The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-25
Bill Pending in Congress Provides for Government Taking Over All Wire
 less Outfits
PRIVATE INTERESTS TO BE PROVIDED FOR. N
 SAYS ALEXANDER
To Be Used in Disseminating Ameri- can News and Views Throughout the Nations and Ships to
 Be Directed at Sea

Washington, November 24.-Perma- Inent control of all radio communication lthrough the acquisition and operation thy the navy department of all shore wireless. in the United States used for tnommercial purposes is planned by the Administration under a bfll now before tCongress.
 f Representative Alexander, chairman tof the House merchant marine commit- ltee, who introduced the measure in fthe House, announced today that hear ings on the bill VIII begin before his | tcommittee December 12 and continue until all interests have had an op- portunity to be heard. A similar bll. introduced in the Senate by Chairman Fletcher of the committee on com lmerce. has been approved by President IiWilson.
 { Besides providing for the acquisition land operation of the stations by the Inavy, the bill directs that the Secre- ! tary of the Navy, shall, so far as may be tconsistent with the transportation of lgovernment business, open radio sta- tions to general public business under !regulations prescribed by him and shall 1 fix the rates for such. service. He also shall establish special rates for the handling of press dispatches by trans- oceanic or other special stations OPERATED BY GOVERNMENT Commercial business has been ham ] died through some naval wireless sta- l tions for four years. and since the na- ition entered the war all stations have been and still are being operatedfiby 1.-the navy Stations taken after the Ideclaration of war included the big plants at Sayeville, Long Island, and lTuekerton. N J., and which were said Ito have been financed by Germany II The navy recently completed the most powerful wireless station in this coun- ftry at Annapolis and messages from it | have been sent across direct to France land other foreign countries. Another Saew station is being built on the south tAtlanticl On the Pacific coast it oper- sttes stations at San Francisco and San HDiego.
 z For any stations, acquired under the Nproposed law or those which may be sGlosed permanently. just compensation sss to be paid. In case of disagreement fassto the amount of this compensation iehT Secretaryeof the Navx shall make ' ar offer. If this is refused he Will pay ftkree-fourths of it pending final adjust iment of the claim in the courts. Reasons why the government fe-
 
 operate or control radio stations in this country are given lin q statement pre- pared by officials of the navy depart ment and made public today by Rep ,resentative Alexander The statement in part says
 "In general, the bill provides for the acquisition and operation by the navy department of all radio stations on shore used for commercial purposes Irrespective of the general subject of government ownership, this principle is clearly indicated as! necessary in the case of this particular public utility Since the early days of the use of radio-s elegraphy many Companies have tried to operate g'adfo stations as commercial enterprise in the United States, generally, or in certain locili- ties. Except in very special circunl- stances, these enterprises have failed to make an adequate return, and in most cases no profit has been made ex- cept through the sale of stock The reason for this Is that a complete mo- nopoly is necessary A period of about IS years has clearly demonstrated that the United States government is tde
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