The Washington herald., 1921-02-15
FEDERAL CONTROL
OF RADIOS UPHELD
BY HEAD OF NAVY
Daniels Says Such Action
Will Prove Safeguard
During War.

Government control of radio com
munication as safeguard both
against unneutral use such as oc-
CURED during the. world war and
to furnish competition with pri-
vate cable companies, was urged
yesterday by Josephus Daniels. Sec
retary of the Navy, in a letter ad-
dressed to Senator c. s. Page. chair
man Of the Se3ate Naval Affairs
Committee. which is considering tho
radio press bill.
Despite popular prejudice against
monopolies, Mr.. Daniels said that
he was firmly convinced that there
should be a monopoly of the air,
and he quoted Senator Philander c.
Knox. of Pennsylvania, in support
Of his contention.
DanieIs' Statement.
Il am firmly convinced" said Mr..
Daniels, that the only satisfactory
of radio stations in the United
States is to vest the ownership Of
such stations in the government.
am fully aware of the Opposi-
tiOn that exists to government own
tISUlp VI puDllt ulllllltc, bul llllll n
that careful consideration of the
subject will convince you and your
committee that if there is one thing
in which there should be monopoly
it is monopoly of the air, and that
this monopoly should not be given
over to private interests.
r The experience we had before
our declaration of war, and volum-
i
obtained, showed conclusively that
high-power radio stations within
our borders had been constantly en-
gagged in the transmission of un-
neutral messages, and feel that it
| is unnecessary for me to point out
| to you the consequences which
might flow from such practice. ETen
so careful a guardian of the rights
| of individuals as Senator Knox once
| re marked to me that his experience
as Secretary of State had convinced
! him that control of the air should
! be a government monopoly, and ]
am sure that he must have good
! reasons for this belief.
War Experience.
Experience gained during, the
late war has served only to confirm
my judgment that government own
| ership and control of all radio sta
| tions both afloat and ashore, should
! be vested in some department of the
! government, and that as the Navy
! Department has the necessary
! equipment and personnel for under
! taking the work. that that depart
| ment is the logical one for such con-
| troll
"One grave danger that confronts
US is the possibility might even
say the proba bility-of a cOmbina-
ton. through interlocking directo.
rates, of the private cable interests
/ with private radio interests; for il
! is not incOnceivablo that the in.
! terests that own and control the
cables might also "a interested ir
radio corporation whose specia
| interests might be served by the
provisions of the pending bill
| should such a combination of in.
| terests exist, I need not tell yoU
| that the interests of the public
would suffer. With the government
in control of the radio as a com.
pctitor of the cables. there wouIC
be. every assurance that cable rates
would be just and reasonable, anC
We should also have every reason
to believe that competition woulc
be secured in the supply Of impor.
tant radio material, which woulC
not be the case if companies nov
engaged in the manufacture of ma.
terial should become interested II
the joint ownership and operation
of radio stations"