Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-11
ONE FEDERAL LAW
WILL COVER RADIO
Single Agency Expected to
Have Jurisdiction Over
Varied Modes.

Twenty years of radio legislation, dur
ing which IA separate laws governing
radio were adopted, are recorded in a
document compiled by Elmer A. Lewis,
superintendent of the document room
of the House of Representatives. But
before another year passes all Of them
likely will be superseded by one general
legislative act vesting complete juriS-
diction over all modes of commun1ca-
ton in single Federal agency.
These laws, the first of which bears
the date of June "a, 1910, govern radio
within the United States today. SO
phenomenal has been the growth or
radio that the lawmakers themselves
have been unable to keep abreast OF 1t,
and regulatory legislation consequently
has Jagged.
The first radio law dealt only with
the use of radio on vessels on the high
seas, for safety of life. This. Of course.
was long before anything was known
about broadcasting or short waves. All
that was known about radio then was
that certain channels-long waves
were adapted for code transmission.
This first law specified that after
July !, 1911, all vessels of the ocean
going class, of the United States as well
sengers or carrying an aggregate Of so
or more persons, including crew, should
be equipped with radio apparatus capa-
BILE of transmitting and receiving mes
Sages over distance of at least 100
miles. Jurisdiction was placed in the
hands of the then Secretary of Com
merce and Labor.
But shortly after this law became eff
fective it was found inadequate. A year
Lat Ia ~
making it mandatory that radio equip
ment aboard vessels be in charge of two
or more persons skilled in the use of
such apparatus. one or the other of
whom shall be on duty at all times while
the vessels is being navigated." Other
strict conditions and penalties for fail
ure to abide by its provisions were writ
ten into the new bill.
The first general radio law was en-
acted in August, 1912. The Secretary
, of Commerce and Labor was desig-
mated the licensing authority for the
control Of all interstate radio commu-
nication. 1t was this act that caused
the famous breakdown of the law, in
1925, when the Attorney General ruled
that under IT. the Secretary of Com
merce had no authority to prescribe
wave lengths for broadcaSting stations.
The result was that stations sprang
into being over night, operating on
whatsoever channel they desired, and
turmoil until in the following year the
Federal Radio Commission was created
to lead broadcasting out of its chaos.
IT was on February 20, 1927, that the
Radio Commission was created and the
present general radio law was enacted
The commission, however, was created
for but one year to act in the capacity
OF licensing authority with full juris-
diCtion over radio. It provided that the
commission should become the radio
appellate bodys after that time, and
'sume his administration of radio.
But the commission had not COM
pleted its administrative job, and it was
continued for another year. under
bill approved March %, 1928. Then,
last March 4, on the very day Of adj
journment, the administrative life of
the commission again was extended, but
only until December 81 next. The bill
was f1libustered and it looked as If the
commission would become merely an
appellate body until a compromise was
reached for its extension until the last
of the year, instead Of for another year,
as the bill, as drafted, proposed.
Now it appears certain that the COM
mission once again will be extended as
an administrative body by the new
Congress when 1t convenes In Deem
Der. The Couzens bill, for the creation
of a Federal Communications Commits
sion, with jurisdiction over wires as
well as wireless, is pending before the
Senate interstate commerce committee.
While this measure is pending, 10 Is
considered unlikely that any change
will be made In the present form Of
radio administration.
(ccpyrisht. 1854. By Consolidated rress.l