Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-12-25
the hours during which such expert.
manta can ha c0nductad

Government taking what It win In
time Of war or other great national
emergency. Radio, like every other
industry, must bow to the nations
need. But there 10 every objection to
singing out the radio communication
industry for practical confscation, 40
would result from any provision that
denies any compensation to Q station
closed down. but not operated by the
government, and which limits the
compensation for any radio station
commandeered and operated by the
government, to mere return upon
the physical value Of the property. ig-
noring loss Of business. accumulated
goodwill and other factors that go to
make up the value Of a property.
Nor is this the only tendency to-
wards conflscation noticeable in pro-
jected radio legislation. There IL the
provision now under consideration
that a broadcasting station, II sold.
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 inftia-
tive and enterprise are to be ignored.
The right Of the owner OF broadcast
ing station to make a contract tn his
own interest is to be destroyed
Such legislation would establish q
precedent as destructive to industry
in general as 10 radio in particular.
And as If this were not enough, there
IL the provision debarring from IL
cense to broadcast any person. firm or
corporation found guilty by any, even
q minor, Federal court Of attempting
to "monopolize" radio communication,
Of unfair methods Of competition and
other infractions. This practically VI
tiates the right OF appeal, q right
guaranteed oonstitutionally TO every
citizen in the United States, and
might not only jeopardise Investments
of millions Of dollars. but also deprive
the public Of much needed communi-
cation facilities through some unin-
territorial violation Of o minor trade
legislation or statute.
Every outstanding act Of Initiative
or enterprise In the bFoadcasting field
has been made the excuse for charges
Of attempted monopoly Of the air.
Superpower. Il has been said, was O
sinister plan to monopoliDe the air.
Chain, hroadcasting has BEEN termed
another attempt to accomplish the
same purpose. And yet where should
we be today without these two sys-
TENS OF broadcasting3
Such law would paralyse and make
mute great broadcasting stations by
the non-renewal Of license, even
though 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 a 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 unWieldy
There IL no form OF administrative
agency which 30 efficiently lends It.
self to the evasion anc sidestepping
OF responsibility and finality as the
Board or Commission. Behind Its col.
Elective 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-
do communication or the radio indus.
try from proper governmental regula-
ton Not at all. I 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. It would menace the greatest
instrumentality for the disseminate
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 have charac-
terixed az Objectionable are available
in the form Of bills also now pending
in Congress which provide. for in
stance. among other things. for i've
year terms for station licenses, for
what they term "just compensation"
for use OF privately owned stations
commandeered by the government, q
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