Air Discussions at Chicago
Up, till last Tuesday there were few signs of agreement at the Chicago international aviation conference on the major question of world regulation of civil air traffic. But on that day there was sub- mitted to the conference a " partial draft " of " a section of an international air convention " drawn up by delegates of the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. It was presented " for study and consideration." This proposes the creation of an Inter- national Air Administration, consisting of an Assembly, and a Board made up of a President and x4 directors, which would serve. a number of purposes admirable in principle though, at present, rather loosely defined—to guarantee high quality service at low prices, prevent wasteful competition, ensure the operative rights of member States, and avoid unfair discrimination. This body would supervise the arrangements that can be agreed upon for the regulation of airfields and safety requirements, and would review tariffs and cargo rates fixed by associations of airline operators. To what extent the powers of the Administration can be precisely defined and whether it can contain within itself the seeds of an effective regulative body remains to be seen. The Conference has yet to get to work on it and explore the implications of the new proposals. It would be something to secure the recognition of the wastefulness of un- planned competition, and to create a body appointed to discourage it, even without mandatory powers. That the Conference will reach some agreement, and that some form of International Organisation will be set up is certain. But unless the Organisation is given con- trol over frequencies and the allocation of routes only a limited. success will have been achieved.
Previous page
