Evening star., 1943-02-13
Postwar Air PoIjcy

roStWor Air folicy
Ihe House Rules Committee NAV
II IL VIII, take a long step toward the
oeVeIopment Of postwar aviation
policy for the United States. The
committee is considering a special
rule for action on the Nichols resolu-
ton, calling for standing commit
tee OF the House on aviation. Pre-
Sumaoly the House will act favorablv
on the proposal, if the committee
does.
In peace, as in the present war, the
alrplane is destined to play an all
important part. The potentialities
OF air transportation are almost
llmltless. The development of huge
transport planes has been hastened
during the present military opera
tons. This development will con-
tinue for commercial aviation. AS
far as possible this DEVELOPMENT
should take place now-before the
war ends.
Speaking in the National Radio
Forum Wednesday night, Represent
atlve Nichols of Oklahoma, Demo-
crat, sponsor of the proposed new
House committee, and Representative
Clare Boothe Luce of Connecticut,
Republican, Joined in a demand that
America prepare for the sure COM
petition among the nations which is
coming IN the commercial aviation
field. Time is of the essence, as Mrs.
Luce pointed out.
The problem is complex, with sew
eral important angles. Mr.. Nichols
mentioned three. How far, he asked
will this country be willing to share
with other nations the world air
trade. The United States, for war
purposes, has developed a huge
airplane production capacity = far
greater than any other nation. It
will be in position to transform
this war production capacity to
peacetime capacity for commercial
uses. Another vital question is Wheth-
er the development and operation of
peacetime aviation shall remain. as
it has in the past, in the hands of
private individuals and corporations
or whether it shall become a govern
ment owned and operated activity.
The third question is to what extent
the air shall be free"
Mr.. Nichols said that an interested
group Of liberals in the administra-
ton" already is at odds with busi-
neSSmen and conservative officials
over these problems. Americas great
transportation systems, railroad, mo-
tor truck, shipping and more re-
Gently, air transportation, have been
developed by private enterprise =
sometimes with Government assist
ance and supervision, but without
| Government control and operation.
| To make commercial aviation in the
future Government operation would
! be unWiSe, inefficient and throw it
into the field of politics.
Obviously there must be freedom
| for foreign airpIanes to land in
! American alrportS, if the planes of
America are to fly to the airports Of
those nations Freedom of the seas
has meant the use Of our ports by
| foreign vessels. Stringent laws, how
ever, have prevented the entry Of
foreign shipping into the domestic
carrying trade Of this country.
| Other laws have defined how foreign
shipping may enter and use Ameri-
can ports. Beyond a doubt such laws
| will govern the use Of American air
| ports by foreign airplaneS. Freedom
Of the air" a loose phrase at best,
should never become a license to fly
| indiSCriminately over American ter
ritOry Or into American ports. There
are military reasons, as well as COM
mcrcial, against such a thing.
As Mr.. Nichols and Mrs. Luce have
said, it will be too late to tackle these
problems after the peace comes. 1t
will be too late to develop the great
commercial airplanes the country
needs, if the plans have not been
made and put partly into operation
before the war ends. Other nations
already are looking toward the vast
air trade of the future