The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-04-13

The wireless systems of Hawaii have
now been formally taken possession of
by the naval authorities and it is
doubtful if they will ever again be re-
stored to their civilian owners. From
now on, unless all signs fail, the gov
eminent will hold monopoly of the
wireless system Of communication
throughout the country, as the Jap
.anese government does in Japan, and
wireless hereafter will be run by the
government as the postoffiee now is.
( The formal taking over of the vari.
Gus Hawaiian plants was accomplished
yesterday and the three local systems
Federal, MareOni and Mutual-were
made one by divcrting the land wires
of the Federal and Mutual into the
Office Of the Marconi. Under the new
governmental system it is probable
that the wireless will beIreopened for
commercial business within d few days
= w. p. 5. Hawk, manager of the
Marconi Wireless Telegraph company,
now under control of the government,
said yesterday that he thought wire
less commupjcation would be restored
with San Francisco within two or three
days and with the other Islands some.
what later, inasmuch as government
inventories would have to be made of
the stations. This restoration of com
municatiOn by radio would be by the
government itself and not by the cor.
pOrations, and the censorship would
continue in force. ...-.
Yesterday and Monday those Mutual
employees who were willing were en-
rolled in the naval militia, as EN-
ployes of the Federal and Marconi had
been before. For the transpacific com
panies this enrolment had been going
on for some time, some of the~ men
having been enrolled as much as
month and six weeks ago.
Although Mr.. Hawk pointed out that
the present control of the wireless
companies does not necessarily mean
that the control will be permanent,
there is a belief that the private own
ership and control of radio has passed
and that never again will there be
the Mutual, Federal and Mareoni-in
other words, that the government,
which took over the plants as q war
measure, will continue to hold them,
the necessary authority being granted
by congress. 1t will be recalled that
Secretary of the Navy Daniels was in
favor of complete government owner.
ship of radio stations several weeks
ago and that Jack Balch, Mutual
treasurer, testified in Washington on
the plan. ~ =.
The present control of the plants is
war measure, of course; but it is
easy to conceive of it's being extended
to permanent control. This would
be in line with the British government
ownership of telegraph, and, once con-
summated as to radio service, easily
might be extended to include land
wires as well. This would be a co.
ordinate function of the government
with the postal service. '.F.t -. t.'.~
The end of all private radio stations
is seen, even after the war. ".
Censorship Relaxed ~ ~
At eleven o'clock yesterday morning
the naval censorship was removed from
the Commercial Pacific Cable Com
phny 5 Office, and ordinary business is
again being carried on as usual. II is
apparent that the censorship on mill
tary news is still strict GU the main.
land, but The Advertiser is receiving its
Associated Press reports in the ordinary
way, ...
TO large extent the censorship is
voluntary on the part of the big news
agencies, they having agreed to cooper.
ate with the government in suppressing
any news which might be of value to
the enemy. In order to provide for
efficient handling in the national emer.
gency, the Federal, Mutual and MarcOni
companies here are being consolidated
with a central Office under the super.
vision Of the navy department.
Under the British censorship at Hong,
kong vessels due to arrive are allowed
to wireless the captain $ name instead
of the vessel, and if the wireless is re.
opened for private business it is ex,
pected that similar procedure will be
adopted. The terms on which the fed
eral government il concentrating all in
dividual wireless plants in one has not
yet been made public. 49,. -