1 FEBRUARY 1946, Page 2

Much Talk—Little Flying

Civil aviation in this country will not fail for want of preliminary discussion, but it may well take years to recover from the handicap of a late start. The debate in the Commons on the Government's White Paper served to underline both these facts. The industry was not firmly established before the war, and the effect of the war itself was adverse. The Americans, by virtue of their war- time concentration on transport aircraft, are away to a flying start on the civil routes while the British aircraft industry is still struggling to produce its first satisfactory passenger planes. In the meantime, we have actual American Dakotas, probable German Ju52's and possible American Constellations, which in any case will not be in full use until July. The achievements so far are not impressive. Even the promises are not golden, and the Commons debate was no more reassuring than the White Paper. The propaedeutic arguments about nationalisation which infant economists are said to learn at their mother's knee were once more rehearsed. Mr. Ivor Thomas, for the Government, said that the infant industry needed careful nursing—and added, more tellingly, that Socialist measures are to be expected from a Socialist Government. Mr. Harold Macmillan's reply was that a new industry requires freedom of the limbs rather than swaddling clothes. The debate, no doubt, will continue, but the vote showed the inevitable heavy majority of approval for the White Paper. This puts emphasis on controlled expansion under the aegis of three separate corporations, one for the Empire, North Atlantic routes and the Far East, one for Europe and the United Kingdom, and one for South America. That these bodies should be separate and should not subsidise each other at the expense of the passengers on the more profitable routes is common sense. So is the argument that co-operation with other countries is essential. The other elements in the Government's policy will now have to be tested in practice. Lord Knollys, chairman of the BOAC, gave on Tuesday particulars of a series of new world routes picturesquely endowed with the names of animals. The sooner this menagerie begins its performance the better.