Evening star., 1944-09-17

WIN INC peace rs Wel DIS CIle WdI!
The question of how best to convert
this modern force from destructive to
constructive ends will be put up to
delegates at the World Aviation Confer
ence in November.
Unless international planners can
agree soon on at least tentative pro-
gram, Government experts here fear
civil aviation will remain an open ques-
ton, still subject to debate and torn by
conflicting interests long after the war
ends in Europe or the Far East.
The need to plan Immediately, If ten
tatively, for the transitional period after
the war prompted the United States to
invite SO countries to send delegates to
conference opening November !.
Argentina, having no diplomatic rela-
tions with the United States, was omit
ted from the list, although admittedly
an important link in any world airways
system.
It seems certain that the principal
trading nations will be represented at
the conference, which may draw up to
200 delegates.
Talks leading up to the meeting were
begun by the State Department last
January with the British, and since have
been extended to include the Canadians,
the Russians, the Dutch, the Belgians,
representatives of British India and the
New Zealanders.
Place Not Chosen.
Neither the place of the meeting or
the makeup of the American delegation
has been determind 1t seems likely,
however, that the United States dele
CATION will include members of Senate
and House committees with special
interest IN aviation, and perhaps a
representative Of the Civil Aeronautics
Board in addition to State Department
experts.
Capitol Hill has insisted upon being
let IN on any foreign commitments
being planned or discussed. Airline
officials with experience in overseas
operations, while not represented on the
delegation, will be consulted on the
American program.
This plan will include worldwide
network OF commercial air routes sug-
gested recently by the CAB. Announce
ment of these routes was followed by
scramble on the part of American air
and surface carriers to obtain CAB per-
mission to fly them.
Oral arguments on these applications
will open before the CAB next month,
but decisions are not expected until
United States policy in the international
neld is further clarified.
Planners Of the world conference hope
to speed the formulation of this policy
IN order to put American planes, crews
and ground facilities into commercial
operations as soon as possible.
United States Wants Speed.
There are several reasons why the
United States, more than any of her
Allies, wants speed in the postwar con-
version:
First, we now have ready-made and in
full operation the greatest network of
world airways ever conceived-more than
$4,000 miles of adequately based routes
touching all the continents and criss-
crossing the oceans.
Second, we already own or have in
production the worlds most efficient air
transports, together with flight and
maintenance crews, ground facilities and
communications.
Third, we originate in this country
some rs. or 80 per cent of the worlds
overseas traffic, whether passengers, mail
or cargo, according to the best figures
available.
Although our commercial air carriers,
many Of whom are operating overseas
Tor the Air Transport Command, are
fighting to take over this traffic at the
earliest possible moment, it now appears
likely the Army may have to operate the
system for several months after the war
ends.
In the absence of new commercial
agreements, the ATC may continue to fly
high-priority traffic for the rehabilita-
ton OF Europe long after the collapse
OF Germany, or for the relief of the Far
East long after Japan falls.
Britain's Position Strong.
Great Britain, whose empire is scat
tered around the world at the most
strategic points, is in strong bargain
Ing position, since she can control
the peacetime use of the bases we built
for military operations.
Russia, too, has plenty of blue chips
StYa hotr
tive areas of the Northern Hemisphere
lie across her territory near the Arctic
Circle.
The Dutch. who had a solvent little
world empire of their own before the war
can be expected to rebuild their inter-
national airlines with speed and eff
cheney. The French, too, had their
routes to Africa and South America. and
the Scandinavian countries were de-
veloping air commerce on a promising
scale.
With the revival of air commerce all
over the world, as new areas are freed
from Axis domination, the need becomes
increasingly acute for some interna-
tional code setting up safety regulations,
methods OF transmitting weather in
formation and the like.
The State Department invitation to
discussion Of the whole subject of
civil aviation follows, in part:
The Government of the United
States has concluded bilateral explora-
tory conversations with a number of
other governments which have dis
played special interest on the subject