Evening star., 1927-10-01
j. S. RADIO BOARD
MAY Be EXTENDED
Senator Dill Intimates Con-
Cress May Continue Regu-
Iatory Powers.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

Dh Ehtt'tkta tIfIsihN w slF-'
Regulatory powers of the Federal
Radio Commission, which will expire
by law ON March Is, 1923, are likely
to be extended for ut least another
year by tho incoming Congress.
Strong Indication to that effect is
given by Senator G. G. Dill, Demo
Crat, Of Washington, who, with Rep
rcSent1tivc Wallace II. White, ir., Re
publican. of Maine. Is joint author Of
tho bill which created the commission
last March.
Senator Dill takes the position that
the commissions work, wei! begun, is
only started. 1t has been handicapped
by inadequate funds. owing to defeat
of the second deficiency bill in the
Senate iilihustcr, and otherwise ham
percd in the activities Congress in
tended the commission to fullill. The
record of the commission to date, Sen
aior Dill feels, entities it to a fresh
lease of life under the wide powers
granted for the first year Of its exist
cncc. After that, tho act provides,
the commission becomes merely an
"aDpellatc court" Supervision Of
broadcasting revcrtS to the Secretary
of Commerce. in whom that function
was vested before the commissions
creation.
ton Of the Radio Commissions present
status is the circumstance that two
of its five members, after nomination
by President Coolidge. failed OF Sen
Htc confirmation ut the eleventh hour.
Rear Admiral w. II. c.. Bullard of
Pennsylvania, chairman; JEdgc Eu-
gene O. Sykes of Mississippi, vice
chairman, and Col. John +. Dillon of
California were approved. But Henry
A. Bellows of Minnesota and o. IL.
Caldwell of New York failed of con-
firmation. The confirmed members
have been paid at the rate of $4,000
Il year since they took office, but, in
accordance with practice, Mr. Bellows
and Mr.. Caldwell serve, pending con-
firmation, without salary. They will
receive arrears if and when the Sen
ate O. KS them.
AS the deficiency bill appropriation
for the Radio Commission crashed, the
organization began life pcnnilcss and
homeless. The Department Of Com
mCrce came to the rescue. 1t had
some $150,000 available for its own
radio division and placed it at the
Radio Commissions disposal. 1t also
made provision on the fifth floor of
the Commerce Building for a suitable
suite of offices, formerly occupied by
the department funds, all commits
sion salaries, its limited clerical force
and other handto mouth expenses
have been paid. When the wrecked
deficiency bill is passed, the depart
ment will be reimbursed. Evidently
Controller General McCarl, who goes
on smashing up unauthorized"
schemes when Uncle Sam resorts to
self-help, saw nothing ulterior in the
Radio Commissions acceptance of the
Department Of Commences charity.
Under all the circumstances, every
one concerned feels that Admiral Bull
lard and his colleagues have given an
uncommonly effective account of
themselves.
The Federal Radio Commissions big
job was to Grapple with the interfer-
ence and traffic jam in the air. 1t
found chaos prevalent, for as soon as
Government control of the wave
lengths broke down, piracy ensued.
Certain stations 'jumped' their
waves, seeking more desirable chan
nels, regardless of existing occupants.
Even channels allocated to Canada
were grabbed. The commission set
about to place the 732 broadcasting
stations on SO wave lengths and so
reduce interference to the minimum.
AuflllIdt lDull1Iu ana MS lclIDW COlll-
misSioncrs have specialized in giving
everybody his day in court. In max
ing decision, toes have necessarily
been stepped on, here and there. But
no favorites have been played, the
public interest has been paramount in
the commissions deliberations. and,
by and large, the country is believed
to be cOntented with the first six
months of commission activities.
During the recent radio convention
at New York Admiral Bullard and his
colleagues were quoted as feeling that
they have stopped the spread of the
disease chaos but that a permanent
cure cannot be effected in the one
year allotted by Congress-" Judging
by Senator Dill's observa tions to this
writer both Senate and House are
likely to vote it the part of common
sense to give the commission n more
adequate opportunity than it has thus
far had
One of the future constructive pro-
pOsals advocated by Admiral Bullard
is an entirely new ALLEGATION of wave
lengths and power limits. The idea
would be to classify broadca sting into
three grades-national, regional and
local. Power limits would vary ac.
cordingly, enabling the listener to
tune in upon, or out Of, any Of the
three grades Of program without in
terference.