Evening star., 1943-02-11
Mrs. Luce Urges u. 5.
Continue Sovereignty
OF Skies After War
Discusses Freedom of
Air With Nichols on
National Radio Forum

throughout the world is feasible,
was discussed last night by Mrs
Clare Boothe Luce, Republican
Representative from Connecticut,
and Representative Nichols. Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma, over the Ma
tional Radio Forum, arranged by
The Star and broadcast over WMAL
and the Blue Network.
While there is much argument
over what America will get at the
peace table, said Mrs Luce. nearly
every one agrees on what this coun-
try does not expect. I'VE do not ex-
pect and do not want to grab or
annex one inch of territory out
side our own possessions she said.
But she added:
I'VE shall all demand henceforth
the means. the methods and the
facilities to be secure from attack.
And we shall urge. wherever posi-
BILE. political climate in other ma
tions in which liberty may thrive.
Republicans and Democrats, all
Americans want that"
Mrs Luce made plea for con-
tinuance of Americas policy of
sovereignty of the skies" as op-
posed to the suggested slogan,
freedom of the skies
Z. S. Air Trade Factor.
Mr.. Nichols said the most press
ing air problems of the postwar
world would be. first. how far the
United States would press its advan-
tages. how far it would be willing
to share the world air-trade with
other nations: second. Government
operation against private enter
prises: third, freedom of the air.
Each of these questions, he said,
''bristles with its separate set of
problems and there are signs of
growing division in outlook between
an interested group of liberals in
the administration, on the one
hand. and businessmen and con-
servative officials on the other"
Mrs. Luce reminded her listeners
that Americas international air
carrier position was tops before
Pearl Harbor, On yearly basis
in early 1899, she pointed out, ''our
passenger transport was flying more
air miles than all the major Euro
pean countries put together" She
added, now everybody in this coun-
try today realizes that our pre-
Pearl Harbor domestic and over
seas, commercial airplanes were cru
cial factors in our ability militarily
to prepare America for a successful
global war. But for the routes we
had and volume of our civilian air
operations, both at home and over
seas, this war might already have
been lost
Cites Versailles Recognition.
Emphasizing that America had
built UP her aviation on policy of
Sovereignty of the skies" Mrs. Luce
said this policy was adopted by most
nations at the Versailles Conference
with a recognition in international
law CT the right of any country to
deny free access OF foreign planes
to its airports.
Freedom OF the air. put into prac-
tice. she added would mean that
any civilian and commercial planes
Of any nation could fly. with i'm
puenlty and without question, into
and over the; harbors and airports.
the rivers, mountains and all the
land of any other nation"
Freedom of the air or interna-
tionalization of skv-space. she con-
tended, would mean that Russian
planes, in transit say to Mexico via
the all-important Polar Cap, could
fly over Canada and the United
States of America. Chinese. Jap
anese. German. Italian. Dutch or
British planes or the planes of any
other nation which could afford to
subsidize air carriers could fly over
this country at will" And she MAIN
tanned that, with nations forever
greedy and contentious" to grant
this free transit, this free look see.
to all the nations OF the world, might
be very unwise from our point of
view"
IF our administration. Mrs. Luce
added, is working behind closed
doors today with United Nations
representatives on the basis of a new
air policy, which may scrap our old
one, believe We Americans ought
to know about it
Standing Committee Urged.
Mr.. Nichols recalled that he had
been urging the creation of a per-
manent standing committee on civil
and commercial aviation in the
House since 1889
1t took the battle of Crete" he
said, TO prove 10 our Army Air
Corps that the transport plane would
play an important part in the win
ming Of a modern war. Likewise. it
took Pearl Harbor. and finally war
itself, to shock the Congress and
the people into realization of the
important part that commercial
aviation would play in the post war
period
Mr.. Nichol added. I'VE must not
only Win the war, but we must pre-
pare ourselves to enter into world
competition with the other world
powers, many Of whom are now Oul
allies and who now, being the bene-
ficiaries Of our lease lend and other
programs, will in the postwar pc
j1UN DE our DllIeI tOfllellCeTS LOT Ine
control OF the world markets. And
believe me. that nation which is
first ready. with heavy cargo carry
ing, fast airplanes. will be the ma.
ton that will first recover from the
war effort"
In the domestic field. he asked
viii this great air industry, IL
both the field Of production anc
transportation. grow IN the postwar
period? Or Will j, be stifled by self.
ish interests within our own coun-
try. who have their money in.
vested in other flelds Of transporta
tion?"
Mr.. Nichols saw. if tar-sightec
policy were adopted. a vast eXpan.
sion Of commercial and private avi.
alton, with the possibilities almos
unlimited.
How Tn Rplinvn