Evening star., 1924-03-23

marine and fisheries; COMMITTEES. 1t
II the general impression that the
"1ocommittee will now report favor
solS to the full committee and that
early action in the Houce will fol-
'o"' Secretary Hoover is sanguine
as TO the eventual Passage of the
needed legislation by the House, but
10 one dares prophcsy on the atti-
tuoe or the Senate. due to the null
nFllcity of investigation and urgent
measures before that body. Follow
ing the conclusion of the hearings
last week. Secretary Hoover said
thcre seemed to be a general una
ltfnlty of opinion" that the bill was
q good one basically.
appearing before the subcommit-
&c AT the opening of the session
secretary Hoover read "a rcl>crt re-
ddiiewins dis the radio situation and in
tba da,ts tne legislation needed by
tie department if proper administra-
Ion was to be continued Chairman
"hIte OF Maine. author of the bill.
t1.e%lded at the hearings. assisted by
representative Leh bach, Free,
!;acon. Davis. Bland and Larson
5ointing out the imperative ned for
esiSlation, although admitting that
~ raw would be Il "panacea." Sec
fetary Hoover said in part.
secretary Hoover Explains,
me Tremendous development in
ttlicai communications is 10 a large
;N.ent que to the fact that individual
initiative has not only been nnban-
iered by the government. but has hean
Hhcouraged to the extent of the gov
tihnents ability and regulated so as
SNe the maximum service. The
Iurther Legislation needed should in
MY view Regulate
tuat is necessary i'll public interest
LOT the development OF the science IT.
..I; for the service of those who
make use of it. It seems to me,
lhought of any radio leeisIation
Euoulo be to retain possession of th,
ctner in the public and to provide
LOT orderly conduct of this great
irnporary permits to use the ether. II
:nouid De kept open to free and fu1l
.'!ulNtlual development. and we should
go. e. that az there can be no monopoly
o'"n tnt distribution of material
RADIO communica ton is NOT IN ha
nsluered as merely a business car
REQ on Tor private gain, for private
ct the .icu,lient r,,ni or for entertainment
impressed with the public trust and
4" pe considered primarily from the
Standpoint of public interest to the
sa,le extent and upon the basis of the
pubic utilities"
he also indicated the need for def
nlte authority for the Secretary nf
onliIlerce ,e TO exercise discretionary
power in accordance with the nuh
nc interest in licensing stations and
not be forced to issue licenses to an
a.pplicants While in sympathy with
me provisions Of the bill to nre,.eyt
monopoly. Mr.. Hoover said thai in hi
opinion the determination OF whether
Va HoL concern was attemptinp
monopoly Illegally Wa not an ad-
ihihistratlVe one but judicial one
Radio McnOpolies Discre.Iited.
The commerce head also referred
10 radio monopo1ies and told the com
Iilttee that ii was inconceivable that !
tue american people would allow this !!
4eW-Dorn system of communication to !
al exclusively into the hands of any
tidlVlduaI, group or combination In /
discussing the matter of payment for I
hroadcasting, he said that he did not /
favor the placing Of IL license or tax
On receiving sets
Ihlilng attention to the inadeouacy
OF MS facilities. he said that one of :
inc great difficulties in the effective :
oHortS OF the department has been /
the lack OF funds. and that the at !
terEpt To rUliCe 10000 stations with
total held of tweuty-nine inspectors
was obviously an absurdtv. ,
.hr; Hoover was followed by Com !
mander d. {. Bingham of the naval /
4 communication Service, who said that
the OIL in general was satisfactory !
out he voiced the same criticisms on
posing the licensing of any operators
and the charging of fees for such
licenses He asked that station Ii
censeS be made for fifty years instead ,
VI ten, which appeared to be in oppo- !
Sltloh 10 the sentiment of the COM
1nlttee He further explained that ;
lie was opposed to the advisory COM
mittee provided for in the White bill. /,
Favors Ten-Yenr Period,
In reply TO the suggestion of the
hrty-year license, Secretary Hoover
said he was absolutely opposed to
more than ten-year periods. as fifty !
year terms would tend to create |
monopolies in the air
Charles Caldwell of New York CITY.
who appeared on behalf of the Radio ;
Broadcasters Society of America was
cry emphatic in his reference to the !,
american Telephone and Telegraph
Company as the radio monopoly"
lie said that in general his society
favored the White bill. Mr.. Caldwell ;
gse gsfsrr9d idc10de6 to the t Ssg five which he
phone and Telegraph. the Radio Cor !
DoIation Of America, the General I
Electric, the Western Electric and
Ike Westinghouse Electric companies. .
lights, which, he said. was Vital
matter in the entire radio situation
Of today. He said that he favored
the ScneouleS Oh ices as provided for !
in the bill, but thought a fee Of |
$1e0 should be provided for enter
tainment stations. Mr.. Caldwell be- !
lieved that the decisions of the Sec !
retary of Commerce. as provided for |
in the bill, should be renewable by !
the courts.
c. B. Cooper representing the
Radio Trade Association, indorsed
what Mr.. Caldwell said. saying that |
his association wants to support the |
hill y-ifh the changes Stad
Mobile Railroad Equipment.
One of the interesting witnesses
was "A. r. Belmont. vice chairman of |
the radio committee of the American |
Railway Association, who suggested i
some radio possibilities for the rail-
roads. He particularly desired the !
insertion of a clause which would |
allow the construction of radio equip |
ment on mobile railroad equipment" |
Raymond Asserson, broadcasting |
supervisor of New York city, testified |
on the efforts of the city Of New York |
to purchase a radio broadcasting set /
from the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company. He said that the !
city Of New York has wanted send |
ing station for the past three years, |
but that it has been baked by the
telephone company.
Joseph A. Devery, assistant cor |
porafion counsel of New York city, ]
suggested that the authority to grant !.
licenses, etc, should be lodged in |,
some kind of board or commission !
instead Of with the Secretary of Com |!
merce. At this point Representative i
Davis of the committee said that a i
communication board might be organ ,
ized for the regulation of radio, SINH |
lar to the Interstate Commerce Com !
mission for the railways, which would ;
set rates and have other regulatory |
powers.
Broadeasters Represented.