The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-13

| seven seas anC
bring back from
Pater Ed0o@ her colonies thu
raw materials needed by the British
Isles.
But Just because a seaplane lands
In the ocean 1t doesn't follow thai
a seaplane has the same rights as
o merchant ship. For one thing, the
seaplane can fly over land and
come to rest on a river or lake, fai
In the interior. And an ocean
spanning land plane Is even less
limited.
Advocates Of extending the prin-
ciple OF freedom Of the seas to the
air have nevertheless developed this
theory Of "the right Of innocent
passage"-the right Of any plane
to fly over, land on or take OIL
from any air base. Theoretically
plane in innocent passage may
refuel and be reserviced, provided
1t does not carry arms, does not
pick up or discharge cargo.
U. S.-BRITISH CONTRAST
The right Of innocent passage Is
built upon q similar right granted
TO merchant ships in trade. This Is
the right Of "cabotage"-- the
privilege TO any carrier TO bring
cargo into q country in transship-
ment. Thus, o Canadian steamship
line running TO Bermuda might
make stops in Boston and New
York, but 1t could not carry pas
sengers or cargo between Boston
and New York.
Just as the British have tradi-
tionally found 1t to their advantage
to fight for freedom Of the seas,
so now they appear to find 1t TO
their advantage TO support freedom
OF the air, or as they call 1t, 1.-The
open sky" policy.
From London, 1t Is possible for
the British to fly to everyone Of
their colonies except Canada over
a land route. From the United
States, however. 1t Is possible TO
fly over land to Canada and
Mexico only.
The United States can thus build
up Its future In air transport by
adhering to the doctrines Of free
dom Of the seas and the air over
the seas. The British on the other
hand must continue support for
belief in freedom Of the air over
land.
The war has given the United
States a big advantage In develop
ment of international air transport.
U. s. commercial airlines have gone
far ahead Of European compete
ton and U. s. long-range COM
mercial planes are better. The
British naturally look with sus-
picion on any advantage which
U. S. international airlines have
developed.
U. s. MAY BE LEADER
Furthermore, British naval pow
er, which once ruled the seas and
held the empire together by pro-
tecting freedom Of the seas, has
now been demonstrated as unable
to do that job alone. The Navy
did not save Singapore, Hong Kong
or Burma. Britain therefore faces
the necessity Of ruling the air and
1t is to be expected that His Ma
jecty's government will use every
argument and every vehicle 1t can
to that end. 1t will plug for more
reciprocal agreements. limiting
American advantage. It will seek
to break down every exclusive
franchise which now gives an
American line an advantage.
The United States Is now In a
position to become first nation in
the air. largely because 1t has bet
ter equipment. Nevertheless, much
British fear and suspicion OF u. S.
built bases all over the world Is
groundless. Much American con-
tention that the u. s. should hang
onto every one Of those bases Is
ill-advised.
Commercial airline men are the
first to admit that most bases now
used for military and lend-lease
supply lines have no future as bases
for postwar commercial airlines.
The reason is simply that they are
not located where there Is business.
The string Of American bases across
the African desert Is a typical ex-
ample. None OF those bases has
value to anyone except the British,
who might use them as colonial
tie lines. None Of the routes follow
the great circle courses which will
be the shortest distances In the
postwar world.
The same goes for many military
and naval bases now held by the
United States In the Caribbean, In
Brazil. or wherever. They have
their values from O defense stand.
point, yes. Commercially, they may
not even be signal stops on the
airlines Of the future.
After the last war, the British
pooled all their Atlantic shipping
interests under Cnnard- White Star
TO beat the threat OF competition
from the American Merchant
Marine. Today. Britain has pooled
oil her aviation interests IN her
zone choeen instrument British
Overseas Always Corporation - %
beat the threat OF American aVi-
alton supremacy.
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