AIR CONTROL

Wairarapa Daily Times, 9 December 1937, Page 7

AIR CONTROL

BATTLE BEHIND SCENES U.S.A. OVERSEAS SERVICES. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright NEW YORK, Wednesday. A battle which will determine whether Pan-American ' Airways will continue to exert a monopolistic control of America’s trans-oceanie aviation is being fought behind the scenes, says the Washington correspondent of the New York “Daily News.” The Maritime Commission will ask Congress for power to subsidise the development of competing airlines, breaking up the Pan-American monopoly. It is understood Colonel Lindbergh, who is Pan-American Airways technical adviser, will throw the weight of his great influence on behalf of the company.

The army andnnaryA r y are said to be behind the anti-Pan American movement, since they believe competition and rivalry among the many American lines concerned in ocean flying Avill bring about a greater advance in American aviation.

The military authorities, furthermore, object to granting American port rights to foreign lines under the negotiations which are being carried out, not by the United States Government, but by the Pan-American Company’s private agents in order to secure reciprocal rights for Pan-American AirAvays in foreign ports. Pan-American Ainvays already has received £12,000,000 in subsidies during the last nine years.

A Washington message dated 29th November said the development of the United States mercantile marine in the direction of aerial activity Avas foreshadoAved in a Bill introduced in the House of Representatives designed to broaden the poAvers of the Maritime Commission. The measure included an amendment to give the commission jurisdiction over trans-oeeanic air services, and also to authorise subsidies to steamship lines for the purpose of building up their own air services.