Evening star., 1928-12-11
EXPECT YEAR'SL|FE
FOR RADIO BOARD
Congress Indicates 1t Will
ProIong Commission After
March IS.

Just one week was needed to show
that radio and its regulation is matter
of considerable concern to Congress.
And If the judgment of the radio
leaders is to be accepted, the life of the
Federal Radio Commission as an ad-
ministrative body will be prolonged one
year after March Is.
During the initial attack of the ses-
sion there developed a definite trend
in favor of the commissions temporary
extension. This was sponsored by Rep
resentative White (Republican) Of
Maine, chairman of the merchant ma
rince committee, and Senator Dill
(Democrat) Of Washington, the former
announcing his intention of introducing
in the House resolution to this end.
Senator Dill has evinced his support,
and now movement is under way to
sound out the sentiment of Congress as
q whole on such a proposition. This
development is significant, because the
two legislators are co-authorS of the
radio act of 1927.
Senator Dill believes the Senate will
indorse such measure. He holds the
view that it will come to a vote in
January. or two months before the
AClAllHQlSAA 1tc dNlAhA4A-
iStrative authority to the Commerce De-
partment under the present law.
Ready for House.
The resolution will be introduced in
the House during the latter part Of next
week, Mr.. White states. Hearings will
be held before his committee and mem
berS of the commission will be called.
Asked whether action would be taken
on the bill of Representative Huddle-
sion (Democrat) of Alabama to classify
broadcaSting stations as public utility,
open to all the public, Mr.. White said
he doubted whether any general legisla-
ton would be considered at the short
session, but the hearings probably would
develop testimony along general lines.
Creation, perhaps at the next SeS-
sion of Congress, of a communications
commission to control telephones, tele-
graphs and cables, as well as radio, is
the objective of both Senator Dill and
Mr.. White. At present, Mr.. White
points out, the Interstate Commerce
Commission has definite jurisdiction
over telephones, telegraphS, cables and
radio. The State Department has
measure of jurisdiction over cables,
while the Radio Commission governs
radio.
ut seems to me that we must ulti-
3nately establish a communications
scattered and conflicting power and au-
thority now exercised by these different
governmental agencies over privately
owned facilities and upon which we
must place responsibility, so far as the
Government is responsible in the
preises," he says. sI think temporary
radio commission can hereafter be
abolished or merged more easily in
the single unit of government which I
have in mind than a commission re-
garded as permanent"
Raps HuddIeston Measure.
That provision of the Huddleston
measure proposing to permit any one
who has the price to broadcast over
any radio station is provoking no little
stir among radio people. Louis B. F.
Raycroft. vice president in charge of
the radio division, National Electrical
Manufacturers Association, says the
proposal does not take into considera-
tion the interest or desire of the listen
.Npg public and would enforce the utter
INSTRUCTION Of the artistic balance and
ace entertainment and educational
tlerviceS of broadcasting."
Mr.. Raycroft observes further:
while most such legislative efforts
are based more on the ambition to bask
IN the limelight of publicity rewarding
all those who muddle further with the
harassed broadcaSting station, rather
than any genuine desire to protect the
public's interest, it must be pointed out
that grave consequences, even more Sc
Fious than those imposed by the ridicu-
1ouS Davis amendment, would accom-
pany the adoption of such a law
There is no precedent for the CLASH
,1ication Of broadcasting as a utility
merely because it has great public in
duence. Shall we, on the same grounds,
declare newspapers public utilities and
compel editors to publish all items SUBJ
1nlitted free of cost If they publish any
Items free of charge? What magnifi-
cent floods of political and personal
propaganda would thus be loosed upon
the unfortunte newspaper reader! Yet
this is exactly what the Representa-
tive,s proposal would mean to broad
casting"
lCopyrisht, 1928, by the Consolidated Press.1