The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-23
BEHIND THE SCENES
IN WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON-Presiden Roos-
eyelt's bitter attack on the motives
of people who criticize his transfer
of the Civil Aeronautics Authority
back to the Commerce Department
hit airline pilots like a slap in the
face.
Undoubtedly a lot of the Presi-
dents congressional critics did
have political motives. But the pi-
lots certainly didn't. They had as
sumed that someone mis-advised
the President on the transfer, and
were hoping if the whole business
were properly explained to him
he'd rescind the order.
A small group from the Airline
Pilots Association had been chos.
en- to seek an audience at the
White House and explain things
man to man-and just then the
President loosed his blast. AS a
result the pilots r hopping mad,
They have gone up to the CAPT.
toll to do some first-hand lobbying.
One pilot 1 talked with was D. W.
Duck" Ledbetter, of American
Airlines, who explained the pilots
angle thus:
THE safety record the airlines
have made in the past year is due
to the al solute cooperation there
has been between the Air Safety
Board, the Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority, the pilots and the airline
operators. If any one of those four
groups breaks down on the CO.
operation, you just aren't going tc
have safety.
The President says there has
been strife between the CAA ano
the Safety Board, and among the
three Safety Board members. Thai
simply is not true. The President
has just been misinformed.
In the first place, there really
are only two men on the Safety
Board. (Sumpter Smith, f r m e !
chairman, has been in charge O:
building Gravelly Point airport a
Washington since last fall.) One
of these two men is Tom Hard
ing. The President let the pilots
themselves pick him, and he has
done a marvellous job.
THE other man is C. B. Allen
We were kind of doubtful abou'
him when he was appointed;
weren't sure that he knew his
stuff. But we aren't doubtful any
more. We've seen him in action
Some of us went in to see him not
long ago and apologized for hav.
ing fought his appointment"
SPINACH" CHARGE
FULL OF SAND
1t is hard for Ledbetter and his
fellow pilots to talk internationally
when they discuss the situation
The President referred to he crit
cism as spinach" and impugnec
their motives; that really got I'm
de their hides.
One other thing had just rilec
Ledbetter when l talked with him
He had been talking with a Dem
oc-atic senator, explaining the set
up to him; in the end, the senator
admitted the pilots we're undoubt
eddy in the right, but added tina
because he was a New Dealer he't
have to vote with the President OF
the issue.
Would I like to ge that birt
up in my plane" unused Ledbette:
grimly.
CARDS LOOK
STACKED
The attack on the reorganiza
ton order is picking up speed il
both houses, bu the cards ar
more or less stacked in favor o
the administration. Under the law
the reorganization order become:
law unless both houses turn i
down. Licking it in just n ism
enough.
AS usual, canny Joe Martin, G
o. P. leader in the House, is play
ing a smart game. Each day HI
has seen to it that someone pu'
into the Record something in op
position to he order.
Few congressman know much a
bout aviation, bu Martin has two