Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-12-22

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of Commerce:
have every sympathy for our leg
islators in Washington, who for the
past four years have endeavored to
cope with the very serious task OF
framing . bill for the governmental
regulation and control Of oommunica-
ton by radio. The task Is heavy with
many problems-withs scientific prob
lems yet unsolved in the mind Of the
scientist, with technical problems still
IN the laboratory stage. with indus
trial problems yet unstabilized, with
public problems Of the utmost impor-
lance.
The axiom that the best governed
nation is the least governed nation
applies with particular force to legis-
lation for the radio art and the radio
industry. Radio Is = swiftly moving
art and its problems today may not be
its problems tomorrow. The fact is
undeniable that the great progress
thus far made both in the art and in
the industry has taken place during
4 period of minimum governmental
regulation or interference.
We need look back only a few years
to realize what unwise legislation
might have meant both to the radio
industry and to the great radio listen
ing public of the United States.
"controI Of Air" Not Possible
Two years ago the advocacy Of high
power broadcasting stations by the
Radio Corporation of America brought
a storm OF protest from those who
feared that this threatened a "contcol
of the air" Legislation at that time.
definitely limiting the power OF broad
casting stations. would have robbed
millions of listeners in the United
States of the broadcasting service
which they now enjoy and which is
made available to them only through
that high power transmission now in
dorsed by public opinion. Unnumber-
cd thousands of homes, particularly
in the agricultural and more remote
sections of our country, would have
been cut off from a broadcasting SER
vice that has no peer in any other
part Of the world; from the numerous
educational opportunities now open
through the air; from informative and
market service so vital to the farmer,
and our millions OF radio listeners
would have been deprived OF the best
means yet developed for combating
and overcoming that wellknown
nemesis Of broadcasting-stati
superpower has meant even more
than this. 1t has given us greater as
surance in our ship-to-shore commu-
nications. It has enabled us to make
tmmeasurably better the services nee
sssary to insure the safety of lives at
sea.
To permit radio legislation to be-
come the vehicle Of politics In Con-
xress Is to trife with power and
service not yet fully appreciated. To
make inflexible statutes for an art
that is as flexible as the air, is to vio-
late the very laws Of scientific and
technical Development. 1t is to work
q public injury, under the guise OF
governmental regulation. =
Under the present development OF
the art there are only 80 bands OF
wayelengths available within the con-
fnes Of the United States, or approx
imately one-tenth the number of sta
tons now in operation or projected in
the immediate future. On the other
hand, there is a growing tendency on
the part OF some established stations
q we'll as many new stations to arbi-
trarily and selnshly appropriate to
their own use any desired wavelength
regardless Of its prior use to the satis-
faction OF the public. There can be
no reasonable objection to the proper
regulation OF the ether. and one court
Of competent jurisdiction has already
spoken against wavelensth piracy.
Virtually all other problems en-
braced in the proposed radio legisla-
ton are adequately covered by exist
ing laws.
The best possible way to discourage
the creation OF great and permanent
service of radio broadcasting in the
United States is to limit every broad
casting station to a mere twenty-four
months of tenure in the air, regard
less of the character, and policy of
the station affected, regardless OF the
service which it renders to the nation
and the public. regardless of the cap