The Ypsilanti daily press., 1943-07-12

Wheeler to Seek
Ban Against Rail,
Plane Monopolies
BY Charles p. Stewart

MASHlNGI TON - RdlllOdQ anu
steamship companies already are
anticipatorially jealous OF aviation 5
postwar prospects.
Congress already has a watchtul
eye upon surface transportation $
suspected plan to scoop in the air.
too. as soon as il ceases TO Be
monopolized by military requir"-
ments.
Senator Burton X Wheeler Cd
OF Montana discussed the matter
In the upper congressional cham.
ber the other day. serving notice
that he will introduce legislation
presently prohibiting rail and wat
er.borne services from mixing their
respective stock.ownerships with
overhead Nights. The Montana
solon also aims al keeping bus
and truck activities in a separate
classification from those OF other
terrestrial movement facilities.
either ashore or afloat.
The theory seems TO be that an
earthly.acquaticaerial combination
would be a dangerous kind OF a
trust. Senator Wheeler proposes
TO head IL of in advance. Aviation
is still so Young that II probably
did not occur to the Montanan to
deny its homogeneous the right 10
acquire rail, highway and water
Level stocks. as we'll as 10 protect
them from competition up into the
skies. However. doubtless they
will come next. as they develop
heavenly greed
Then il will become a triangular
scrap-raii, steamship and AIR
plane, as well as busses and trucks,
IL they are TO be included.
Senator Bennett Champ Clark
(D) of Missouri warmly indorsed
Senator Wheeler's proposition. He
did not mention lowly busses and
trucks. but he did say that land
sea and air are three distinct ele-
ments. which ought To he kep'
apart. having no business with one
another.
From a new world standpoint.
the Wheele--Clark view has espe-
cial significance.
We North Americans are pretty
well provided with railroads, trucks
and buses al home. Latin.Ameri-
cans are. unhappily, far from as
fortunate.
Which suggests the thought that
II a New World union is estsb-
lished II ought to be based on
aviation
Here in the United States. We
developed railroads when they still
were vitality essential ! myself al
most can remember covered-wagon
DAYS As We settled our land,
though (mighty rapidly; not grad
ually), We soon recognized the
necessity for faster transportation
and travel. That set our railroads
a-going. In their day they kept
DIP with what We considered our
demands in that era.
Only lately aviation began TO
break into the situation. 1t has TO
hustle to keep up with require
ments. Still. the rails serve their
purpose supernCldlly.
However. while all this was going
on, our southern neighbors were
not getting anywhere.
For productive purposes they had
as good possibilities as our own.
but they could not move their pro-
ducts. They were all right close to
their seaports. at which our oceanic
shipping could reach them, but they
could not get their supplies from
island. down TO water level
1t Just kept them back 10 the
primitive stage. throughout their
whole continent.
Now, We need their raw materials
and We need II processed but we
cannot get ii, because they can
not deliver IT al the waters edge
no inland activity to forward it.
And IT will take a generation to
get it going along terra hrma.
Railroads are slow building
II is like getting back TO the
coveredvagon period
But trans-American aviation can
expedite II.
We Yankees want those supplies
and the Latins want our markets
TO assimilate them
Answer? Aviation-and In
hurry,
The war has US tied up momen-
arily, but bit later the sky will be
truly the limit,