Bid for the Air

North toward the Orient, on the shortest possible line from Chicago to Vladivostok, U.S. warplanes roar over one of the most important air routes in the world: the northwest passage across Canada to Alaska and beyond. In Parliament last week Munitions Minister Clarence Decatur Howe announced that air-minded Canada would pay the whole shot ($58,500,000) for her sector of this line.

Canada's prime interest is in the $46,000,000 "northwest staging route": six key airports from Edmonton to Whitehorse, with runways bigger than New York's LaGuardia Field.

The original airports, built by the Canadian Government, were too small and the U.S. insisted that they be expanded. Canada agreed, but asked Washington to foot the bill for all costs not justified by the permanent airway. Now Ottawa is prepared to undertake the additional war costs.

In principle, the deal does not affect postwar rights. But Canada is clearly prepared to assert her sovereign prerogatives on the northwest passage, is taking a full hand in the postwar contest for the world's air.

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