Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-18
DENIES PROBE PLAN
Department Of Justice Not to
Investigate Sea Disaster.
ACTION UP TO CONGRESS
Control Of Wireless by Government
Considered Necessary.
CONFERENCES ARE HELD
Preafdent and Other Officials Declare
Present Conditions In
tolerable.
ACTION UP TO CONGRESS
CONFERENCES ARE HELD

II ID denied at the Department of JUS
tice that It proposes any investigation of
the conditions OF wireless telegraphy or
OF the delay in making public informa-
ton regarding the Titanic tragedy. The
matter is not within the province OF this
division OF the administration, it is in
dicated. and that if there is an investi-
cation 1t must be undertaken by Con-
gress.
IL Is expected that the Bourne bill regu-
lating wireless telegraphy in the United
States will be favorably reported to the
Senate this afternoon.
The President, the Attorney General
representatives Of the commercial wire
less companies. the secretaries of War
ana the Navy, the Secretary Of Commerce
Of the army. and Commander Todd, rep
resenting the navy, and Commander
Hutch I. Cone, all have been In confer
ence since the Titanic disaster, and all
declare that the wireless situation now
existing Is intolerable and must be con-
trolled by the government.
This will not mean putting all the anna
teur wireless stations out OF business, but
1t will result in putting them under
str1ct control OF the government.
silence Call Planned.
1odIuT0S
the new regulations, so far as they affect
amateurs, will be provision for silence
call designed to meet just such an
emergency as the Titanic disaster.
When this call Is sent out it will silence
all wireless stations under the severest
penalties. The controlling government
station Will designate the nearest and
best equipped station to handle all bust
ness connected with the emergency till
~
breaking in will be summarily dealt with.
Durlng the present emergency many
OF the commercial companies have an
piled to be allowed to handle the wire
less business Of the government on the
plea that they were better equipped and
had better operators than any govern
ment station. Naval officers in charge Of
the wireless say this Is not true and the
only thing the commercial COMPANIES
have been after has been advertising and
The government stations at Newport
ana at Seagate are both modern stations.
FULLY competent to handle the marine sit
uation II let alone. The Salem, which
Is one OF the scout cruisers now convoy
wireless ship in the navy and It is stated
by the Navy Department that her chief
wireless operator Is as competent an oper-
ator as can be found anywhere.
Signer Of Convention.
The United States already is a sisner Of
the Berlin wireless convention which pro-
vides for priority Of distress calls from
ships over all other business. The other
signefs OF this convention include all the
countries Of Europe. Turkey, Persia,
Japan and more Of the South American
republics. There is not, however. power
IN the International convention for reKu-
lating the amateur and commercial com
penies In the United States.
IL 10 stated that the federal govern
ment BY right Of eminent Apn1afn ana the
control Of interstate traffic can control
any wireless station whose vibrations 20
over state line. This, will bring ali the
stations OF any account within the con-
trol OF the federal government.
The situation in the Philippines has
been under the control of the government
from the start. and Is much less COM
pIlcated than In any other part OF the
United States. There all wireless COM
munication. like posts and telegraphs. is
under the regulation Of the government.
There are no stations outside government
control. and none IL being licensed. This
attitude has been taken also by Japan
and China, SO that wireless regulation in
the orient Is much easier than in the
western hemisphere.