Evening star., 1950-07-16
Nicely
Continued From Page CID

vigorous competitor of Pan Ameri-
can. Mr.. Stodola's recommends
ton to the board included this
significant statement: ut is in
the public interest to make and
keep it (TWA) strong carrier
to the end that it can continue
effectively to serve the travelling
public and effectively maintain
its competitive position among
our large carriers"
This follows the regulated COM
petition policy of the Civil Aero
nautics Board and the Govern
ment which in July, 1945. began
partitioning the worldwide inter
national air transport system built
up by Pan American Airways since
1927. 1t was as part of this policy
that the CAB deliberately put
AOA and TWA in competition
with Pan American on the rich
North Atlantic airway to Europe.
Mr.. Trippe has steadfastly held
through the years in fighting of
this enforced competition of United
States flag lines (he already has
more than he can handle from the
foreign owned and dominated op-
orators permitted to fly to these
shores that the policy Is costly
to the Treasury through mail sub
sidy and that the effort Of the
United States to combat foreign
competition is diluted and weak
ened by the fight for business that
goes on among our own interna-
tional airlines as well as with
the foreigners. Until now he has
lost every major campaign since
1888 when the regulated competi-
ton policy in international air
transportation was embraced by
the Government. rather than the
chosen instrument" device as
other governments term their air.
lines that represent each of them
in foreign service.
TWA fought the proposed sale
but agreed to go along with an
approval Of the merger if given
access to London on a permanent
basis and Frankfurt for as long
as the needs of the American mill
tary government warranted flying
tn there. 1t proposed other adj
juStmentS in the route pattern,
but offered no concession involving
admittance of Pan American to
Paris, Geneva and Rome. Pan
American is on record as declaring
1t would withdraw from the agree
ment to purchase AOA if TWAS
requests were allowed.
Friday forenoon TWA jumped
into the situation created by Mr..
Lands and his restraining order
and petitioned the CAB to delay
issuing the merger decision as or
dered by the President on the
grounds that the Presidents order
would result in a chosen instru-
ment by attrition." TWA also
asked the board to reopen the
record in the case to receive new
and further evidence which it was
prepared to furnish. No board
action was expected Immediately.
AS the week of high, low and
erratic flying for American inter-
national air transportation came
to close, one element of the con-
troversy was completely logged in,
namely, who will succeed to the
vacant membership and chair
manship of the Civil Aeronautics
Board, now a four-man group,
and will it take another three
months search by the President
to find a man acceptable and at
the same time willing to take it?
The President this time has
little better offer to make to
prospective member chairman in
that under plan 13 of the reorga-
nization act which was not chal-
lenged in Congress and is now in
full effect, complete administra-
tive control of the Civil Aeronau-
tics Board is centralized in the
chairman. whereas in the past. the
internal workings of this import
ant agency were directed by five
members.
The new chairman will have
sufficient authority (and presi-
Dental backing) to leave no doubt
as to who is boss If the question
Is ever raised.