Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-07
RADIO REGULATION
UP TO PRESIDENT
Hoover May Cooperate IN
Finding Funds to Operate
New Machinery.


Congress for regulating radio has
been rendered practically useless
through the failure of the Senate to
approve the appropriation OF FUNDS
for IFS operation and the pay of the
commissioners. With the adjourn
ment of Congress the deficiency bill
died q most unnatural death, and
with it also passed the hopes of sew
eral million people that radio broad
casting soon would be put on a
standardized and serviceable basis.
What can be done toward radio
regulation without the necessary
funds remains for the President to
say, although probably the commits
soners may be willing to serve
without pay for eight or nine months,
The necessary funds for office space,
furniture, stenographerS, clerks and
expenses are not available unless the
Department of Commerce can share
its space and spare some of it's limited
appropriations. The deficiency bill
carried an item of S115,000 for the
pay and expenses of the Federal
Radio Commission. an additional
$4,000 for the radio section of the
department, and the reallotment OF
100000 for field work and inspection
not included in the current appropria-
tlo1lS DtlIS, utCduSt lliC at boA lily -
practically ceased policing the ether
on July l.
Under the 1927 radio act the moneys
appropriated to the Department OF
Commerce for radio administration
formerly under the Bureau or Navi'
cation are available both for eXpendl-
lures incurred in the administration
of this new act and for the purposes
specified. Some of this money mgnt
be allocated to the commission proper
by Secretary Hoover if he could spare
it without reducing his office and field
force, but, as has been noted above,
he is already handicapped TO the ex-
tent of 500 900 under his usual radio
operating expenses. Furthermore, the
appropriation bill which carried the
$1,000 available for the radio work
of the department this year specifies
that not more than $4,000 can be
expended within the District Of Co
lumhia, where it is all needed to meet
the salaries and expenses Of the pres
ent radio officials stationed in Wash
ington.
1t is known that Secretary Hoover
stands ready to cooperate as far as
possible with the Federal commission,
at least to the extent of offering it
Office space in the Commerce Build
ing, where IT would have immediate
contact with the present radio section,
its files, data, maps and technical and
personnel. He also may be able to
lend the commissioners Office furni-
ture, but how he can find money with
which they can meet personnel and
other expenses is a problem only he
and perhaps the President or the chief
of the Budget Bureau can solve.
To say the least, Hoover, the radio
industry and the fans are exceedingly
disappointed with the failure of Con-
gress, after passing the radio act of
1927 and consenting to three of the
nominees for radio commissioners, to
grant sufficient funds with which the
act and administration under it could
be carried out. The enactment of the
law won considerable praise from
practically every one interested In
radio: the approval of three, ma
Jority OF the five commissioners, was
considered as sufficient to permit the
administration OF the law, but the neg
ligence OF the Senate to provide funds
seems most unfortunate IL at all ex-
cusable.
"Hello everybody .Roxy's" ia.
miliar greeting, will go out over the
wave lengths tonight as a prelude to
the initial entertainment program by
his reorganized gang" The program
VIII LIZ 0AOuhI<1lSL Dt w IN All COIljuttI-
ton with the stations which make up
the blue" network of the National
Broadcasting Co.
Roxy president and general
manager of the nearly completed
Roxy Theater in New York, prom
ises bigger and better radio per-
Torrance than he has ever presented
in the past. Work is being rushed
on the special studios, located at the
Roxy Theater, and they will be COM
pleted in time for the initial broad
casting. These studios are said to
be Of the finest type built and tests
have revealed that the acoustical
conditions are ideal for broadcasting
purposes. SURPRISING even the expec-
tations of the architects.
Those familiar with "Roxy's" past
presentations will be glad to hear
that among the old favorites to be
found in the new gang are Candy
and Doug" fMlle. Maria Gambarelii,
dancer and singer, and Douglas Stan
bury. baritone). known as the sweet
hearts of the air.. Phil Gilman and
Victor Arden, pianists; Adrian da
Silva, tenor; Celia BranZ. contralto:
Godfrey O'Hara, composer. author
and singer; Dorothy Miller, soprano:
Gladys Rice, coloratura soprano !;
Beatrice Belkin, soprano; Anna Rob-
inson. soprano; Joseph Stopak. vio-
linist; Jim Coombs, basso; Frank
Monlan, comedian, and Florence Null
holland, contralto. Recent additions
to this gang include Mickey Mckee
whistler: Margery Harcum. Hazel
Glenn, Bobby" Robinson and Rene
Ealeri.
Supporting these artists. Roxy
will use mixed chorus of one hun.
bred voices and complete symphony
orchestra of one hundred and ten in
strumentalists to be under the alter
nate guidance of four conductors: III.
Maurice Jacauet. the noted French
and Frederick Stahlberg. In these
broadcast performances he will also
use a special radio studio orchestra of
sixty instruments. One of the largest
organs in the world, now being com
pIeted in the Roxy Theater. win be
dedicated to the radio audience at this
performance.
The musical equipment which
Roxy" intends to use in his new
series of broadcasts is complete in
every detail. On his staff he will have
dance orchestras, string ensembles
quintets, quartets and trios and every
type of speciality orchestra, such as
marimba bands, balalaika orchestra
and other groups of instrumental per
formers rarely heard by the listening
audience.
The remainder of WRC's program
will be provided by Hires Harvesters
the A & P. Gypsies. the WEAF Grand
Opera Company and the Swanee Syn
copators.
Radio reception over the week end
was mediocre. Conditions, however
were far better Saturday night thar
last night when static disturbance
and fading minimized the volume oil
most OF the stations that could BIZ
tuned.