Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-08
PROPOSE TO AMEND
RADIO CONTROLLAW.
Bills Prepared Making Fed
eraI Commission Permanent
and Extending Its Powers.

At least two concerted moves Will be
made in Congress next session to
amend hte laws relating to radio ana
communications control. n score or
more of minor radio bills will be in
troduced by various members Of Con.
gress. but the strongest backing VIII
probably be concentrated upon two
bills which contemplate these objects
!. To make the Federal Radio Gem.
mission a permanent control author
ity, instead of having its regulatory
powers revert to the Secretary OF
Commerce on February %. 1928, when
it becomes sort of first court Of judi
cial review OYER his decisions. as now
prescribed in the radio act of 1927.
>. Extension of the powers of the
Federal Radio Commission to cover
all subjects of communications. G.,
The telephone. telegraph and cable
lincs---as well as radio. The regula-
ton of wired communications now is
vested by law in the Interstate Com
merce Commission, which has never
had occasion to exercise its authority,
because no applications for such reg
ulation have been made.
Variance i'm Views.
There are those who still feel that
no need exists for continuing the
newly created radio body beyond the
one-year span of life given it by the
law PASSED last session. arguing thar
formerly exercised radio control. can
easily resume that authority after the
present hroadcasting tangle is unrav-
ele3 by the commission. President
Coolidge himself argued against the
creation of another independent
agency of Government, such as Sen
ator Dill and others wanted.
On the other hand, there are those
who want the commissions present
functions continued. arguing that train
ed administrators with a judicial turn
of mind must constantly watch over
the infant radio which is now only
suffering its growing pains. Even
when more highly developed, they in
sist. radio is so vitality important that
1t will require as close Federal super
vision as that which the Interstate
Commerce Commission holds over the
railroads.
Question of Control Issue.
The question of controlling the
communications systems of the coun-
try has come up before in Congress.
Senator CouZens at one time urging
the creation of a control body. The
systems themselves may be expected
to oppose such move, if only to be
left free and unhampered in their
activities. 1t will he argued that the
regulative power should at least not
be placed in the hands of the Federal
Radio Commission. since that body is
composed essentially of men who
know radio. but who can claim to
know little about the wired services.
The obvious reply will be that the
personnel of the commission, now
composed of men chosen respectively
for two, three, four. five and six year
terms. can be changed.
Musical Miniatures" one of WRC's
prominent musical features tonight.
will carry the radio audience through
the famous Chinese Wall and on a
half-hour tour within it's confines.
All of the musical selections will por-
tray the theme, within the Walls of
China" The program has been ar
ranged by Harold Sanford for the Ma
tional Concert Orchestra, which will
be assisted by soprano and a tenor
soloist.
The Cities Service Orchestra. the
W. B. & A. Quartet and the Lord
Calvert Hour of Music are among
WRC's other features. There also
will be programs by the Raleigh,
Pennsylvania Grill and Greenwich
Village Inn Orchestras.
Serene and tranquil were the wave
lengths last night in comparison with
the preceding night, and dialing for
the distant stations was an engrossing
and productive pastime. Static had
not disappeared completely, however,
but its manifestations were mild
and came only periodically through
out the evening. The incoming sig
nails had fair volume, but some of
them were handicapped by fading,
which seemed to affect those original
ing in the North more severely than
those from other sections.