAB that any further operations on their pat would be in violation of the Civil Aeronautics Act which requires that they have certificates Of pub lie necessity, Most of the bush li- lots are non-scheduled carriers. They fly no specific route but go as charter pilots wherever business takes them The CAA act dates back to 1898 but has never been enforced in Alaska, primarily be- cause the bush pilots were needed during the war and many of them were off with the armed forces. Now CAB was going to get tough, or so it said. Recommendation has been made by CABS examiners that the provision not apply to Al aska's bush polits but apparently the heat was on from the certified lines and CAB was going to act. It was a case of the big boys squeez- ing out the little operators, and if it was followed through there wouldn't be a bush pilot operating in Alaska.
 It was rank discrimination a. gainst many Alaskan communities. Certified lines don't service the cutposts The bush pilots do; many of them make their living that way. There are scores of yil- lages in the Interior and far north that are entirely dependent on bush pilot transportation. The bush pilots are part of the north; they pioneered it and made Alaska the most air-minded people onI earth It's far cry back to Ben Eilsen, A. A. Bennett, Frank Do e. brandt and some of the old bOysI pants and figured any landing al good one when they could walk B. way from it. They and others like them pioneered aviation in Alaska The present bush pilots are an a1-I Vanced generation of the old school but today they have betterI equipment Their planes must pass the tests They get the best equip ment money can buy. They giyeI vast areas of the Territory safe, fast transportation in many in-l stances it's only transportation aud not few news reports come overI the wires every year relating Fl other mercy flight" accomplished by the lowly dogged bush flier inl an effort to save a human life.
 The bush pilots themselves arei top notch flying men. Many ha eI given up the bush for the main lines and become top men with !heI big carriers. Many served with d tinction in the armed forces and are back n"--' trying to get started anew in civilian life. With the new move by CAB it was going to be tough. But the bush pilots were organizing and preparing to take a firm stand against being put out or business. They were mastering strong support Whether the bush pilots would be grounded and many of Alaska'~ communities of the Interior and north thrust lites- ally back into the days of dog teams remained to be seen. It was another case of the Territory be ing the Orphan Annie. And here it might be well to reiterate that with a couple of voting Senators and a voting Representative back in Congress these sorts of deals would not be constantly foisted up- on the citizens of the Territory Statehood is the only means to that end.
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 A substantial boost for statehood for Alaska was given last week in Salt Lake City when the con1e. ence of Governors endorsed staer- hood for the Territory. The Gov ernors of 43 states and three Ter ritories, including Gov. Gruenihg of Alaska, were present when the conference passed unanimously tho following resolution:
 'The people of Alaska have It the ballot box expressed their de- sire 10 achleYe statehood. Alaska is one of the incorporated terri tories of the Unit ed States for which statehood, following Ameri- can tradition and precedent, Is clearly indicated as their destiny. Alaska has been under the Ameri- can flag fer eighty years and has therefore undergone a period of preparation and tutelage far long CT than that of most territories before they achieved statehood The expressed wish of our own fellow citizens of Alaska is merely fol the fulfillment of the moder- ate, understandable, traditional and legitimate aspiration to e. chieve full equality and respon-