Foreign News: Free Air

The letter began “My dear Clarence . . .”, ended “Yours ever, Max.” Between these affectionate lines Canadian-born Max Aitken, Britain’s Lord Beaverbrook, broke the bad news to Canadian Munitions Minister Clarence Decatur Howe: Britain had ditched Canada’s plan for postwar control of the air. Reason: the U.S. objected.

Up to last week, Britain and Canada had differed on details, but had agreed on the main principle that an international authority should govern the world’s postwar airways. The U.S., fearing that any such authority would be weighted too much on the side of British and Commonwealth interests, was willing enough to agree on international standards and an international advisory body, but wanted to leave the actual administration to each country concerned. , Out of last week’s foofaraw, four revealing points emerged:

1) Unless they find some real check on Big Power politics in the air as elsewhere the Little Powers (Canada, et a/.) are going to have to take what the U.S. and Britain offer.

2) Britain (i.e., the Beaver) has apparently agreed to drop the idea of a central authority.

3) The U.S. (i.e., Assistant Secretary of State Adolf Berle Jr., who recently talked with the Beaver in London) has tentatively agreed to let Britain have exclusive rights between the home island and the Crown Colonies (Hong Kong, Straits Settlements, Gibraltar, etc.). At least, the Beaver said so last week.

4) The U.S. Congress, the British and Dominion Parliaments, the world’s airlines had a say coming. The whole business was still in the doubletalk stage.