Evening star., 1927-10-15
M|SUS|NG Of sos
WILL Be PUNISHED
International ConfereeS at
Radio ParIey Are Writing
New Provision.

The sea captain OF tne aIldeeul "'
flashes az 5 o S signal for trivial rea-
aons or for the fun of it. Is TO be
subjected to severe penalties under IN
ternational law. This will apply to the
nationals of every country that ad-
heres to the treaty now being formu-
lated in Washington by the lnterna-
tional Radiotelegraph Conference.
with every indication that the 500
meter channel will remain reserved
Tor distress calls, the conferees IN com
mittee have decided to write into the
proposed treaty a provision Tor penal
Ties for broadcasting fraudulent or un-
necessary come-to-the-reScue cails.
Each country will make Its own
specific regulations, prescribing penal
ties, but the general provision VIII be
mart of international law.
Maritime interests have urged such
action. for the reason that ships OF
various nationalities have taken ad-
vantage Of the courtesy of the sea
bv broadcasting S o S signals when
thew merely needed slight repairs. An
instance in point occurred last VIM
ter. when one of the large transatian-
tic liners was taken off its course ana
DELAYED many hours by a call from
small tramp steamer whose rudder
had been disabled but fixed before the
larger vessel arrived.
Joke" broadcasting of distress calls
hy amateurs or other broadcasters is
almost a negligible factor these days.
The provision is plainly aimed at the
sea parasites"
The tempest stirred by Station
KWKH, Shreveport, La, charged with
Jumping" it's power Illegally from
900 TO 5000 watts, has been alred
before the Federal Radio Commission
at a hearing at which W. h. Henuer-
son. operator of the station, formally
apnlied for an increase to 1O,OOo
watts. This application, opposed by
nearly ali the stations on the ire
ouency 760 kilocycles, or S94.5 me-
ters), has been taken under aoVlse-
ment by the commission.
During the hearing Mr.. Henderson
admitted his engineers boosted the
mower beyond the amount stated IN
his license and admitted he has failed
to divide time with KMA, SHENANDOAH
as recently ordered by the commls'
sion. He denied authority OF the com.
mission TO issue such an order, ana
declared he had filed suit against the
commission in the Federal Court OF
Louisiana, pending which he does not
think il is necessary for him to dlVlde
time.
Mr. Henderson submitted a crate
@ulJ of Endorsements of the programs
of his station as part of the record
of the hearing. His attorneys offered
statistics to show that the commls-
sion's assignments Of power are dis
criminatory against the South. They
simulated that 5S stations in Southern
States having q population exceeding
% 600 900 persons have been assigned
a total wattage Of less than AZ kilo-
watts.
WRC inaugurated the 1927 foot ball
season this afternoon by bringing 10
its audience a play-by-play description
of the Nayy.Notre Dame foot ball
game from the Municipal Stadium in
Baltimore. The game was described
by Phillips Carlin, manager OF WEAF',
who has been at the mlcrophone
many times in previous years Tor I'M
portant gridiron contests.
The Army Band and the Philco
hour headline WRC'S program to-
night. Victor Herbert's "The Only
Girl" first produced in 1913, will be
the presentation Of Philco Hour
sponsors. Wilda Bennett, who starred
in the original production, will take
the same role in the radio version.
line VI llO <aLAhJ AS0AAA
be broadcast from the Army War
College. The program includes a selec.
tion from Friml's 1.-THE Vagabond
King" and two stirring marches, THE
American Red Cross" and king
Karl
WRC's late program Of dance mu
sic will be provided by the st. Marks
Orchestra, while the Waldorf-Astoria
Orchestra will furnish the dinner mu-
sic. There also will be a program by
the Mayflower Orchestra.
A diversified program, composed OF
the weekly "At Home" presentation,
musical attractions and talk by Will
P. Kennedy. political writer for The
Star, will be broadcast tonight by
WMAL.
The musical features include a
dance program by the Chateau-Thierry
Ramblers and joint recital by Don
aid Brown, pianist, and Benjamin Rat
mar VioIiniSt