I get the impression that Bedford would like to get out of the American contract early, although I am sure STL would still remain open as a base with one overnighting Continental plane and 40 lines per seat, and just a few deadheads to start your trip off...

Bedford really wants those 70 seaters for Continental. I am not sure what gave him the idea that CAL pilots would ever relax their scope, but he has never seemed the type to make business decisions on faith alone (despite his weekly updates). Who knows, maybe that is what CEOs do when they are bored.