Evening star., 1934-03-16


tenn that was built up by private COM
panies over 10 years.
"The Army equipment was not de-
signed for mail carrying. The pilots
we're not familiar with the airlnail
routes. It was not possible to take
over in the short time that the Army
was given.
IF you changed the experienced pri-
vate pilots from their ordinary routes,
1t would take weeks for them to be-
come familiar with their new lines.
If I went back to my old line be-
tween st. Louis and Chicago, it would
be weeks before I could handle 1t
as well as did"
asked, wouldn't the private companies
that formerly held the contracts have
to make ruinously low bids to regain
the contracts?"
Lindbergh said he was not familiar
with the rate field.
Senator Schall, Republican, Of Min
nesota, said he had been told it would
cost the Army around S30000,000 q
year to carry the mail where the pri-
vate companies had carried it for
about s14,000,000, but the witness said
he had no information on this.
Favors Large Units.
To the suggestion that contracts for
transcontinental service might be
broken up between several small COM
panies, Lindbergh said several small
units can not give the same service as
q few larger units.
IF a great number Of contracts
were let, it would decrease service
and complicate technical features.
expect that soon passengers will be
able to cross the continent without
stop"
In answer to questions. Lindbergh
said so far as commercial aviation
is concerned, America leads-or rather
did lead the world"
do you think Postmaster General
Brown was right in establishing trans
COZ mental lines?" Barbour asked.
II am not sufficiently acquainted
with the details Of setting up those
lines to comment on his methods, y
Lindbergh replied. But I do know
that commercial aviation improved
greatly while he was in Office"
Barbour asked whether competition
between United T. w. A. and Amer
lean Always was KEEN
$50 far as technical details are con-
cerned, competition was keen," Lind
bergh said.
DO you mean to say they competed
In bidding for mail awards?" McKellar
asked.
That's something I know nothing
about" Lindbergh said. IT have no
reason to think there wasn't COM
petition"
But you know nothing about it7"
NO"
Had Right to Trial.
"Your position Is whether there were
grounds for cancellation of these con-
tracts or not" Logan said, that these
companies are entitled to hearing
Exactly that is the point I tried
to make. I believe these companies
had a full right for a fair and i'm
partial trial"
Asked by O'Mahoney regarding the
advisability of continuing subsidies,
Lindbergh opposed "a permanent sub
sidy.'
IF used at ALL" he said, "it can
be used to advantage in encouraging
aviation in its first years.
II feel American aviation can still
be encouraged materially a little while
longer, and that can be done to the
advantage of the country"
do you know" O'Mahoney asked,
"that the company with which you
are associated paid another company
s1,4oo,000 not to bid on an airmail
award"
II have absolutely no knowledge Of
that"
But if it were true you wouldn't
approve it?"
Il don't feel with my background, /"
Lindbergh said, that I should make
any comment on the question:
'It's just an accusation now, isn't
it?" Barbour said
There's a difference of opinion
about that" Mcclellan interposed.
Hypothetical Question.
"1f an officer of your company
testified under oath that his concern
paid s1,400,000 to persuade another
company not to bid" O'Mahoney
asked, land if 1t were established by
the terms of the contract, would you
consider that proof of the charger"
That's a hypothetical question, "
Lindbergh said. "and it is out of my
field. I don't want to answer that" I"
McKellar asked about stock bonuses
Lindbergh received from aviation
companies.
O'Mahoney objected. saying ut has
no relation to this bill"
The flyer smilingly said he had no
objection to answering.
Let me say that I have never re-