Evening star., 1928-12-29
i. S. TO PROCLAIM
RADIO AGREEMENT
President Soon to Announce
American Adherence to
International Code.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

President Coolidge will soon proclaim
American adherence to the interna-
| tional adio-telegraph convention, the
first worldwide agreement governing
the international uses of radio. Drawn
up in Washington late in 1927 at a
conference of 70 governments, the treaty
goes into effect January !, 1929, for
each of the Signatory nations that have
ratified it.
The Presidents proclamation is a
diplomatic form which states our ad-
herence to the treaty, gives it the effect
of law and enjoins the Nation to obey
it. The United States Senate was first
to ratify the document, and the coun-
trys radio administrations have cleared
the way for every branch of American
radio to conform. Similar action has
been taken in Canada, whose Parlia-
ment was second to ratify.
State Department records reveal that
only 10 of the 70 signatory states have
ratified the treaty so far. Reposing in
the departments archives are the final
documents from the United States,
Canada, Holland, Dutch East Indies,
Dutch Guiana, Norway, Denmark, Bel
GUM, Belgian Congo, Great Britain and
Austria, named in the order of re-
ceipt. Notification that the ratif1cations
are en- route have been received from
Italy, France, Germany Japan, Sweden,
Finland, New Zealand and India.
ConspicuOusly Absent.
These include most of the jor
countries of the world using wireless
extensively, although those from Aus
tralia and South Africa, whose radio
officials we're very active at the Wash
ington conference, are conspicuously
absent. No ratifications have been re-
can countries, presumably because their
legislatures were not in session last
Summer.
Another country conspicuous by It's
absence from the list is Russia, one OF
the worlds leading users OF radio for
various purposes. Russia was not In
vited to be represented at the Washing
ton parley because the host Govern
ment has no diplomatic relations with
| the Soviet government. BY refusing to
adhere. Russia is in position to ruin
the purpose of the treaty, which is to
| bring about orderly and non-interfer-
ring wireless, but in the process Russia
stands to have its own radio ruined.
State Department officials explain
that Russia may adhere voluntarily to
the pact because it specifically pro-
videS for adherence by non-ratifylng
countries This is expected to be its
policy. Russia may also ratify formally,
just as it did the recent kellogg anti
war pact. Russia's failure to conform
would be felt chiefly on the European
continent, where the interference would
be most severe. The Soviet being on
diplomatic terms with Spain, will un-
doubtedly be represented at the next
conference to be held in Madrid in 1882
Remain Law of Radio.
The treaty and it's regulations remain
! the law of international radio until
| technical changes can be effected at
the revision conference in Madrid. The
document, thick volume printed in
both French and English, Is largely
technical in character. It's most i'm
portant feature is the definition OF the
wave bands which may be employed for
! the different classes of radio use. Re
cent assignments by the Federal Radio
Commission have all been In conform
| ity with these bands.
| The American delegates to the Wash
| ington conference signed the conven-
| ton with a separate set of regulations
drawn uD to conform to the principle
of private operation of the communica-
tions system in this country. Another
set of regulations was prepared to apply
| to countries operating wireless as a
| government monopoly or under direct
government supervision.
The treaty remains in effect for an
| indeterminate period and until one year
! from the day of denunciation.
When denounced by one country, 1t
remains in force for all others and
binding upon them. The United States
delegation at the conference was
headed by the then Secretary of Com
merce, Herbert Hoover, who was elected
president of the conference and pre-
sided over its plenary sessions.
| Copyright 1928, by North American News
paper Alliance)