The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-18

M $* violation of the
 Senate's request,
 ra.nm delivered to the
 President by Sem ator Bennett Champ Clark's Com merce subcommittee on aviation, that no postwar flying commit ments be made until Congress de- termines policy.
 Third, it will clash with consider able congressional opinion that at Chicago under Berle'S leadership the United States not only lost its flying shirt but also gave away its flying pants and boots when there was no reason for being that generous.
 There are two sides to this story and at this stage of the winged horse swapping it is impossible to make judgment. But behind one side of the story-belief in some avia- tion circles that the United States delegation gave away more air rights than 1t had to-there is a likely explanation of what led to the forced resignation O. Adolf Berle as As- sistant Secretary of State and an indication of what may happen next.
 THERE WAS A
 RELATIVE" ANGLE
 The trouble begins from the fact that then Secretary of State Cordell Hull, ill, overworked and primarily interested in his big Dumbarton Oaks conference, handed the avia- ton problem to Berle, brilliant New Dealer and Roosevelt appointee. The then Undersecretary of State, Ed Stettinius, being 8 brother-in-laN of President Juan Trippe of Pan- American Airlines, insisted that he be kept out of this deal for fear that charges would be made he was per- mitting family relationships to in- f1uence his decisions. This also ex- plains why it was specified in the newly proposed State Department reorganization that the internation-, al aviation question be assigned to Assistant Secretary designate Will L. Clayton, With instructions that he report directly to the President.
 Anyway, with Hull and Stettinius out of the picture and the President to busy with the election to be bothered, Berle had clear track.
 The Chicago agenda, as drawn up by Berle'S inter departmental com- mittee, was announced by the De- partment of State September 29, but the full U. s. delegation was not announced until October 27, less than week before the barley was scheduled to open on November l.
 Four members of Congress were named among the 10 delegates Senators Bailey of North Carolina and Brewster of Maine, Represen- tatives Bulwinkle of North Caro- lima and Wolverton of New Jersey - btu they practically had to muscle their way into the last pre-C Chicago meetings of the American delegation they had no hand in shaping the policies to be presented, and they sat down at the conference table uninformed.
 THE SENATOR'S HIT
 THE CEILING
 At Chicago Berle first presented the American delegation with his draft of the American proposals and let it be known that all the mem- bers of the delegation would be eX- pected to sign it to show united front. Senators Bailey and Brwester both known to favor the idea of one strong U. s. airline company for in- ternational flying and both opposed to granting too much freedom of the U. s. air, hit the ceiling when they heard Berle's proposals. They filed long protests and took plenty Of exceptions, and in general let it be known that all the members Of the delegation would be expected to sign it to show a united front. Sena- tors Bailey and Brewster, both known to favor the idea of one strong U. s. airline company for in- ternational flying ard both opposed to granting too much freedom of the U s. air, hit the ceiling when they heard Berle's proposals. They filed long protests and took plenty of ex- captions, and in general let it be known they would not go along with Berle'S program. It was simply an- other case of the executive branch of the government going ahead without fully consulting the legis- lective branch of the government. Whatever trouble develops will stem from that. Also, it should explain MT Berle'S exit from his assistant sec retaryship.
 Berle'S interim plan, to run for not more than three years, will not be affected because it is in the na- ture of an executive agreement. The long-term two freedoms conven- tion is a treaty, however, and must have Senate ratification.
 Also, 26 nations must ratify it be- fore it becomes effective