A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 7

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Captain E. C. Musick

There were two references in "The Dominion” yesterday to Captain Edwin C. Musick, of the Pan-American Airways' .Samoan Clipper which crashed after leaving Pago Pago. The lirst mentioned the anniversary of his death. The second mentioned the construction of a radio centre at Auckland to be known as the Musick Memorial Station.

Edwin C. Musick was born in St. Louis, United States of America, in 389'1, the son of a business man. His parents moved to California when he was nine. When still a schoolboy lie built an aeroplane of his own, “a flimsy contraption which got nine feet off the ground, pancaked quietly into a puddle.” On leaving the high school, in 1913, he took a commercial flying course. During the Great War he served as civilian instructor in the Army Air Corps at San Diego. Afterward he piloted for various airlines till he threw in his lot with Pan-American Airways. He soon became chief pilot in Pan-American’s Caribbean Division.

One of the few pilots in the' world licensed to fly any kind of plane, he, at one time, held more world records (10) than any other flyer in the world, and up to his last flight had never had an accident. In about 24 years of flying he had made considerably over 100 trips to foreign nations, had passed through the; United States Customs more than 2000 times, and spent a total of about two years in the air. He had never been known to stunt in a plane, and never made a flight without the most meticulous prepara-' tions. He even refused to tie up to a mark till it had 'been tested. He •was completely lacking in vanity. When he was in command his ship had to be spotless, his men equally neat. He was never known to lose his temper. . ' .

Italian Newspapers Newspapers in Rome, it is reported, devoted their main pages in expectation of the British visit, hailing England as Italy's understanding friend. In striking contrast is the fact that the Italian newspapers were instructed practically to boycott the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and to print only Incidents that reflected adversely on Britain. Wiekham Steed, a British journalist with-a world-wide reputation, in his book “Press,” wrote recently: “As for Italy, a glance at the year book of the Italian Press with its more than 1000 pages, suffices to reveal the disciplined servitude to which the Fascist Press has been reduced. Before the advent of Fascism the greater Italian journals .... challenged comparison with the best newspapers in Europe, while for brilliance and vivacity of writing Italian journalists were second to none: Today they are compulsorily ranged in “syndicates” and corporations and cannot exercise their profession unless their names are registered in a professional album as proof of their orthodoxy. “Royal” decrees of infinite complexity regulate their positions and make them functionaries of the single party which rules the State. Italian journalists have been made to learn the cost of insubordination. . . The year book of the Italian Press says: “When' Fascism came .... the journals of the most acrid opposition were suppressed, while dissentient journals were converted. ...” Clear and precise instructions are issued to Italian newspapers on behalf of the Government about what to publish and not to publish, and even to the manner in which it is to be displayed—whether to play up or to play down. The tone can be transformed in a single day. Japan And The World

Mr. K. Aoki, vice-president of the National Planning Board, has presented the Japanese Cabinet with a threeyear plan to expand productiveness. It aims at Japan’s independence of foreign supplies in an emergency, and covers 15 industries, including wool. Japan, small, compact, bureaucratically governed, has naturally adapted itself to severe trade and foreign exchange control. Ordinances and restrictions of increasing severity have subordinated domestic production and foreign trade to the interests, of the prosecution of the war. Both imports of foreign goods and transfers from yen into foreign currencies are. subject to a licensing system. Munitions receive priority, followed by raw materials which are earmarked for processing into export goods. Imports designed for domestic use have been greatly curtailed and, in many cases, have been entirely forbidden. Japanese imports from the beginning of 1938 to September 20 last fell off from 2,993,366,000 yen to 1,902,311,000 yen, and exports declined from 2,237,660,000 yen to 1,792,312,000 yen. (The yen has been maintained at an official fixed value of one shilling and twopence.) The drastic throttling of internal consumption of foreign manufactures and raw materials is reflected in the steep fall of imports. The decline in exports is attributable to a variety of causes: the diversion of factories and shipping to war uses, the boycotts in some foreign countries, the higher level of prices in Japan, the recent business setback in the United States. Shipping Subsidies

The United Kingdom Chamber of Shipping is making a proposal to the Board of Trade that the £2,500,000 annual tramp subsidy be renewed for five * Tiie payment of this subsidy (first granted in 1935) has been of great benefit to British shipping according to a previous report of the committee set up to administer the fund. It. not only saved British tramp shipping from collapse but also restored confidence to the industry. It stopped the abnormal sale of British tramp ships abroad and laid the foundations for the replacement and possible expansion of the British tramp fleet. It increased the employment’ of British tramp ships and almost eliminated unemployment among British seamen. It led indirectly to improved business and employment in ancillary trades such as shipbuilding, ship-repairing, stores, and bunkers, following the increased -employment of British ships. Not less valuable than the financial aid given were the conditions attached by the Government to the granting of tiie subsidy which enabled the industry, with the power of the subsidy liehind it. ro organize itself and establish a system of co-operation l»e--tween British and foreign shipowners. •I he organization of the industry through I Im system of co-operation suhsrantlally improved the competitive power of British tramp owners.