The Washington herald., 1912-04-21
CONGRESS ACTIVE
F0ROGEAN REFORM
House Committee Wants
Wireless Monopoly
Broken.

Evidence Of Congressional activity in
the campaign for greater safety to
transatlantic passengers was shown in
both Houses yesterday. when the Senate
passed the MARITIME resolution and the
House Committee on Merchant Marine
and Fisheries urged the dissolution of
wireless monopoly, in this country.
The MARITIME resolution purposes to
promote treaties with the maratime ma
tons to insure greater safety Of pas
+. sengers and sea-going vessels and the
equipment of vessels with. proper life
saving apparatus.
Five Reforms Are Urged.
In presenting the report Of the House
Committee, Mr.. Alexander said the COM
mittee recommends the passage of the
bill limiting the use of wireless in the
belief that, IL is a practical measure to
help accomplish five important results
for the general good Of the people of the
United States, for the greater safety of
life and property at sea, for the national
defense, and for the orderly and scien-
tifc development Of an instrumentality
Of human progress and civilization.
This conclusion, he said. had been
reached after three months study Of the
subject by the committee.
The bin proposes, said the report:
First, to prevent the establishment of |
a monopoly in the United States by any |
private corporation in the use Of radio |
communication, or wireless telegraphy' |
as 1t is popularity called.
second, to promote the most general |
use of this means Of communication |
without interruption Cor interference as
Il is technically called, and thus to |
insure the fun measure of usefulness to |
both the government wireless stations |
for the establishment of which Congress |
has voted large sums Of money and to /
such stations as have been established /
by commercial enterprises. In the pres
eIt state of development of wireless l
telegraphy such Interruptions can be pre-
vented only by the observance of regu-
tations which can be framed and carried /
Uut only by the exercise of the power of /
Congress to regulate commerce with
foreign nations, and among the several
states
Third. to give the greatest efficacy
TO distress calls of vessels at sea and |
thus enhance the usefulness of a pow
erful agency for the preservation of
human life.
Fourth, to bring the United States
into accord with the advance other
nations have already made in the use
and regulation Of Recommendation
and to carry out the provisions of the
N.
to which, by action of the Senate of
the United States, on April 3. the Unit
ed states became a party, and by which
we are honorably bound to carry out
in legislation the necessary measures
to execute that convention. While the
Congress of the United States to-day
may be thankful that il was the first
parliamentary. body to rru ufTe by the
act Of June "a, 1910. wireless apparatus
and operators on ocean passenger d
steamships, we must own that in the
regulation of adio-communication to {
render II effective, we are as yet be-
hind other maritime nations. This bill
will bring the United States abreast of
all and in some particulars (pure and
sharp waves) in advance of all.
Fifth, to insure the people of the I
United States an uninterrupted wire
less service 81 hours a day for every I
day in the year between vessels at sea
and the entire Atlantic, Pacific. and
Gulf Coast line of the United States
and outlying territories-Porto Rico,
the Canal Zone, Hawaii, and Alaska"
Cuba Sends sympathy. L
Representative Moore of Pennsylvania
introduced two resolutions in the House {
seeking to secure the better protection ,
of passengers on ocean-going vessels.
Resolutions Of sympathy from the re- '
public of Cuba were presented to the
House by Speaker Clark as a further
evidence of the universal sorrow over the
Titanic's catastrophe. The resolutions
read:
THE Senate of the republic of Cuba,
in session held yesterday, resolved unani-l
mously to express its condolences to the
House of Representa- TO the people
of the United States for the loss of life |
in the terrible disaster to the Titanic"
The resolution was signed by DR.. An
tonic Gonzales Perez, President Of the I
Cuban Senate.
Representative Wilson Of Pennsylvania
presented to the House a memorial from
the American Seamen's Union, asking
the Congress of the United States to
proceed Immediately to enact legislation
that will save the lives of sailors and
passengers in peril at sea-
With the appearance in this city. as
witness before the subcommittee of the {
Senate Committee on Commerce the
task of ]. Bruce Ismay, managing direc-
tor OF the White Star. Line, is not ex-
pected to be a pleasant one. Mr.. Ismay
will probably be the first witness in
terrogated before the committee to-mor-
row morning when II convenes at 1870 Il
o'clock, and he will be required to an (
swer not only the questions of the men, I
bers Of the official body, but of various .
other members of Congress who are
seeking more details OF the disaster with =,
q view to preparing future legislation
Among the members who have pre-
pared questions which will be put to
Mr.. Ismay are Chairman Alexander, of
the House Committee on Merchant Ma
rlne and Fisheries, who has already n
drawn up several bills; Representative
SulzeT, chairman OF the House Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, and Repre-
sentative Moon OF Tennessee
With the determination of Congress- Z
men to get the fullest details of the dis
aster which are possible, it seems prob
able that the managing director will be y
on the stand for more than a
day. :,