Evening star., 1928-09-16
RADIO GOSSIP

| Having announced Its reall0catlOI
plan changing the power allotments ane
! freQuencieS of more than 70 per cent o.
the broadcasting stations In the Unltee
| States, the Federal Radio Commissio1
now is in very much the position OF
government which has just declared
war and is confronted with the neces-
sity of fighting it out.
The first step in this direction, suoSe-
uuent to the announcement of the real
| location itself, was a statement by the
commission telling how 1t has arranged
| to have assistance given to broadcaSters
who must make mechanical changes IN
their stations. An arrangement mas
been entered into with the Bureau oil
Standards and the radio division OF the
Department of Commerce whereby the
former will calibrate piezo oscillators for
the various stations without charge,
while the latter will cooperate with all
stations in adjustments to the new fre-
quencles.
The commission has been careful to
point out, however that the Bureau OF
Standards requires all equipment sub
mitted to it to be in working order and
will not undertake any manufacturing
or repair work. Likewise, broadcasters
are warned not to send in any equip
ment without having made arrange
ments in advance.
The foregoing arrangement doubtless
will be of great assistance to the broad
casters. It also will serve the purpose
of foreclosing pleas for extensions OF
time on the ground that there has not
been sufficient allowance made to work
out the mechanical changes neces-
STATED by the reallocation. And the
commission is anxious that there be no
further delays in putting the new plan
into effect.
On the legal wing of the battlefront,
the commissions staff of attorneys,
headed by General Counsel Louis G
Caldwell, has executed strategic
movement, the net result of which is
that any station which may be dis
satisfied with its ALLEGATION must take
the initiative and, Furthermore, must
attack on the battle-ground chosen by
the commission. This is brought about
by the plan whereby existing licenses
have been renewed until November IL
and renewal licenses dating from No.
vember ii will be issued about October
IL. Any station that is not satisfied
will then have to ask for hearing and
convince the commission that it has
erred in its reallocation assignments.
Members of the commission express
the belief that there will be little con-
troversy about the reallocation plan,
but, informally, there are some admis-
from some quarters. In other words
the commission is praying for peace
and keeping its powder dry.
Addition Contest Started.
The search for Washington's best
amateur singers is on.
Aiming to discover a future grand
opera or radio artist among the boys
and girls of Washington, who are ap-
plying for the Second National Radio
Addition awards of $17,500 in cash and
music conservatory scholarships, the
District of Columbia addition commit
tee has set october "a as the date on
which it will give applicants their final
hearing.
Seventeen local vocalists already have
applied to be heard in the local audi
ton. An executive committee to ar
range for the judging of the local audi
ton is composed of Mrs. Huston Thomp-
son, Mrs. Gertrude Lyons. Miss Helen
Fetter, Percy S. Foster, Maj. Oliver P.
Newman and Capt. William H. San
tlemann.
The eight best singers of all Wash
ington applicants-four girls and four
boys-will be selected by series of
preliminary examinations for participa-
ton In the final District of Columbia
addition on October a. This final will
be broadcast by WRC, with the radio
audience casting votes which will count
go per cent in selecting the winners.
Ballots CT a selected jury of musical
authorities will count 40 per cent in
selecting Washington's champions.
All amateur singers between ages OF
18 and Is, inclusive, are eligible to par
ticipate In the addition. They may en-
roll now at District of Colombia audi