THE AIR CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 25324, 4 November 1944, Page 8

THE AIR CONFERENCE

AMERICA'S VIEWS OUTLINED RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF NATIONS WASHINGTON, November 2. Mr Adolf Berlo, chairman of the United States delegation to the Chicago Air Conference, outlined the United States views on post-war air transport. He said: "The air, in common with the sea, ts a highway by Nature to all men. The air differs from the sea inasmuch as it is subject to the sovereignty of the nations over which it moves. Nations ought therefore to arrange among themselves for its use in a manner of the greatest benefit to all humanity. "The United States believes in and asserts the rule that each country has the right to maintain sovereignty of the air over its lands and territorial waters. There can be no question of alienating or qualifying this sovereignty. Consistent with sovereignty the nations ought to subscribe to those rules of friendly intercourse which shall operate among friendly States in peace time, so that air navigation shall be encouraged and communication and commerce fostered among all peaceful States. EXCHANGE OF PRIVILEGES. " The United States will accordingly propose that there shall be an exchange of needed privileges and intercourse among all friendly nations, without exclusion or discrimination against others. The right of communication by air is not the right to wander at will throughout the world. " No one in the English-speaking .world," he continued, " is unfamiliar with the real poignant hopes lying behind the position of our friends from* New Zealand and Canada, who have been most active in prdpounding the doctrine of organisation with power as a solution. I would not willingly close any door to the ultimate, realisation of that splendid dream. I believe that painfully, point by point, we are approaching an era in which it may be realised. For'that reason the United States will support an international organisation in the realm of air commerce, having power in. technical matters, and consultative functions in economic and political matters directly connected with it under plans by which continuing and collected experience and widening custom may establish such added basis as circumstances may warrant for the future consideration of enlarging the functions of the consultative group. CABOTAGE. "It is the United States view that each country should, as far as possible, control and direct its own internal air lines. For this reason this country reserves the right to its internal traffic, known as cabotage, so that traffic between points within its borders may be carried by its own' national lines. Clearly the right of reserved . cabotage can be exercised by one country only. " Partly as the result of the turn which has been taken by war prdouction, the United States has at the moment substantially the only supply of transport planes •and of immediate productive facilities to manufacture newer types .of .planes. Far from using the temporary position of mono-poly-as a means of securing a permanent advantage we feel that it is against world interests to - try to use" this' as a'means of preventing others Irom flying. Consequently this Government is .prepared to make available on noh-discriminatory terms civil air transport planes when they can be released from military work to those countries which recognise,, as. we do, the right of friendly intercourse to others. No country can expect at present to have wideflung aviation lines. without a subsidy, but while a subsidy is legitimate and useful to keep needed planes in ■ the air, it is certainly obnoxious if designed to knock the planes of others from the air. Therefore the United States is prepared to discuss ways and means by which minimum rates can be agreed upon and by which the subsidies involved shall be used for legitimate air communication, not for assisting rate wars or uneconomic competition."