Evening star., 1924-03-09

The new radio bill introduced by
Representative Wallace White of
Maine, when enacted, will grant the
regulate radio communications in all
the United States and it's possessions.
It is intended by the author, who had
the assistance of Representative
Davis of Tennessee and many gov
ernmental officials in framing the bill,
that III. +. 1857" will supersede the
radio act of 1912 and fully meet all
present legislative requiren->ts.
The new bill, which is now before
the merchant marine and fisheries
committee, provides that all trans
uniting ship and shore stations and
operators be licensed at specified fees,
but eNempts government stations and
All receiving stations. The bill con-
fers upon the Secretary of Com
Inerce general powers of regulations
over all transmitting stations, in the
interest of reducing interference and
The development of an orderly SyS-
tenn of communication. Certain obSo-
ieto requirements have been eliminat
ed antiquities clarified. and new
provisions of Importance introduced.
The Secretary of Commerce is au
thorized to license, classify, locate,
assign calls, and supervise all trans
initting stations; control the nature
of service rendered, allocate wave
lengths, prescribe operating time and
prevent interference. The President
is given authority to close or take
over any station in time of war or
disaster.
Station licenses may not be issued
to aliens, and all licenses may be re-
voked or suspended by the commerce
head Whereas present laws place no
time mitations upon licenses, time
limit for licenses is now authorized
at ten years. Special provisions seek
to promote efficiency of mobile sta
tions, making for safety of ships at
sea, and require transmission for at
least 100 miles.
No licenses are required for receiv
ing sets or stations. and no control
over such sets is attempted by the
hill. Transmitting amateurs are not
specifically provided for, but the limi-
tationS of wave lengths and power
set forth in the 1912 bill are elimi
mated. Under his general power to
allocate wave lengths, the Secretary
teurs such wave lengths as the i'm
portance of their work may make ad-
yiSable
He is directed to refuse to license
any applicant who is seeking unlaw-
fully to monopolize radio communica-
tion, either through control of manu-
facture. sale of apparatus or exclu-
sive traffic arrangements. or other
means. revocation or licenses may
be made when provisions of the bill
or its regulation are broken, or when
ever the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, or another proper body, shall
find that a licensee has failed to pro-
vide reasonable facilities, or has made
any unjust charge, or has instituted
unreasonable practices in connection
with communications. All laws relat-
ing to monopolieS shall apply to radio
apparatus and communication, the
bill states, and in addition to other
penalties, licenses may be revoked.
The bill also provides for the appli-
cation of the "cable landing license
act to radio transmission to foreign
countries.
The Secretary of Commerce is au-
thorized to collect, in advance of the
issuance of licenses, fees for both
transmitting station licenses and for
operators licenses. A transoceanic
station license will cost $500 per an
mum; land commercial license a
minimum of $50: a ship station Ii
cense, S25; experimental station. $25 !;
technical and training school licenses,
Sl5; special amateur, $40, and gem
eral and restricted amateur stations.
$3.50. Operators licenses run for
extra commercial first class to 81 and
so cents for first and second class
amateurs. Charges ranging from
$3.50 to so cents will be made for
each examination if the bill becomes
Il law. The bill provides that all fees
collected for examinations and Ii
cenSeS may be used to defray part Of
the departments expenses.
maximum fine of $1,000 will be