Evening star., 1924-05-05

One of the best proofs of far-see-
ing vision of statesmen was the fact
that in 1910 Congress enacted legis-
lation to control radio communica-
tions That act was changed in 1912
and no further legislation has been
found necessary since then, despite
the astounding development OF radio
communication and the unforeseen
inventions which have come into use
since the legislation of more than
decade ago. Now Congress is again
taking up the subject through the
bill introduced by Representative
White of Maine.
For nearly three months the House
committee on the merchant marine
and fisheries has had under consid-
Grafton the White bill Ito regulate
radio communication and for other
purposes" which bill, after investi-
cation and hearings by a subcommit-
tee, will be favorably reported to the
full committee next Thursday, and
thence to the House. A similar meas
ure, but much less comprehensive,
has been introduced in the Senate by
Senator Howell of Nebraska, and is
absorbed into the White bill, H. r.
1857.
The White bill provides against op-
Grafton of any form of radio COM
munication beyond the boundaries of
the states within which it originated,
except under a ten-year license from
the Secretary of Commerce. The
limitations of the power of Congress
to interfere with intrastate matters
is recognized, hence the federal law
can have no effect except in regulat-
ing interstate and foreign commerce
and communications.
All licenses are subject to revoca-
tion by the Secretary of Commerce
in case of violation of regulations or
when Gn the judgment of the Secre-
tary) the licensee proves to be unfit.
In case of war, public peril or dis
aster the President may suspend and
order diSmantled any or all radio
stations. No license may be granted
to nor transferred to an alien, nor
to any corporation officered by aliens
or in which more than one-fifth of
the stock is held by aliens. None but
licensed operators may send or re-
ceive messages over a licensed sta
ton. The bill contains many detailed
regulations protecting the public
against monopoly and abuse.
X u
The growth of radio communication
has been sudden and widespread
Prior to the armistice, it was jealous
ly guarded because of it's military
potentialities and dangers. Prior to
the outbreak of the war in 1914, it
was scientific novelty, uncompre-
hended by laymen There were then
no broadcasting stations in the world
vi
were equipped for transmission of
wireless signals or kilograms, to only
123 land stations. There was but one
transoceanic station, giving service
of an experimental and unsatisfactory
kind, and 1,224 amateur stations.
Now 2,723 American ships are fully
equipped with radio, nearly all being
wireless telephony. There are 790
land stations in the United States,
twelve transoceanic stations, 16500
amateur sending stations, $40 broad
casting stations, and between 3,000,0 900
and 100000 receiving sets, at which
20, 100000 persons constitute the
audience of listeners-in. All of this
has developed in a decade, most of it
within half a decade. The first
license for a broadcasting station was
issued in September, 1921, and prac-
tically all of the general public's use
of the radio for entertainment and
information has developed in the last
two years. There has never before
been such an industrial or scientific
revolution as this in the history of
civilization.
y
Telegraphic communication without
wires dates back to Marconi's inven-
tions of 1896, and the first paid
"radiogram" was sent from the Mar
conf station at Needles. Isle of
Wight, June 8, 1898. In 1901 Prof.
R. A. Fessenden of the United States
weather bureau patented the first
wireless telephone apparatus, and in
1915 the first long distance wireless
tefephone message was sent from