Evening star., 1944-09-01
II Air|ines Press Fiohl
For Overseas Trade
Under New Chairman
BY w. H. SHIPPEN, JR,
Aviation Editor, The 9tar.

--s--. ANlAllOn GulLOI, -40e 8Laf.
Appointing a new spokesman, /,
airlines moved yesterday to bring
their fight for overseas trade out
into the open at public hearings
before Congress.
1t was pointed out in letter to
Chairman. Bailey Of the Senate
Commerce Committee md Chairman
Clark Of the Aviation Subcommit-
tee that previous hearings on the
controversial subject were held be-
hind closed doors, with witnesses
talking "off the records
Through the new chairman, Alex
ander B. Royce, New YO8k attorney
the Airlines Committee for United
States Air Policy took exception to
a letter written by the Senators to
President Roosevelt. August 10,
which seemed to favor a COM
munity company" as against "regu-
lated competition" in the field of
international air commerce.
Letter Disturbing
The policy group, Mr.. Royce wrote,
found the letter disturbing" in some
respects. especially the part which
informed the President that "the
subcommittee has been holding ex-
tended hearings throughout the past
year with thorough presentation of
all points of view from Government
onicials and agencies concerned and
also from various private interests
involved"
1t was Mr. Royce's contention that
"all points of view" had not been
heard. and that the airlines he
represented wished to testify fully
and In public for the record.
While not all the lines banded
together in the policy group want
to enter overseas trade, Mr.. Royce
wrote, they are all united in the
single proposition that our inter-
national air transport industry, like
our domestic industry, will live and
really thrive only by competition,
subject to reasonable Government
regulation"
Fear Monopoly.
The II air lines, which include all
the big air carriers with the excep-
ton Of Pan-American Airways and
United Air Lines, fell that COM
runity company" favored by Pan
American and proposed in a Senate
bill would create monopoly which
eventually would come under COM
plete Government control, Mr. Royce
said at a press conference yesterday.
On the other hand. Pan-Ameri-
can, with years of pioneering over
seas routes behind it, is convinced
the plan would allow qualified car
riers to participate in a single COM
pany with sufficient resources to
compete on equal terms with foreign
nag lines almost certain to be heavily
subsidized or Government-owne
In their letter to the President
the Senators urged that the Civil
Aeronautics Board grant no over
seas certificates until the whole
question OF international air policy
can be reviewed by Congress.
sees Adequate Machinery.
Mr.. Royce, who has carried out
aviation missions for the Govern
ment in South America and At
rica, told reporters that the pres
ent law sets up adequate machinery
and authority for putting all our
airplanes to work" in foreign as
we'll as domestic fields, and that the
CAB should be allowed to dis
charge the functions it is charged
with.
As to the McCarran bill for es-
tablishing community company"
Mr.. Royce wrote the Senators they
had given the President a wrong
impression" on the amount of sup
port it has from the air transport
industry.
Il feel sure I am right in as
serting,' he continued, that only
Pan American Airways and United
Air Lines support the community
company proposal. and that all the
others are against the idea"