Evening star., 1927-05-29
Air Issue to Be Studied at Geneva Parley

with commendable reliance upon the
splendid abilities of Mr.. Hoover, but
progress to a more deeply grounded
and more profoundly reasoned posi-
ton is imperative.
Figures i'm Democracy.
This has been the unfailing method
as organized society from time to time
has met new problems. Humanity first
encounters what William James terms
1.-The stubborn, irreconcilable fact" 1t
then builds around it a philosophical
naturalization. and. if it is an eco
nomic fact-which radio is--a pattern
of defnitive and regulatory law.
Disinterested and studious formu-
lators of the new radio code are mind
full of the fact that this new wizardry
of communication figures heavily in
the equation of democracy. Americas s
millions, particularly. have responded
so enthusiastically to the mental and
cultural stimulus of radio that law
makers would be foolish to forget for
Il moment that the people themselves
must be first parties in interest in
whatever is done. The eager young
Penrod, tinkering with hay wire on
the roof of his house, gets into this
picture along with the manipulation
who is "scalping eighths" on radio
stock.
The technicians are treading on the
heels of the lawyers in all this. Man
had no sooner discovered the ether
than he began to load his willing
pack horse to the ears. Overnight
have come television, transatlantic
telephony. picture ransmission-all
on the threshold of tremendous COM
mercial utilization. Sagacious and
powerful commercial interests are
motivating these developments. We
have thrown open a theater whose
pit is the seven seas and whose roof
is the heaviside surface. Who is 60
ing 20 get the reserved seats? How
are the proprietary governments 60
ing to make everybody happy?
Participating in the Geneva con-
ference will be international lawyers,
jurists and technicians of the coun-
tries represented, who, fully realizing
that technical program is inevitably
bringing all nations into closer asso-
citation, will present detailed and de.
finite recommendations, bearing on
internatio adjudication of radio
transmission. These representations
will be the first order of business after
the disposal of the routine of organi-
cation.
Consider Primary Rights.
The second day of the session will
be given to consideration of the
elusive but tremendously important
question of primary rights in air
waves, as indicated in the foregoing
Years may pass before the ultimate
determination of the question of pos
sible vested interest.
In it's larger aspect the problem
involves two main considerations:
0 The ALLEGATION of air rights on the
basis of equity. without confiscation
or discrimination, and t2), legal ad-
justments which will augment and
reinforce, rather than obstruct, the
development of radio as an agency of
tremendous human value.
The problem of international ad-
justments is necessarily more imme-
diately urgent in Europe than in
America. which. to a degree, accounts
for the fact that nations across the
sea are taking the lead in building
new legal structure in conformity
with the new problems.
Foreign voices are still rare on our
radio sets, but it is easy to see that
the small, close-lying countries of
Europe face a literal confusion of
tongues, and of course inevitable
competition for air lengths, unless
they find means of meeting and
solving these various complexities.
The crowd is quick to cheer a Mar.
conf. with his first dramatic flashing
of human intelligence through the
insensate ether, or a Jack Binns,
thwarting the tempest with his snarl-
ing spark, but it Is less alive to the
patient, thorough. plodding research
which will eventually convert this
mastery Of purely physical problem
into finer human values.
tCopyright. 1927
This is the first of several special articles
Lluet. Col. Davis will write for The Star and
North American Newspaper Alliance. He
viii send an article of comment and analysis
following the Geneva Radio Conference and
he VIII write also. as an aerOnautical expert
on the International Aeronautcal Exposition
az Prague. the Aviation Conference at Mar