P. A. A. in the North

Hardy young H. George Watkins, who headed the British Arctic Air Route Expedition in Greenland last year, wanted to lead an Antarctic exploring party this year. But money was scarce and a U. S. airline wanted him to go back to Greenland, make further studies. Hence last week Explorer Watkins sailed from Copenhagen again, this time as chief of the Pan American Airways East Greenland Expedition. At the same time another party was en route from the U. S., the Michigan-Pan American Airways Greenland Expedition. Also last week Transamerican Airlines, which had begun tentative surveys of the northern air passage to Europe (TIME, April 25), surrendered to Pan American its active interest in the route, including an exclusive concession in Iceland. Apparent reason: Pan American is better geared by structure and experience for international enterprise, has working arrangements with the big transport lines of Europe.

Unlike Transamerican, which sent Pilot Parker D. ("Shorty") Cramer and a radioman to fly the proposed route--and lost them--Pan American did not equip its expeditions with aircraft. For a year they will study weather, hunt for landing fields. Watkins' party will maintain two bases about 70 mi. apart near Angamagsalik, just south of the Arctic Circle. The Michigan group, which is associated with the International Polar Year research, will make its main camp about 100 mi. above Uperniski, several hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle. It will forge across the interior of the Greenland Ice Cap.

Thus far the Danish Government has refused to grant any operating concession in Greenland. But it will entertain proposals when a precise plan is submitted by Pan American on the basis of the expeditions' data.

Juan Terry Trippe, president of Pan American, took pains to mention last week that the work in the Arctic in no way indicated abandonment of his company's other projected transatlantic route via Bermuda and Azores.

Far to the south last week Pan American was sending a different sort of expedition, with a less happy mission, into bitter, freezing weather. A Ford transport of Pan American-Grace Line had taken off from Santiago, Chile, with six passengers and a crew of three bound for Buenos Aires. Somewhere over the Andes in a winter blizzard the ship was lost. Hopelessly searchers tried to scour a storm-swept, chasm-striped area 220 mi. long, 150 mi. wide where the plane might have come down.

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