?th Freedom

To many airmen, the Administration's postwar air-commerce policy seems to be flying blind, while the crew sits in the cabin amiably discussing meaningless generalities. Last week the U.S. public learned that the Chief Pilot was sitting back there, too.

At his press conference, the President discussed postwar plans for air commerce. He was not alarmed by the fact that other nations would own the U.S.-built airports around the globe. He thought that nations should permit the airlines of other nations to stop and refuel on international flights.

One way that U.S. high-cost airlines might meet low-cost foreign competition, he said, was subsidies. Another: to raise the living standards in other parts of the world--how he did not say. In short, the President was for another freedom--freedom of the air.

Most U.S. airmen, hardheaded and passionately devoted to America's future in the air, made no public objection to the President's use of this catch phrase. Nor did they much care, for well they know that it is an empty phrase, as yet completely lacking in definition. What they hoped was that the President would get down to business. In his opening syndicated column this week Airman Alexander P. de Seversky put a knowing finger on one long-standing omission: the lack of a high government body (like Britain's Air Ministry) "to guide the nation in the development of its air power."

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