The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-12

treaty, put V was mhuc HtUeE U series of diplomatic negotiations, following which tho U. s. Depart ment of Commerce issued Q landing permit to British Imperial Airways, and the British government issued 0 similar permit to Pan American Airways to fly Into, through and away from the U, s. and Great Britain via Canada, Irish Free State and Bermuda, These per. mits were effective June l, 1886, and were to remain in effect i6 years, with the provision either side could cancel on two years notice.
 The catch in this Is that at the time the, agreement was made, the British had no planes capable of flying the Atlantic with Q pay load, though Pan American Airways had developed its clippers in the Carih- bean and was ready to fly the At- lantio In 1887.
 POINT AGAINST RECIPROCITY
 But transatlantic flight was de. layed two years because the British had no comparable equipment and because Of this reciprocal permit which prevented American planes from touching at British ports until the British could catch up with the procession and develop planes to fly tho ocean and touch U. 8. ports.
 Tn situations like this, freedom of the air" advocates may have one of their best talking points, If there were no sovereignty of the air" TO. strictions, planes of any nation might fly into ports of any other nation and do business. Reciprocal agreements are in that sense TO. strictive, though proponents of re. ciproeal agreements emphasize the protective value of allowing no for- eign airlines to fly more planes to this country than foreign govern. ments allow U. s. airlines to fly to their countries.
 Before the British were ready to put the reciprocal agreement into effect, deals were made with the French and the Portuguese, 90 that when transatlantic plane service did begin in 1889, the clippers went not to British ports, but to Mar" sellles, by way of Bermuda, the Azores and Lisbon, The British did permit the clippers to go to Ber- muda because the Bermudians In. sisted on having the service.
 Tn the case Of the service to France. formal reciprocal treaty was negotiated between govern- ments in 1889. but France let U. s. planes fly over France and come in to Marseilles even though there were no French flying boats devel- oped to provide reciprocal service. The French had the right, however, to put reciprocal service into effect, schedule for schedule, when ready.
 In the case of Portugal, Pan American Airways made a direct deal, getting a franchise from the Portuguesc for exclusive landing rights until such time as the U. s. and Portuguese governments should negotiate a reciprocal agreement. BARRED AXIS LINES FROM U. s.
 The advantage to the U. 8. in having an American company hold an exclusive franchise is apparent. It prevented German and Italian lines from flying planes into U. s. ports before the war and during the time this country was still neutral. Also. 1t prevented the Germans and italians, who were flying land planes into Lisbon, from forming a dummy Portuguese company which might have secured landing rights had there been Q reciprocal agreement in effect.
 Up to about le4l, Pan American had been the only U. s. company developing international air services. At this juncture, into the picture stepped another cornpany-Amefican Export Airlines. It got a U. s. government certificate of conveni- ence and necessity to operate but 1t couldn't land its planes in Portugal because of the Pan American ex- elusive franchise. American Export thereupon set up pressure to have the Pan American exclusive fran chise revoked by negotiation of a treaty between Portuguese and U. s. Governments, permitting other U. s. airlines to operate in Portugal.
 This put the U. s. government in a spot. Monopolies are not popular with the New Deal and many ad- ministration efforts have been made to break monopolies SO as to permit free competition. However, If the U. S. government sought to nego. tiate an air treaty with Portugal 1t could be done only on the basis of granting reciprocal rights. which in time of war would not be to the advantage of this country.