Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-15
RADIO COMMISSION
TOHOLD HEARINGS
Delays General Conference
and Extends Time for Some
Applications.

AppHCdtiOllS.
AS it's first item of business under
taken at its initial meeting today, the
new Federal Radio Commission au
thorized by an act signed by the
President February 90, extended the
time for sending in applications for
several thousand holders of amateur
and ship licenses and announced it's
intention to call for immediate apph-
cation only for broadcasting and point
to-point licenses.
| Urging patience on the part Of the
public to bear with it in it's huge task
of taking over Government control of
the ether, the commission, in a state
ment today, announced Il series Of pub
lie hearings to be held in Washing
| ton. March 20, 80, and April !. The
following tentative schedule of main
! topics was fixed for the hearings:
| Widening the broadcast band,
| limitation of power, reducing fire.
| quency separation, simultaneous
| broadcasting with same frequency,
| time division, consolidation of broad
casting service and limiting number
of stations.
Conference Too Expensive.
I'm view of the heavy burden Of
expense and effort which a general
conference would impose on the broad
casters and the public" the statement
| said, 1.-The commission does not feel
! that any such conference is necessary
or desirable at this time"
! Members felt that the public hear
| ings would amply provide for dis
cussion of general plans for elimina-
| ton of interference, and promised that
ample opportunity will be given later
| for presentation of individual claims
and complaints. Members of the
commission who met today are:
| Eugene o. Sykes of Mississippi. who
was designated vice chairman; O. II,
| Caldwell, New York: H. A. Bellows,
| Minnesota, and j. +. Dillon, Cali
| fornia.
Funds Arranged for.
| Although the commission undoubt-
eddy will be handicapped in it's activ-
| tiles by lack of funds, due to failure
! of the second deficiency bill to pass
! the last Congress, it has arranged
| through the courtesy of other Gov
/ eminent departments ito be able to
| function with reasonable efficiency
| and to perform the most important
| of it's tasks without serious handi
cap" Temporary quarters have been
| assigned the commission in the De-
partment of Commerce Building
! Necessary legal assistance has been
! offered by the Department of JUS
| tice and offers of aid have been made
| by the War and Navy departments
| and other branches of the Govern
ment.
I'm this way, although the per-
sonnet attached to the commission
| itself will necessarily be very small,
| the commission expects to be able to
/ perform rs necessary work without
| delay" the statement says.
New forms for all types of applica-
| tons for licenses and also forms for
| construction permits will be mailed
| shortly to all present holders Of broad
| casting and point-to point radio H.
censees who must file application for
| licenses with the commission. The state
| ment of the commission called at
tention to the fact that the new iadio
! control body represents the people
of the United tSates. I'm dealing with
the exceedingly complicated problem
which oonfronts it at the very outset
1t recognizes it's dependence to large
degree on the willing cooperation Of
all elements interested in radio trans
mission, and it urges particularly on
the listening public the Importance of
recognizing the size and completely
of the task. 1t will proceed just as
RAPIDLY as possible, but III order that
1t may work with justice md fairness
to all it must be in full possession OF
the necessary facts, and accordingly
it asks the public to be patient and
to realize that it is far more impor-
tant to have the work done right than
to have it done so fast that much of
it will have to be done oyer again, -
the statement says.
Vice Chairman Sykes will speak
from Station WRC Thursday evening
at 7:45 on the work Of the commits
sion.
Pickard Acting Secretary.
At the same time the Commission
ANNOUNCED the appointment of Samuel
Pickard. Chief of the Radio Service
of the Department of Agriculture, as
acting secretary. The permanent sec
rotary has not been chosen. About a
year ago Mr.. Pickard was appointed
Chief Of the Department of Agricul'
ture Radio Service, which has since
that time been broadcasting through
about 80 stations timely talks on agri
cultural problems, market reports
home economics and other matters OF
interest to rural listeners. Mr.. Packard
was formerly editor of the magazine al
the Kansas State Agriculture College
and also director Of the College Broad
casting Station. His transfer from the
Agricultural Department to serve as
Secretary of the Radio Commission
was said to be a temporary move.
Members of the Commission also
announced a public hearing at which
broadcasters and persons interested II
radio broadcasting may be heard. This
it was explained. will not be in the ma
ture of another radio conference such
as has been called in the past three
years by Secretary Hoover, nor will
J the discussion turn to wave length:
| to be assigned broadcasters. The meet
I ing, it Is understood, will partake Of
the nature of an open forum, at which
all matters affecting broadcasting will
be discussed in a general way.