Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-23
DILL BILL AIMED
At RADIO FIRMS
Proposed Measure Would
Bar Manufacturers From
Owning Stations.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

| of the authors OF the raulo law pro-
poses to open discussions on the advis-
ability of excluding the manufacturers
of radio equipment from engaging in
broadcasting or radio communications
by introducing bill to that effect after
the regular session Of Congress con-
venes next month.
He revealed his intention in speech
in the Senate shortly before ADJOURN
ment of the special session. He ex-
planned in an interview later that ne. Is
aiming at preventing control OF the
operating end of radio, which requires
| licenses from the Government by the
group of radio manufacturers who more
or less dominate the production emo by
virtue of their giant capital and nmpor-
| tant patents.
| the Radio Corporation of America and
its affiliated companies of their broad
casting and communicating licenses:
The Radio Corporation OF America ana
the General Electric and Westinghouse
companies would be required to give up
their present joint ownership OF the
National BrOadcasting Co., largest OF
the Nationwide chain organlzationS,
and would be forced to sell out their
stations they own.
Would End Monopoly.
In addition the Radio Corporation OF
America would be prohibited from en-
| RaRinE in domestic or international ra-
| do communications. In the latter field
it holds what Is practically America
monopoly of radio communications Win
| foreign countries.
The act, of course, would also force
other radio manufacturing companies
out of the operating fields. In broad
casting the Crosley Radio Corporation,
| for example, would be forced to sell
WLW and WSAI. both Of Cincinnati,
! to an individual or corporation not anil
lated with radio production. The
\ Stromberg Carlson Co. would have to
sell out WHAM, Rochester. The Zenith
Radio Corporation would have to dis
pose of WJAZ. Chicago. Various smaller
companies would be similarly affected.
| In the communications field the
American Telephone s. Telegraph Co.
would be deprived Of its international
and ship-to-shore radio-telephone IL
censes, because its affiliated Western
| Electric Co. produces most If not all. OF
| the equipment. Mackay Radio & Tele-
graph Co., which gets q large part OF
| its supplies from interlocking produce
ing. companies, would be prohibited
from continuing in the maritime COM
munications field, in which 1t Is now
becoming factor.
| Aside from their surrender Of interest
in the National Broadcasting Co., the
Radio Corporation Of America would
! have to relinquish WIZ Of New York
| and WRC of Washington: General Elec-
| trio would have to relinquiSh WGY OF
Schenectady and KOA Of Denver and
KGO of. Oakland, Calf, and Westing-
house would have to relinQuish WBZA
| of Boston, WBZ OF Springfield, KDKA
of Pittsburgh and KYW Of Chicago.
Bitter Fight Expected.
Senator Dill explained that he would
| not put any Of the broadcasting or COM
munications stations OF the air. His
| object, he said, IS simply to prevent
1.-The temptation that exists when the
manufacturers of radio equipment are
In the field competing with those to
| whom they furnish the equipment"
Outspokenly in opposition to what he
calls the classification of the radio
industry" Senator Dill maintains that
the producers OF radio equipment can
| dictate who shall and who shall not use
the ether channels by virtue of their
power to sell or refuse to sell the neces-
sary apparatus.
That a bitter fight will develop over
OeIlalOE LII ptOpOSaL ID CNAuCht. 4he
producing companies will argue that
they pioneered and developed broad
casting and communications, and are
only now being compensated for their
early losses and their continuing re-
searches by the fact that they can
market transmitting and receiving
equipment Of all kinds. They willedeny
the existence of monopolies or monopo-
liStic tendencies, pointing out the diver
Sified character Of both the broadcast
ing and receiving set manufacturing in.
dustrieS.
Senator Dill fortifies his position by
calling attention to the permanent in
junction granted this week by Judge
Morris in Federal District Court al
Wilmington, Del. prohibiting the Radio
Corporation of America from carrying
out certain of its former patent license
requirements. This, he asserts, If af.
firmed on appeal, win make it manda.
tory under the present radio law fol
the Federal Radio Commission to grant
it or any of its afflliated companies Ii.
censes to use radio wave lengths.
(Copyright, 1929, by North American News
paper Alliance1