Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1944, General: Economic and Social Matters, Volume II

841.796/596: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, March 9, 1944—5 p.m.
[Received 11:19 p.m.]

1915. It is expected that the debate on civil aviation scheduled to take place next week in the House of Commons and directed by Ronald Tree⁴⁹ and his group will bring out into the open the bitter undercover fight which has been going on on the subject of monopoly versus competition and separation of civil aviation from the Air Ministry.

It is possible, we hear, that if as is likely this debate becomes violent the British Government, particularly the Foreign Office and the Air Ministry, may wish to delay the preliminary aviation discussions. Therefore if the Department wishes to have these discussions held promptly it might be prudent to reply before next Tuesday⁵⁰ to the British proposal which we learn confidentially was sent to the British Embassy in Washington on March 6.

Winant

49. Conservative Member of the British Parliament.
50. March 14.