800.796/10–1044: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 11—2:35 a.m.]
8576. Henri Bouche, director French Institute Air Transportation, Locussol, Assistant Chief of Cabinet to Air Ministry, and Garnault, Legal Advisor, leaving about October 14, American Export Airlines for (1) preliminary aviation discussions, and (2) aviation conference. (They wished to leave October 11 but Embassy has not yet received Department’s authorization to issue them visas.)
We feel, after a brief talk with Bouche, that French will agree on provisional basis to a liberal and extensive route pattern. Bouche emphasized the provisional nature of the French compliance for this type of agreement but seems to believe that the experience gained during the transitional period will form the basis of the permanent agreements. He remarked that we were no doubt aware that some other nations (unspecified) felt that the United States would seize the air during the transitional period when it alone had sufficient equipment and crews.
The French, Dutch and Belgians, and probably other European nations have been impressed by the story, assiduously being spread by Dennis Handover, Air Advisor to the Railways, that United States companies have plans to dominate all short range international European air traffic with clouds of converted C–47’s which they will be able to obtain before anyone else. It might be useful to explain authoritatively in Washington at an early opportunity to the representatives of the European countries the probable nature and scope of the intra-European flying plans of U.S. airlines.
We are seeing Bouche before he leaves, but after he has had further conversations in London, and Briand, who is going to the conference but not to the preliminary discussions, and will telegraph further.
Sent to Department as 8576, repeated to Paris as 58.