Evening star., 1949-09-06
Thomas Drops Air Junket Probe,
Louds Johnson for Fixing Policy

L0uds Johnson !
Senator Elmer Thomas, Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma today dropped
his investigation of travel by Gov
ernment officials in military air.
craft and commended" Defense
Secretary johnson for establishing
q definite policy on air Junkets'
The Senator said he made the
demand for an accounting OF
free air trips, including those by
President Truman and Vice Pres
ident Barley, Ito force my point
and get them to establish a nrm
policy and adhere to it"
He said he was certain that the
policy developed and announced
by Mr.. johnson with some DEF
mite restrictions" on air junkets
would bring about substantial
savings.
His statement appeared to re-
move a lot of the heat from
three-day-old ruckus kicked up
by Mr.. Johnson's suggestion that
q Senate subcommittee use COM
mercial air transportation oe-
tween Carlo and Tokyo.
Thomas Demanded Accounting.
Defense officials later explained
that the Air Force was wiling
to carry members of Congress on
scheduled routes but that it could
not spare planes and men for nom
scheduled round the world flights.
Before that explanation had
been made Senator Thomas mad
demanded an accounting by
September 20 on free air trips
taken by administration officials,
including Mr.. Johnson himself.
That was done, the Senator ex-
planned today, ito afford the Sec
retary an opportunity to develop
and announce a firm policy
Mr.. Johnson's Office said that
actually the rules had. been fixed
in 1947 by the late Defense Secre-
tary Forrestal. They are:
/. Any one may ride free If his
trip is of official concern" to the
, department.
2. When not competing with
commercial airlines, military
planes may carry passengers from
other departments, but fares must
be charged.
Competition Barred.
3. AS a general policy. the Mil
itary Transport Service shall not
compete with commercial airllnes.
4. Military planes shall not
carry paying passengers on any
route which the Civil Aeronautlcs
Board certifies is adequately
served by commercial lines.
Defense officials said members
of Congress who are touring over
seas military bases could properly
ride free on military planes, but
would have to pay their way or
use commercial planes where
military business became per-
sonal pleasure. They said Mr.
johnson fully recognized the right
of members of Congress to ride IN
military planes.
Meanwhile, the department an
nounced plans to take 80 repre-
sentative civilians to Florida,
Georgia and Norfolk, Va, on an
air inspection trip September
21-26.
1t will be a joint Civilian Orien-
tation Conference to permit lead
ers in industry, education, press,
religion, government, labor and
other phases of civic life to IA
miliarize themselves with defense
problems and progress toward
unification of the military serv-
ices.
The conference will be topped
off with a trip to sea aboard an
aircraft carrier for two days. Prior
to that the group will be flown to
Eglin Air Force Base. Fla; Fort
Benning, Ca, and the Norfolk
Naval Base. Secretary johnson
plans to drop aboard the carrier
in a helicopter on the morning OF
September 26.
2-Day Talks Planned.
The field flight is to be pre-
ceded by two days Of talks and
discussions in the Pentagon.
George F. Kennan, on Monday
September 10, will address the
group on an Estimate of the In
ternational Situation" He is
director of the Policy Planning
Staff of the State Department.
He will be followed by Maj. Gen.
Alfred M. Gruenther, director,
Joint Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff
on Joint Chiefs OF Staff and
Joint Planning" Secretary OF the
Army Gray and Army Chief OF
Staff j. Lawton Collins will talk on
the Army, Secretary of the Navy
Matthews, Admiral Louis E. Den
field, chief of Naval Operations
and Gen. Clifton B. Gates, COM
mandant of the Marine Corps, will
describe these two services, and
the Air Force will be presented by
Air Force Secretary Symington
and Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Air
Force Chief of Staff.
Richardson to Speak.
The next day. Francis H. Rich
ardson, Deputy Executive Secre-
tary, Research and Development