Evening star., 1928-10-24
RADIO CHAIRMAN
FIRM IN PROTEST
But Robinson's Absence at
Hearings Not to Delay
ReaIIocationS.
BY MARTIN CoDEL.

Judge Ira E. Robinson's absence from
the SittingS of the Federal Radio Com
mission in the public hearings being
conducted for dissatisfied broadcasters
must In no way be construed as an in.
dicatlon that the broadcast reallocation
VIII not go into effect as scheduled at
3 am, Sunday, November IL.
This was stated positively today by
several members of the Federal Radio
Commission. 1t was not denied by the
dissenting chairman Of the commission.
Judge Robinson did, however, make q
statement calculating his position of
unalterable opposition to the realloca-
ton plan.
The only member of the radio board
to vote against adopting the scheme
whereby the few available wave lengths
have been reallotted to the several zones
and States and the plethora OF stations
reaSSigned In accordance with the equal
lzation provisions of the Davis amend.
ment, Judge Robinson. declared that
ne still regards the action of his coll
leagues as fundamentally wrong.
He is thoroughly out of sympathy
with the basic reallocation-hence the
laconic statement he issued several days
ago. His remark has aroused much
curiosity and has given rise to q Stls-
p1cion that he would interpose to pre-
vent the reallocation from going into
effect. He said:
Having opposed and voted against
the plan and reallocation made there
under, deem 1t unethical and improper
| to take part in the hearings of COM
plants made against the same or the
hearings for the modification of the
| same.
"The Davis amendment" continued
! Judge Robinson, was never intended
| TO require an immediate and equal al
location of radio facilities on the basis
OF the mathematical precision with
| which 1t Is here undertaken. It meant
q gradual and evolutionary change, the
equalization among zones and States
10 be attained when and in so far as ap-
| plicationS for new stations were received
from the zones under quota.
Il am also opposed to the many
| grants OF higher power which my COL
leagues have been authorizing. This
Is concentrating vast new public util-
| lty In the hands of few. The big fell
low is gaining at the expense of the
little, who can never become big, under
this kind OF plan. High power is not
| necessary to serve great areas and to
give adequate programs to the listening
| public"
Being against the reallocation, the
| JuuSe IcclS Ie CANNOT III JuSJlce auLnOr-
| ize the changes in it which stations
| appearing at the hearings are demand
ing. His position, he said, Is the same
| as that of a doctor who is entirely out
| of sympathy with a patient. Such q
man cannot be expected to effect 9
| cure.
The chairman's colleagues declare
themselves apprehensive only lest his
announced views weaken the realloca.
ton project in the minds of the listen,
ing public and give counsel for dis
satisfied broadcaSting stations grounds
for questioning the legality of decisions
rendered by only part of the commits
sion. The judge insists that a quorum
can transact any business, but otheI
members of the commission point t.
the likelihood of deadlocks between al
evenly divided board of only four men
Out of harmony with Judge Robin
sons views, both on the reallocatioI
and attendance at the hearings, his fel
low commissioners have all but reachet
an open breach with him. Two of tn,
commissioners, Mr. Caldwell and MI
Lafount,. have made statements reas
suring the listening public that TIN
reallocation will bring good radio.
The public is their first concern rather
than the plight of individual stations
and all reassignments have been mad,
along scientific lines to insure the leaS
/ possible amount of man-made interfer.
ence they both assert.
(CopyriEht. 1913. by North American News
6aper AllAncs.l