AIR TRANSPORT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 250, 21 October 1944, Page 5

AIR TRANSPORT

WORLD REGULATION

British Proposals Conveyed To United States

Rec. 9.30 a.m. NEW YORK, Oct. 20.

The text of the British White Paper on air transport released in Washington indicates to American officials that the British at the Chicago conference will seek international regulation of the economic aspects of air commerce to which the United States is opposed, says the New York Times Washington correspondent. This is expected to become a major issue.

The White Paper makes it clear that the British dislike all-out international air competition and would apply a kind of cartel philosophy to air transport. Obviously the British approach is much less competitive than that of the Americans.

The Canadian Minister of Munitions, Mr. C. D. Howe, and Mr. H. J. Symington, president of the TransCanada Air Lines, also Mr. R. A. C. Henry, of the Air Transport Board, will be the Canadian delegates at the Chicago conference. Mr. Symington heads the Canadian delegation at the British Commonwealth air conversations beginning in Montreal on Monday.

To assure American aviation an early start after the war the United States Government has prepared planes undei' which the Army Air Transport Command, now flying approximately 125,000 route miles alf over the world, will be employed to bridge the gap between the time that military operations end and commercial air lines are ready to operate, says the New York HeraldTribune's Washington correspondent.

These plans will be discussed at the Chicago conference. They are not expected to be received enthusiastically by the British who, because their limited aircraft industry is devoted entirely to producing war planes, will find themselves with practically no equipment with which to compete after the war.

One American official pointed out that the Air Transport Command has planes and men to fly them, facilities and everything necessary. "We see no reason why they should not be put to work immediately in the transition period after the cessation of military operations, when there will certainly be a demand for air travel," he stated, "although it may be some time before the commercial air lines are ready to go."