Evening star., 1947-08-19
Truman Air. Advisers
Reject Plan for Single
u. s. Overseas Line

President Truman'S air ad-
visers have turned thumbs down
on the idea of a single overseas
American airline.
In a report to the President last
night for the use of his newly
formed Air Policy Commission,
temporary setup, the Air Co-ordi-
mating Committee composed of ad-
ministration officials, rejected the
single-line proposal on the grounds
that (a) competition stimulates de-
velopment;; CD no small group of
individuals should be allowed to
interfere in politics of great ma
tional interest" and (c) national
security needs do not require
chosen instrument" line at. this
time.
The central theme. of the recent
Howard Hughes-Senator Brewster
fewd, the so-called Chosen instru-
ment" plan has been so hotly de-
bated on Capitol Hill that a Senate
Committee split, 10-to-1o, on it last
year.
Strong Military Force Urged.
The Air Co-ordinating Committee
also incorporated in its report a
section on military aviation which
declared that "the United States
should maintain in peacetime mill
tary air strength sufficient in
strength and effectiveness to launch
an air offensive which will cripple
any aggression its source"
This committee, created by execu-
tive order last September l6,, was di-
rected to survey aviation policy from
the governmental standpoint ito
provide for the fullest development
and coordination of the aviation
policies and activities" OF the Cove
ernment.
1t is made up of Assistant Secre-
tary of State Garrison Norton as
chairman, James M. Lands, chair
man of the Civil Aeronautics Board,
co-chairman; Assistant Secretary of
the Navy John N. Brown, Under
secretary of Commerce William c.
Foster, Assistant Secretary Of War
w. Stuart Symington, John J. Gill
len, Second Assistant Postmaster
General. and j. Weldon Jones, as
sistant budget director.
Truman Offers no Comment.
The commission to whom the re-
port went is composed Of private
citizens, and was created last month
to assist Mr.. Truman in formulating
an overall national policy on avia-
ton. It includes Thomas K. Fin
letter. New York. chairman; George
P. Baker. Cambridge. Mass, vice
chairman; Palmer Hoyt, Denver;
Henry Ford II, Detroit, and Arthur
D. Whiteside, New York.
The work of this latter group is
expected to tie in with that of
similar congressional committee.
The Chosen instrument" policy
turned down by the committee, fig
ured in the Hughes hearing when
the California plane builder and
movie producer accused Chairman
Brewster of the Senate War In
vestigating Committee of Offering to
call off the inquiry if Mr.. Hughes
would merge his Trans World Air
line with Pan American Airways
and support the one-international-
line plan. Senator Brewster, one
of the sponsors of bill for a single
international airline, denied he had
made any such proposition.
The White House made public the
lengthy committee statement with
out comment from Mr.. Truman.
Calls for Continued Competition.
Calling for continuation of COM
petition among United States air.
lines in the international field" 1t
added:
Competition offers the greatest
stimulus to development by the
United States of new operating tech
niques and equipment.
The statement, largely a compila-
ton Of official views already a part
of the record, said Congress had set
a policy of air transport competition
ito the extent necessary to assure
-" sound development" 1t added:
Competition must be constructive
in character and must not result in
lowering the safety factor or pre-
cluding joint and cooperative ar
rangements that result in efficiency
and economy"