Evening star., 1924-03-16
RAPID GROWTH OF RADIO I
BALKS CONTROL LAWS
Congress Will Leave Restrictive Meas.
ures to Future When They Are
ABSOLUTELY Necessary.

structive competition and weakening
effects of too much paternalism.
1t is safe to say that the committee
drafting radio legislation will leave
much to the future. This is neces
sary because radio is a rapidly de-
veloping art. with astounding possi-
bilities which can scarcely be con-
ceived now even by those who are
now best informed on the subject. !.
1t is also safe to promise that no
very drastic legislation which might
hinder development of the radio art
will be recommended or passed by.
Congress.
1t is practically certain that quite
large discretionary authority regard
ing radio regulation will be vested in
the Secretary of Commerce. In doing
this the committee making recon-
mendations and Congress in adopt
ing them will have in the back Of
their minds that radio inventors and
experimenters must be given a rather
free hand to see what they can ac-
complish, just the same as the great
railroad systems of the country were
allowed to develop until a time when
regulation became necessary. Con-
gress will assume the attitude that
drastic radio legislation would be
ill-timed now and that when drastic
regulation may be found to be neceS-
sary Congress can at any time step
in and regulate in the interests OF
public welfare.
Interest in Hearings.
While the testimony at the hear
ings was largely technical, the COM
mittee took a deep interest. Among
those attending the hearings were
Representatives Wallace H. White of'
Robert L. Bacon of New York, Ar
thur NJ. Free of California, Ladislas
Lazaro of Louisiana, William w. Lar
sen of Georgia. Ewin l. Davis Of Ten
nessee. Clay Stone Briggs of Texas,
Tom d. McKeown of Oklahoma. Will
liam NJ. CroIl of Pennsylvania. George
w. Edmonds of Pennsylvania, Fred
erick r. Lehlbach of New Jersey,
George w. Lindsay of New York and
jeremiah E. O'Connell of Rhode
Island.
Questions which brought out points
in which the committee was espe
cially interested were asked by Act 1.
ing Chairman White. Representatives
Bland of Virginia, Larsen of Georgia, :
and NICK of Oklahoma. "a.
There was not as much or as Bit
ter controversy as had been expected
All of the interests represented
legislation. The principal difference
being as to the character and extent
of legislation dealing with a subject
which is so rapidly changing. TIL.
hearings to a considerable extent
dealt with the progress of the art
Amazed at Possibilities.
The members of Congress frank;ya ?
confessed that they were amazed att
the wonderful possibilities in radio
that they never had dreamed of and. .
which were discussed confidentiallv .
by the witnesses. For example, thel
took keen interest in the TESTIMONY +,
of c. Francis Jenkins, a Washing
tonian. who discussed the approach
of movies by radio, and who showed
excellent photographs which had been
sent from Washington to Phiid .,
delphia.
The committee was also told tha
experimentation was progressing
very encouragingly for the trans
mission of power by radio.
The report of the Federal Trad q,
Commission on the subject Of mo-
nopoly as it applies to radio broad :
casting and which is now being
printed at the government printir%
office will be studied by the CON-
mittee
The White bill will be referred.
with stenogra phic copy of the hear ;,
ings to the subcommittee on radio"
laws, composed of Representative
White. chairman: Lehlbach, Free.
Bacon. Davis. Bland and Larsen.