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


may not be sold for more than the
actual cost Of the apparatus. The
good will accumulated by years Of
faithful service to the public Is to
mean nothing. The rewards Of initia-
tive and enterprise are to be ignored.
The right Of the owner Of 4 broadcast
ing station to make q contract in his
own interest Il to be destroyed.
Such legislation would establish .
precedent ~ destructive to industry
in general a. to radio in particular.
And as II this were not enough, there
is the provision debarring from a H.
cense to broadcast any person, firm or
corporation found guilty BY any. even
a. minor, Federal court >of attempting
to "monopolize" radio communication,
of unfair methods OF competition and
other attractions. This practically Vi
tiates the right of appeal. . right
guaranteed constitutionally to every
citizen in the United States, and
might not only jeopardize investments
Of millions of dollars, but also deprive
the public OF much needed communi-
cation facilities through some unin-
legislation or statute.
Every outstanding act of initiative
or enterprise in the broadcasting field
has been made the excuse for charges
of attempted monopoly Of the air.
Superpower 1t has been said, was q
sinister plan to monopolize the air.
Chain broadcasting has been termed
another attempt to accomplish the
same purpose. And yet where should
we be today without these two sys-
tens Of broadcasting?
Such law would paralyze and make
mute great broadcasting stations by
the non-renewal of license, even
though a Federal court decision was
later reversed and the alleged act Of
guilt entirely denied by higher court.
Some of our legislators in Congress
evidently believe that ponderous
and unwieldy permanent radio COM
mission as proposed in pending radio
legislation would prove an immediate
boon to the development Of the art
and of the industry and promote the
best interests of the public.
Federal Commission UnwieIdy
There is no form of administrative
agency which so efficiently lends It.
self to the evasion and sidestepping
Of responsibility and finality as the
poord Or Commi cSion Pohipd itr c01.
lective action the one or two strong
members who invariably dominate it
can hide their individual responsible
ties Inevitably slow, ponderous and
expensive, its decisions are always
compromises, never black or white,
always dull gray.
Please do not understand from what
have said on the subject Of legisla-
ton that | would seek to exempt ra-
diO communication or the radio indus
try from proper governmental regula-
ton Not at all. | believe in fair and
wise regulation Of utilities and trade
practices To such regulation We Of
fer no objection. The test, however,
of such regulation is that it be in the
interest OF the public. Regulation
which would retard or throttle the
continued and almost phenomenal de-
velopment Of radio would not be in
the interest of the public. Further
more, 1t would menace the greatest
fundamentally for the dissemination
Of education, news and entertainment
since the invention OF the printing
press.
Not all the proposed radio legisla-
ton now pending Is, in my opinion,
destructive. Alternative measures to
several of those which I have charac-
terized as Objectionable are available
in the form of bills also now pending
in Congress which provide, for in
stance, among other things, for five
year terms for station licenses, for
what they term "tust compensation"
for use of privately owned stations
Communicated by the government a
more conservative and less expensive
radio commission. and which do not
provide for handling of commercial
business by government stations or
restrictions as to sale price of stations
or operation of experimental stations.
say again my sympathy goes out
to those who are honestly animated
by q desire to frame radio legislation
in the interest Of the public good.
Hasty or ill-considsred legislation will
have exactly the contrary effect At
tempts to regulate other than the i'm
mediate problems that require regula-
ton will defeat the purposes Of Legs
lation.
Ek10n