Evening star., 1927-10-02
CONFERENCE WILL SEEK
WORLD CODE FOR RADIO
Sessions Opening Here Tuesday Will
Start New Era i'm International
Law of Ether.

New York, by which telephone con.
versation is stepped up over great
gap in space, we have witnessed the
most notable achievement in radio
telephony for strictly business pur-
poses.
The radio legal problems, therefore,
have assumed an international aspect.
and it is not enough for nations to con-
| tent themselves with national laws on
| the subject. International codes must
be drawn up. That is to say, the in.
ternational principles and rules gov.
erning radio must be drafted by mu-
tual agreement. Former Justice
Hughes has succinctly defined inter
national law as the principles and
rules adopted by civilized states as
binding upon them in their dealings
with each other.
With the exception of few treaties
or conventions there is no interna-
tional law at this time controlling
radio communication. and we have
only fundamental general principles
upon which to depend. Except for
| marine use, we do not as yet find in
the international field either alloca-
ton of wave lengths or other regula.
tory measures.
1t is toward the formulation of an
international radio code that the
Washington conference will direct it's
attention. The London convention of
1912 provided for revision at five-year
intervals. The World War destroyed
| the possibility. Afterward the matter
drifted until there was a very decided
pressure from European countries for
a new conference to revise the Lon
don convention and to bring it down
to date.
Proposals Are Compiled.
The proposals for notifications sub.
mitted by the various countries
through the Bern bureau have been
compiled and circulated. These pro-
posals approximate from 1900 to
1,700, and make book of 900 or 500
pages.
Obviously the objective of the Wash
ington conference is to take these pro-
posals as submitted and from them
compile a new international conven
ton. The main issues of the confer
ence will center around such ques-
tions as freedom of the air, transmits
sion Of communications, secrecy OF
communications, transmission of news
and security of human life, questions
of commercial and industrial property
and intellectual, literary and artistic
copyrights.
The problem of broadcasting copy
right productions Is much more acute
in Europe than in the United States,
due to the great number of different
language countries all within radio
speaking and hearing distance of each
other. Already specific laws have been
passed to protect the author OF I;
literary or musical composition. In
Norway, for instance. an author has
va rio
of the ministry of education. the
broadcastlng of his work, and il it is
broadcast by his consent he receives
compensation on q yearly basis
The chief topic Of the second an
nual meeting Of the Confederation of
Authors and Composers, which met
recently at Rome, was the revision
Of the Bern Convention. The United
States is not an adherent to the pres.
ent Bern Convention, although the
American Authors Society has for
years been trying to make us a sig.
natory. 1t Is virtually certain that
at the Washington Radio Conference
the United States will be asked to
approve Of the Bern Convention as
revised.
Air Mail Urged Long Ago.
One hundred years ago a Postmas.
ter General of the United States rec
commended to Congress that some
way be devised to carry the mail
through the air. but even % years
after birth the air industry had made
little progress in the utilization of
this field Of commerce, and was so
slow in reaching maturity that it's
growth seemed permanently stunted.
On the other hand. it's air twin,
hr G<a aoff~ ,,ek,v ;,<f, -
ly more than 6 Summers, has dis.
played such precocity that it's voice
can be heard nightly from one end
OF the country to the other, and it
has become literally a necessity in
all homes, not only in our own coun.
try. but abroad as well.
The distinguishing feature about
American broadcasting Is that it's
service is free to it's audience Of
listeners. In Great Britain a tax is
levied upon receiving sets, and in
Europe generally the entire industry
is conducted upon the principle of
Let him who receives pay"
The First International Wireless
Telegraph Convention was signed at
Berlin in 1906, and was the result
Of joint conferences among repre-.
sentatives Of the United States and
European countries held in Berlin in
1908 and 1906. Various drafts Of con-
ventions were discussed, but without
appreciable result.
Still Awaiting Agreement.
When the London convention of
1912 was held radio was just begin
ming to be used as a means of COM
munication over the water. Conse-
quently its provisions applied to all
radio stations both coastal and on
shipboard open to public service be-
tween the ast and vessels at sea-"
No other forms OF radio communica-
ton then being used. such systems IS
broadcasting and point to-point radio
telegraph are today still open for in
ternational agreement.
The American delegates noted a
reservation regarding rates, and the
convention was ratified by the United
States Senate
The Berlin convention Of 1906 Is still
effective for questions arising between
the United States and countries sigma
tory to it, but which have failed TO
ratify or adhere to the London con-
vention Of 1912.
The International Convention on
Safety of Life at Sea was signed at
London in 1914, providing for radio
equipment on vessels, but lacking
complete ratification, is not binding.
At the Conference on Limitation OF
Armaments the signatory powers by
resolution provided for a commission
Of jurists. This commission met at
The Hague and in 1928 promulgated
rules for the control of radio in time
Of war. The United States has indi-
Gated its willingness to enter into a
treaty embodying the rules as adopted.
General ALLEGATION Failed.
Article is Of the rules Of air warfare
provides that any aircraft transmit.
ting intelligence while engaged in a
flight is deemed to be engaged in hos
tilities.
The Hague Conventions Of 1899 and
fQ07 doal IN snrna aYfant with the