Victory with Strings

The airline operators' prayers were answered last week. SPAB suddenly announced that the airlines might order 228 transports for delivery in 1942 and the first half of 1943.

They may order 156 21-passenger DC3s; 52 17-passenger Lockheed Lodestars; 20 40-passenger DC4s. U.S. airlines will get these planes on the basis of: 1) number of passengers carried; 2) the condition of flying stock. Since they now own only 346 ships, delivery of the new planes will boost their equipment over the 500 mark, enable them to handle any immediate increase in traffic.

This is a whopping victory for the airlines, a defeat for War Secretary Stimson. Less than four months ago the Secretary pounded many a Washington table, demanded that aircraft makers tear down their commercial-plane production lines, concentrate on military craft.

But the airlines, after a special survey made in August, claimed that 67.5% of all their passengers flew on business (mostly defense work), 10% of all passengers were Government representatives. Take away our equipment, they warned, and you hold up defense.

So Stimson retreated; but he looped three thick strings around last week's deal: 1) production of the planes "must not interfere" with military output; 2) all ships must have reinforced floors, wider doors, be "instantly convertible" into troop carriers; 3) even after delivery to the airlines, all planes are subject to requisition at any time.

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