Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-16
House Rules Group
Votes for Separate
Aviation Committee
Advocates of Proposal
Score Victory With
Action Due Next Week

providing for 2l-member group, i
expected to be taken up in the Hous,
next week.
The action of the Rules Commit
tee paved the way for bringing int,
the open bitter undercover BATH
that has embroiled two Hous,
groups.
Committee Rivalry Spurred.
On the one side is the specia
Accident Investigation Committee
headed by Representative Nichols
Democrat, of. Oklahoma, and othe
House members who advocate Wig
orously the creation Of the perma
nent committee to study the prob
lens of national and international
alr commerce, and to shape legisla.
ton in the interest of commerce anc
national defense, both now and il
the postwar era.
The opposition is the Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Com.
merce. under the Craftsmanship o.
Representative Lea, Democrat. o.
California, which has jurisdiction
over civilian air commerce, anc
seeks to retain it.
This rivalry has resulted in g
tockeying for position since the Sew
enty- eighth Congress convened, with
its supporters pressing for action on
the resolution to create the perma
nent aviation group, and the Com
merce Committee seeking House
consideration Of an omnibus bill
which would provide, in principle
for some of the improvements in
existing air law backed by the other
side.
From the Aviation Committee
advocates have come evidences
of feeling that the omnibus bill.
reported out Saturday, represent
ed hurried effort to show
that the Commerce Committee has
been working on the problems of
the air industry, and that, therefore
no special committee is needed to
deal with this subject. Some men,
bers Of the former group also have
been represented as viewing two
postponements by the Rules Com
nittee on the resolution for the new
unit. as an effort to strengthen the
position of the Commerce Com
mittee.
Action DELAYED.
The Rules Committee repeatedly
was to vote on the resolution last
Thursday, but delayed action, first
until Friday and then today, at the
instance of Speaker Rayburn.
Prior to the meeting of the Rules
Committee today, it was understood
that members had agreed that the
omnibus aviation bill would not be
permitted to come to the floor until
action had been taken on the other
measure.
Major legislative detectives of the
aviation committee which
are included in the Commerce Com
mittee bill provide for establishing
Federal jurisdiction over the navig-
able airSpace OF the country, and for
adequate coming regulations around
airports.
Under the Civil Aeronautics Act,
the Government now has jurisdic-
ton only along the route of the
airways. where the controlled area
Is 10 miles on each side of a center
line. Otherwise there is no definite
jurisdiction.
Could Govern Construction.
The proposed coming regulation IS
viewed as Of great Importance be-
cause it would permit the Federal
Government to guard against erec-
ton of structures constituting a
hazard to air navigation. Tire
Nichols committee sponsored a bill
last November to provide
for the airspace jurisdiction.
Aviation committee proponents, it
has been made clear, have no
quarrel with the Commerce Com
mittee about delaying action on
legislation, but do contend that
the Commerce Committee of ne
cessity is concerned with so many
other matters involving commerce
that 1t cannot give the time
needed to aviation. One of the
arguments understood to have been
used before the Rules Committee
was that in the last session OF
Congress. the Commerce Committee
had 321 measures covering % major
topics referred to it. In COMPARE
son, it is pointed out, but two bills
covering aviation matters were re-
ported out by the committee.
AS it friends see it, a special
aviation committee would be in
a position to make study of
the needs Of commercial avia-
ton that constantly would be
kept abreast of developments, and
propose legislation whenever the
occasion demanded To illustrate
H. is recalled that since the Nichols
group was created two years ago.
after the death in a plane crash OF
Representative Byron, Democrat, of
Maryland, more than 4 score of
reports embodying the committee S
observations and recommendations
have been filed with Congress.
Idea Pressed for Four Years.
Advocates Of the plan for a spe-
cial aviation committee have been
pressing the idea for about -four
years, and the move was acceler-
ated Just before the opening OF
the present session Of Congress wher
the Republican caucus in the House
voted TO get behind the measure
II was this development which
reputedly spurred the Interstate
Commerce Committee to action.
Critics Of the omnibus bill contenc
that it was the product OF brief hear.
ings. al which the Government anc
aviation industry were inadequatelS
heard. 1t is also argued tina
it was reported out without extern
sive revlSions, covering important
points. that were recommended b.
Charles I. Stanton, administrator Of
civil aeronautlCs, who urge that i
changes were contemplated, the Civil
Aeronautics Act should be reWrit.
ten 10 give effect to the changes il
administrative machinery created b,
presidential reorganization orders.
Ad Club ReIinouishes