Evening star., 1925-12-27
BILLS GIVE HOOVER
FIRM AIR CONTROL
Joint Hearings, January 18,
viii Pave Way for Early
Action in Congress.
Bl CARL III. BUTM.iN.

T'OhhSi' III SSttti WV
BY CARL III. BUTMiN.
Ii either of the radio bills recently
submitted 10 Congress passes, it is
believed Secretary Hoover will be
granted sufficient authority to recu.
late and supervise radio communica
tions within the United States, and
keep the ether lanes free from inter
terence.
The desires of the Commerce De
partmeut and the recommendations of
the fourth national radio conference
have been incorporated in two similar
bills introduced In Congress. and steps
10 hold Il joint hearing on them Jann-
ary Is are under way The first bill
presented was that by Representa tive
Wallace White of Maine. who has re
vised his last years bill to cover most
Of the conference recommendations.
This House bill Is listed under the title
II. II. $3.50. and has been referred to
the committee on merchant marine
and fisheries.
on the other side Of the Capitol.
Senator c. {. Dill of Washington. who,
although representing a State very
close to Mr.. White as far as his views
on what radio legislation is needed are
concerned The Senate bin. :. lI5i.
mas gone to the interstate commerce
committee. 1t will be recalled that
senator Dill also endeavorod TO father
the Senate radio bill last year.
Interests Adequately Protected.
The interests OF the bros dcaSt listen
ers seem adequately protected in both
pieces of proposed legislation. Sec
retarv Hoover. or rather the Secretary
uf Commerce. X clothed with power TO
regulate radio communications III the
interest Of public needs and, Of course,
radio hroadcasting is included,
The White hill is designated TO re-
place the obsolete and inadequate act
10 regulate radio communication. ap-
proved in 1912, which. of course, the
Diu bill also seeks 10 do. Among
other things, Mr.. White provides that:
The Secretary of Commerce, in pub
lie concenvience, interest or necessity.
shall classify licensed radio stations
and the operators; prescribe the ma
turc Of the service rendered by each
Ass and each station; assign bandS
II frequenCies or wave lengths to the
various classes anu to each station,
determining the power which each
station shall use and the time during
which il may operate; determine the
location of classes or Individual STA
tions and the kind Of instruments TO
be used. with respect 10 their external
effects: regulate the purity and sharp
ness of the emissions from each sta
tion and its apparatus; establish areas
or zones TO be served by stations: in
Spect licensed stations and their appa-
ratuS. make such regulations not in
consistent with law Is he may deem
necessary 10 prevent interference be
tsyeen stations and to carry out the
provisions of this act, provided. that
changes il the call letters. wave
I,-n.lh~ authorized power, in ID" char
asIer. pr emitted signals cr in the time
uf operation OF any station shall no,
&c made without the conScn, If the
station ECenSce unless in the iudg-
uent OF the Secretary such changes
are required as a. public necessity or
interest.
control in Case Of War.
The Secretary iS given authority TO
exclude from the requirements OF any
regulations radio stations on railroad
trains and the operators. provided,
that they shall not he used Tor send
ing paid communications or signals.
other sections Of the proposed act re-
uuire Chat in time oi war or elner-
.,enrv The President may close OF take
over radio stations. In general, COY
..rnment owned stations on land ana
sea are not 10 be held subject TO the
ordinary regulations except III the
elimination oi interference, but Will
operate On wave lengths assigned them
bv the President. No operating or sta
non licenses will be issued To other
rban laV-abiding American citizens.
and ii is provided that licenses and
channels may no, b. ira nSI-tfeu Wt,n-
ult the approval Of the Commerce
head Station licenses will be limited
Il, q tenn Of five years. With the prlNi-
lc.c Of renewal at the discretion of
ihe Government radio officers, DG-
ices are not prescribed. All new sta
rton licenses will he issued only upon
.tpplicatiun and following the issuance
of Il construction permit neither OF
yhich carries any vested property
right and all oi which are reVocable
for calisa.
Applicants denied permits or licen,
>c~ or whose papers are revoked, VIII
have the right To appeal 10 the Court
OF Appeals Of the District uf Columbia
over the rulings OF the secretary OF
commerce.
A special section Of each bill provides
that al! laws relating to monopoly
and combinations to restrain trade ap-
ply to the sale and trade OF radio ap-
paratus coming within the interstate
commerce laws.
Matter broadcast from stations for
pay. directly OF indirectly, must be
announced rs "advertiSing." except
when the advertisement consists solely
Of the name. business or address OF
the firm or person providing an en-
tertainment feature, in which case
The announcement viii indicate that
he feature is paid for or furnished
by" the individual or tum.
Issuance Of Licenses.
Rules for the issuance of operators
licenses prescribe that only proficient
applicants viii he licensed in the sev
eral classes and that the term of
license shall not exceed two years.
These licenses may be suspended
when tile Secretary Of Commerce
learns that the operator has violated
regulations and laws. for example,
if he has damaged radio apparatus.
caused inlerferepce willfully OF ma
liciOuSly. or sent out Communications
containing profane or obscene words
n language.
Permits 10 construct al land
stations except amateur. mobile and
experimental stations viii he required
after the law is enacted. require
mcnt bcinG that Il public convenience,
iced or necessity is TO he met. This
measure will hit some oC the organi-
zations and individuals seeking to
erect broadcast stations in communi-
ties now believed adequately served by
existing stations. but un the other
hand may save impractical invest
mentS IN stations.
Both Mr.. White and Senator Dill
provide in their bills for radio com