Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-21
RADIO REGULATION. AND HAWAII

Reports Of congressional hearings are often dry
reading but not so with that of the session of the
house committee on merchant marine upon the
wireless regulation bill. j. A. Balch, manager of
the Mutual Telephone COmpany's wireless branch,
furnished the interest in the course Of remark
ABLY complete statement on behalf of commercial
wireless companies ".r- -...-.. ..-".. ..=
The bill. as readers Of the Star Bulletin will re
call, proposes s1ch regulations as virtually would
put the Mutual Wireless out Of business. Man
ager Balchg explaining the viewpoint of island in
teress, gave clear apd strong statement sunmar-
iziDg the history of wireless development in Ha-
wai-a topic of absorbing and romantic interest
in itself-aud then pointed out the objections to
the suggested legislation. --'... ~.
II having been urged that military defense might
make il advisable TO take over all wireless stations,
and that this would cause great confusion. Mr..
Balch suggested that the government might well
require all operators TO be citizens, and also that
in Of war they should be automatically drawn
into the service of the United States He also in
formed the committee that all the operators now
in the employ Of his company are citizens
4 good deal was said about danger to military
defense through improper use of the wireless, aud
in this connection Mr.. Balch made the following
statement: z.:...." s~
Il Deileve that our company, an American COLL
panyall the stockholders are Americans-is just as
patriotic anybody. During the present war, and
under naval censorship, the government, instead of
sending to each OF stations, has con:
fined itself to censorng messages in Honolulu
every three four days. Even at the time the Ger
man ships, the Japanese ships and the British ships
were all lowering around Hawaii, the censorship Of
our entire system was left in my hands; in other
words, ], American citizen, had to obey the
Presidents order And 1t was .obeyed. There has
not been during the present war where our
operators have violated the neutrality as laid down
in the presidents instructions. We are American
citizens and would not Rilfuly break the neutrality
OF the government in any way, shape or form
The system Of censoring messages at the present
time is absolutely left TO the honesty OF the company
which is operating. and, In case, we have abso-
lutely lived up to it with honest and conscien
tious cndcayor TO protect the neutrality of our
country. $50 sff#s.sT.s.t. PA #rz.tz#
He also stated that the suggestion that govern
ment ownership of radio companies might be a
development OF the future is holding back the com
pany from spending from $4,000 to $4,000 for
improvements, particularly in developing the radio
telephone In this connection, he said that "if the
government really believes that our system is ne
cessa1y for the preparedness of the country, feel
sure our board of directors, being patriotic Amer
lean citizens, will sell same il requested but not
at junk value"
Several comments by members of the committee
of which Congressman Alexander is chairman,
seem to Indicate that the committee does not favor
the bill. Mr.. Balchs statement quite evidently
made strong impression