Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-08
TAKING RADIO AMATEURS
NO CURB TOsNTERFERENC
Defeat of Legislation Intended to Elm
mate Confusion in Ether Lanes Saves
Blow to Pastime of American Youth.

the various agencies which employ
radio either directly or indirectly for
financial profit. but on q comparative
ly small number Of our juvenile popu-
lation, who save their pin money TO
buy apparatus from the commercial
agencies so that they may employ
their leisure time in radio expert
ments and study and conveTsing
through space in the language Of
dots and dashes' Of the radio code
with other distant amateurs, rather
than patronizing the street corners
and the poolrooms.
The bill provides that all radio
transmitting stations excepting only
the government stations) from the
great high-power transocean stations
to the miniature amateur stations.
must obtain from the Department Of
Commerce station license" and one
or more Operators licenses before
they can be operated. which, under
are granted free to the commercial
agencies as well as to the amateur.
A schedule Of license fees" Is pro-
vided for. ranging from 5000 for the
high power transocean commercial
stations, of which there are at pres
ent ten; $50 for the average power
coastal telegraph and radiophone
broadcast stations, of which there are
now approximately twenty of the
FORMER and, say, 500 of the latter,
down to $40 for the less restricted
amateur stations. Of which there are
now total of possibly 10000.
Proportionate Expense.
Thus. from the point Of view of
gross revenue. leaving out of con-
sideration the high overhead cost of
collecting and accounting, especially
as regards the widely scattered TO-
600 individual amateur stations. the
a OF nnfa xr,tt oh tuNt4 20
financial profit will pay collectively
about one-half the total sum for
shore station fees or tax that the
radio amateurs will be required to
pay.
Assuming that even only 10 per cent
of the amateurs should be granted
the less restricted license to operate
their 1000 stations, leaving the bal
ance of $4,000 amateurs to pay the
iower tax. they must annually pay
by the eesn opsrste t Psa
stations either directly or indirectly
for financial gain.
These figures, while approximations
are sufficiently accurate to clearly IL
lustrate what obviously must be re-
garded as additional unjustihable re-
strictions on the radio amateur-re-
strictisns which. IL put into effect,
VIII undoubtedly result in the actual
suppression Of many existing and
prospective amateur radio stations.
especially those OF the average Amer
lean boy of no great financial means.
Radio amateurism has fiourished in
the United States as In no other coun-
try The amateur is a national as
set in American radio as q volunteer,
self-contained. radio reserve force for
the national defense: in the interests
of safety Of life at sea; as a factor
in the gradual unfolding and develop
ment Of the science of radio, and in
our pre- eminent position in the inter-
national radio field
The hampering Of his efforts by the
imposition OF an annual fee or tax
should be submitted to the court of
public opinion for approval or dis
approval before such provisions are
enacted into law.
Copyrighted. 1928 2lst Century Pressl