Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-02
Law Sought 10 Keep
Military Planes Off
Commercial Airways
By the Associated Press

Calls came today for action by
Congress, now in recess, to look
into the airplane safety situation.
Senator Edwin c. Johnson,
Democrat, of Colorado, urged new
curbs on military plane flights on
commercial anyways. Senator
Johnson said the Senate Com
merce Committee which he heads
is asking the Civil Aeronautics
Administration for a full report
on yesterdays crash, which took
IS lives. The Civil Aeronautics
Board has already announced it
will conduct its inquiry soon.
Senator johnson was one of
several members who suggested
that Congress take action. Chair
man Crosser of the House Com
merce Committee said that when
Congress returns his group will
make further inquiries ito see If
anything can be done to assure
air safety"
Mr.. Crosser said there must be
exacting requirements" for ex-
change OF messages between con-
troll towers and planes.
P-38 Classified Commercial.
Representative Hinshaw, Re-
publican, of California, suggested
that all military aircraft should be
removed from National Airport
and moved to nearby military
fields to relieve congestion.
Actually the P-38 involved in
yesterdays crash had been clas-
sif1ed as commercial craft. It
was in the process of being trans
ferred to the Bolivian govern
ment. Airport Administrator
Bennett H. Griffin said it was per-
mitted to use National Airport
because it was so classified.
The accident was the second
fatal scheduled airline crash in IA
months. Last July 81, in a some
what similar TRACE ~, Is persons
aboard an Eastern Airlines plane
were killed when [ was in COLI
sion with Navy fighter over New
Jersey.
Senator johnson said that as a
result of that accident he pre-
pared bill which would make it
a criminal offense for any mill
tary pilot to "buzz" a civilian
craft. He said he did not offer
1t In the last session of Congress
because Of objections raised by
the CAA. |
The circumstances of the two
accidents differed in that no
stunning was reported prior to
yesterdays crash and both planes
involved in it were technically
classed as commercial.
Question Remains Unsolved.
But Senator johnson said the
question Of keeping military air
craft out Of the courses Of COM
mercial airlines still remains to
be solved sess',assst ~
Senator johnson said B. WI
Rented, civii aeronautics admin
istrator. has been trying to work
out a new pattern of controls to
curb military fights on CONNER
cial airways but had not yet sub
mitted IT officially to his CONS
mfttee. ss<pks ~ -
Imam October II, letter to 1t.
Gen. Lauris Norstad, Air Force
deputy chief for operations, Mr..
Rented said two additional con-
trolls had been suggested to him.
The first, he said, would pro-
hibit the use Of civil airways to
any aircraft not travelling from
point to point. This would have
barred the Bolivian pilots flying |
IN the airliner's lane. since he
merely was testing the fighter
plane.
The second remedy, Mr.. Rented
said was suggested, was passage
by Congress of additional legis-
lation to put teeth in the enforce
ment Of safety rules.
He added, however, that he
thought military and civilian Off
Gals could work out enforcement |
procedures which would make it |
unnecessary for Congress Ito con-
slider and enact drastic controls
which might prove to be adverse
to the best interests of aviation"