Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-28
RADIO RELIEF BILL
READY FOR ACTION
House and Senate Expected
to Give Control Act
Leading Place.

~~~A~S~~T
ing-and self.regulation admittedly has
resulted in no regulation at alI--has at
last borne fruit in the form of a con
troll measure now definitely before
Congress- There Is every reason TO
expect the new bill will be adopt
ed. for 1t was favorably voted upon
by all but one of the eight mem
bers Of the conference committee
Wednesday. 1t now goes to the House
and Senate, where popular clamor for
action assures it a preferential place
on the legislative calendars, and where
It's early passage seems fairly assured,
unless unexpected opposition develops.
An abstract of the essential fea-
lures OF the act tells its own story
how 1t proposes to control broadcast
ing and to bring order out of the pres
ent chaos in the ether.
The country Is divided into five ra-
do zones, the first including the New
England States, New York, New Jer.
sey, Delaware, Maryland, District of
Columbia, Porto Rico and Virgin
Islands; the second, Pennsylvania, Vir-
ginia. West Virginia Ohio. Michigan
and Kentucky; the third, North Caro-
-
Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Ar
Kansas. Louisiana, Texas and Okla
homa: the fourth, Indiana. Illinois,
wisconsin. Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska Kan
sas and Missouri. and the fifth, Mon
tana, Idaho. Wyoming, Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Wash
ington, Oregon. California, Hawaii and
Alaska.
Commission of Five.
A Federal radio commission is Gre
ated, comprising five members, APP
pointed by the President and approved
by the Senate. Their terms are to be
for two, three, four, five and six years,
respectively, but their successors are
to be appointed for terms of six years.
No more than three members are to
be of the same political party. Their
salaries are to be $4,000 the first year
OF their service and $40 per day and
expenses thereafter while engaged in
the performance of their duties
The commission Is to classify sta
TONS prescribe the nature of the serv-
ice to be rendered by each class, assign
wave lengths. regulate the kind and
use of broadcasting apparatus, make
regulations to prevent interference be-
tween nations, establish areas or zones
to be served by respective stations,
make special regulations applicable to
chain broadcasting, and conduct inves-
legations In pursuance of it's powers.
One year after the first meeting of
the commission all it's powers, except
as to revocation of licenses, are trans.
ferred to the Secretary of Commerce,
the commission thereafter having jul
risdiction over matters brought before
III ~ l.
ing the first year after passage of the
act the Secretary of Commerce must
refer all applications for station IL
censes or renewals and all disputes to
the commission.
The Secretary Of Commerce is to
prescribe qualifications for station
operators, may suspend them for VIC
lations, inspect broadcast apparatus,
designate call letters and report viola
tions to the commission of the latter's
orders.
License Restrictions.
Service to the public convenience,
interest or necessity lis the only re.
striction on the granting of a station
license to any applicant. But in con
sidertng applications the licensing au
thority is required to distribute IL
censes and prescribe power, wave
lengths and broadcast hours among
the different States as to give fair,
efficient and equitable radio service to
each"
Waivers Of claims to wave lengths
must be signed with each license, and
broadcast licenses are to be for three
years. while all others are for five.
Appeals from the Secretary's deci-
sions may be taken to the commission
uyhn oil fnf
construction permits or station IL
censes may be appealed TO the Fed
eral district courts.
No power Of censorship over broad
casting Is given the licensing author
ity. Candidates for public office are
to have equal opportunities for using
stations, and there is to be no censor
ship over the material they use. No
obligation, however, is imposed upon
station to allow the use Of It's facili-
ties to candidates.
Navy Can Use Stations.
The Secretary of the Navy Is author
lied, unless restrained by international
agreement, to use all naval ships and
shore stations for receiving and trans
hitting press messages and private
commercial messages "at just and
equitable rates"
The bill also contains a provision Tor
refusing station licenses or construc-
ton permits to applicants found guilty
Of attempting to monopolize radio
communication or using unfair meth
DDS of competition. Licenses may be
revoked for the making of false state
ments In applications, for violations
Of restrictions and regulations under
the law, for failure to provide reason
able facilities for radio communication,
for making unjust or unreasonable
charges. or for discriminating as to
charges and service.
Shin distress call requirements are
definitely stated, and provision in
cluded for Government use of stations
for war needs. Divisions of time as
between Government and private sta
lions in such close proximity that in
reference cannot be avoided are pro-
vided also.
The 36.page radio bill closes with
repeal of the radio law Of 1912, the
Attorney Generals interpretations OF
which took previous radio powers from
the Secretary Of Commerce, with the
resulting chaotic condition in the
ether. The act becomes law immedi-