Evening star., 1934-03-17
REMOVING MAIL
ADVISERS URGED
Rickenbacker Says Aides
"Misadvised" Presi.
dent on Step.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
arrangement. Such payment, how
ever, would be made only to the ex-
tent of the actual loss incurred by
the airiines, and would be reduced
S cents each year until eliminated.
Would Arbitrate Pay.
Rfckenbacker suggested a reduction
In airmaiI postage to cents an ounce
for letters, and the authorization OF
air lettergrams at cents and air
post cards at cents.
The Federal Regulatory Board also
would be charged with arbitrating
pilots pay.
with the increased poundage which
will be developed under these changes
and rates of postage" Rickenbacker
told the committee, II am convinced
from studies which I have made that
not only would all airlines which
operated on February 10. 1884. be
able to exist without subsidy within a
relatively few years, but new routes
might be added to the network of
airlines which existed at that date. "
The Post Office Department, he
added, would receive more from
stamp sales than it would have to
pay air operators.
Rickenbacker urged that no legisla-
ton be considered which might tend
to place commercial aviation under the
same governmental control body as
military aviation.
One Change Assured.
Lindbergh tossed charges Of "un-
American" unjust" and contrary
to American liberty" at the measure
yesterday.
At least one change in the bill Is
virtually assured as a result. Both
Lindbergh and Chamberlin hit direct
ly at the provision that companies
whoce contracts were Cancelled could
not obtain new ones If they pressed
claims against the Government be-
cause of the abrogation.
Critics Of the proposed permanent
legislation held the committee floor
throughout yesterday. After Lind
bergh and Chamberlin, Edward P.
Warner, former Assistant Secretary
of the Navy for Aviation. struck at
the proposed breaking up of the con-
tract airmail lines into small units.
Separate Agency Favored.
Warner also wanted either a sepa-
rate agency or an expanded member
ship for the Interstate Commerce
Commission. il it is to rule over
airmail contracts and activities after
these operations are returned to pri-
vate companies. He also told the
committee:
You can't have Nationwide
aviation system without a Govern
ment subsidy"
He estimated that 100000 miles
were flown last year for every fatality.
After Lindbergh conducted probably
the longest period of public speaking
of his career. during which he de-
clared the original cancellation Of
contracts violated fundamental Amer
ican rights" Chamberlin took the
stand
Among other things he amplif1ed a
previous statement that two aviation
concerns operated ships which, in his
opinion, we're not the best for passen-
ger flying. He said the companies were
Eastern Air Transport and United Air
Lines, but added that the ships which
he thought were unsuitable for pas
senger flying" had been replaced by
better craft.
Agrees With Lindbergh.
The witness agreed with Lindbergh
that the section which would bar the
companies whose contracts were
scrapped from new awards If they
pressed claims against the Government
should be removed from the bill. II
was this provision which Lindbergh
termed "as contrary to American
liberty as anything have ever seen. u
Lindbergh had said he felt the can
collation. of the contracts without
permitting the companies a hearing
violated fundamental American
rights"
Chamberlin. however. told Senator
La Toilette of Wisconsin: There
seems to have been some reason for
doing it, but If it was enough, I am
not prepared to say"
Lindbergh was non-commitai on the
section of the proposed measure which
would bar companies carrying the
mail from afhliation with aviation
manufacturing concerns-in fact. he
found little, or nothing, to commend
in the bill.
But Chamberlin said ships he
thought were mot suitable for pas
senger work" were built by afiliates
of Eastern Air Transport and United
and that it was desirable Ito divorce
the airlines from manufacturing COM
panies"
His testimony about the passenger
planes was given reluctantly and only
after Senator McGill, Democrat, of
Kansas, questioned him about an in
terview which appeared in a New
York paper in which he made SINH
lar statements.
Chamberlin said he thought the
Army fatalities were due to unsuitable
equipment, bad weather and lack Of
time in which to prepare for the job.
The Special Senate Committee
whose disclosures began the airmail
furore, also was in session yesterday,
but the witnesses and investigators
outnumbered the spectators.
HITIER'S LEAGUE