THE AIR FUTURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25277, 14 July 1943, Page 2

THE AIR FUTURE

The United States Senatorial Committee known as the Truman Committee, which has as its purpose the investigation of war construction with a view to eliminating waste, particularly financial waste, is understandably concerned as to the future of airfields being built for war purposes, with American money. These airfields, it is generally understood, now virtually girdle the earth. Their number and actual location must remain military secrets; but it is known that there are very many of them, and that they are disposed in various strategic positions in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and in several continental countries, including China. It is the American desire, as expressed by senators who are proposing to inspect United States installations abroad, that their commercial transport operators should have the use of these airfields on favourable terms after the war. That wish appears reasonable; and provided that the development of civil aviation in the post-war period is undertaken rationally the United States should certainly expect to be an important collaborator in the services that will follow the routes pioneered in war. The question of rights to airfields constructed for war purposes cannot,’ however, be so simply resolved as in Senator Mead’s rather naive claim that United States commercial operators should have the unrestricted use after the war of all airfields built with* lease-lend funds. The exact degree of internationalism that will inform the relations between the United States and the rest of the United Nations--as well as, presumably, ’the present enemies of the United Nations —is still to be determined. It is possible that in the field of aviation all nations will collaborate freely and without restriction in the use of the airport facilities. That is possible—but improbable. What is more likely is that by international agreement there will be restriction upon air operators between the nations through the creation of zones of operation. Only in tftis way, through careful control of the services, could the most economical and safest use of the air be assured. In the present' time of preliminary planning for the air future most countries have already made some move towards formulating a national air policy, with the purpose later of integrating it with international policy. Post-war aviation problems are under discussion in all the dominions with—so far as is known—the solitary exception of New Zealand. This Dominion is the most remote in the Commonwealth of Nations, yet it is not unfavourably situated in airways terms for communication not only within the Empire but also with the nations of the Americas, within the United States sphere of influence. It should already possess a draft of policy which takes account of the air systems of which it may become a part, and there must be both impatience and disappointment at the apparent failure of the Government to give this matter serious consideration.