Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08
BY PAUL GRIGGS.

The Senate ,filibuster OF the recent
ly expired Sixty-seventh Congress in
directly affected American radio both
advantageously and disadvantage
ously.
1t served to forestall on the one
hand, hasty consideration and pos
sibly favorable action by the Senate
on q bill passed by the House con-
tanning q provision which reverses
what may be characterized as one OF
our national radio policies and hith-
erto regarded as traditional. II the
word may be used in the infant
science OF radio.
The provision In the bill in ques-
ton Oh. r. 1879 establishes tho re-
markable precedent Of imposing a
tax" on the most fascinating hobby
available to the average American
boy-the ownership and operation OF
a radio. transmitter as we'll as re-
ceiver with the resultant facilities
afforded him for practical expert
n1entation in, and technical study Of
radio.
On the other hand the Senate fill
buster indirectly prevented the pass
age OF this bill which was framed
primarily for the laudable purpose of
eliminating as far as humanity posi-
BILE the confusion bordering on chaos
In ether lanes. an accomplishment
advocated and desired by every one
including the radio amateur.
Under our existing radio laws the
amateur is restricted but he is not
taxed. He is restricted to the minia-
ture wave length of zoo meters,
mental and other agencies employing
radio utilize waves ranging in length
from 200 meters to the monster waves
OF $4,000 meters. These agencies may
shorter than 200 meters IL they wish.
but the amateur is assigned a single
wave in the ether lanes and he stays
there.
Restriction OF Amateurs.
Likewise under existing law the
amateur Is restricted to an electrical
power input into his transmitter OF
only one kilowatt. whereas the power
which may be employed by other
classes Of stations Is unlimited and
actually reaches as high as 1000 KILL
watts In present practice.
In addition to these restrictions the
amateur must obtain from the gov
eminent a license for his transmitting
an operator, and under the same gen
eral conditions as those applying TO
the largest commercial radio con-
Germ, before he can operate his sta
ton.
Effective restrictions and absolute
governmental control are therefore
maintained over the radio amateur
under existing law and obviously the
imposition of a tax on the amateurs
win not. strengthen this control. II
this is the motive for the tax.
Nor will IL eliminate or lessen the
existing confusion In radio, because
the interference complained of is in
the ether. lanes occupied by the
from. 800 to 400 meters and higher.
The amateurs working wave of zoo
meters Will not ordinarily interfere
with the programs broadcast on wave
the majority of Tadiophone stations.
for example.
In exceptional cases, where an anna
tsur station situated in the immediate
vicinity of receiving stations and us
with . consequent very broad" wave,
or where an amateur station Is tuned
to q wave higher than that allowed.
such interference may sometimes oo-
cur.
The remedy for such possible VIC
lations of present radio law. however.
are provided for in the existing
statutes themselves.
Exasperating interference expert
enced in present-day radio. other than
natures own static" interference. is
In the narrow band OF broadcast
waves and due to the numerous
broadcast stations of long and short
range. all utilizing these broadcast
ether lanes At the same time.
"Harmonics" and other forms Of in
"a
waves OF length shorter than their
working waves by the higher power
radio Geographic stations are also
prolific cause Of annoyance.
shorter Length Waves
The amateur cannot be charged with
such forms Of interference. because
are always Of length shorter, rather
than longer, than the stations work
ing wave which gives them of. Any
disturbance which may exist in the
ether on wave lengths shorter than
200 meters do not interfere with any
waves shorter than 200 meters are not
used In present day practice.
Neither q desire on the part of the
government to strengthen its control
over the amateurs, therefore, nor the
elimination or lessening OF the OBJ
jectionable interference can logically
be ascribed as the motive for the pro-
posed tax.
The only other logical motive Of the
trainers and supporters OF the ANA
therefore Be the question Of revenue.
On this assumption we are confront
Cd with q precedent involving the
lsvying Of . direct tar on radio and,
unfortunately, tho placing Of by tar
the greater burden of the tax not on