Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24
RADIO ACTIVITIES
CENTER IN CAPITOL
Legislative, Executive and
Judicial Problems Clustered
in Closing lam.
BY ROBERT MACK.


The waning days of the Coolidge ad
rninistration and of the tenures of two
of radios leading officials finds Wash.
ington bristling with radio activity
Legislative, executive and judicial prob.
lens are clustered in this fag-end jam
while the oncoming ushering into Office
of the new Chief Executive has precipi-
tated giant struggle between the two
great broadcasting chains that will give
the world its greatest broadcasting eX-
travaganza
Foremost is the problem of continu-
ing the Radio Commission itself as an
administrative body, now being blocked
in the Senate. Also hanging fire in the
Senate are the nominations of Arthur
Batcheller and G. M. Jansky, jr., to be
radio commissioners. Favorable action
must be taken by March on both II
the commission is to remain radios
high council and to have its full men,
bership.
The commission itself is cleaning
house before it loses its two Caldwells
Commissioner o. H. and General Coun-
sci Louis c., both of whom have re-
signed. effective Saturday 1t has
adopted regulations governing television
and rebroadcasting, two OF its big policy
problems. And it has concluded hear
ing involving most unusual and per-
picking question of public service by a
radio station This involves w. K Hen
derson'S famous Hello, world" station
KWKH, at Shreveport, La, which is
alleged to be hroadcasting profanity
and obScenity" Yet this station has
produced some 10000 aff1davits from
listeners that they like its programs
! The commission must decide whether
the listeners desire overshadows the
provision of the radio law against ''ob-
scenity or profanity over the radio.
Surprise Attack on wGY.
AS he is about to leave office General
Counsel Caldwell launches surprise
attack" on Station WGY. Schenectady
by filing with the Court of Appeals here
a supplemental motion to dismiss that
stations appeals from the reallocation
order of the commission. He diScloSes
also the results Of nationwide survey
of State and municipal radio regula-
tons and ordinances for governing radio
and suppression of interference to re-
ception. This is of vast importance in
the building up of radio Jurisprudence
because of the inevitable conflict be-
tween the power of Congress to regulate
interstate commerce and the police
power of the State to promote the well
fare of its citizens present in such stat
utes and ordinances" says he.
In the WGY case, involving the very
conStitutionality Of the radio act, Mr.
Caldwell contends that the station Is
operating without a license, in view OF
the fact that the commission did not
issue 1t new license when its old one
expired on January 81. WGY, under
the reallocation, was placed on reduced
time, without cleared channel, but
just before this order became effective
1t obtained a stay from the court per-
hitting it to operate fun time and In
defiance of the commissions order until
the appeal is decided by the court.
Because the case was in litigation the
commission did not renew WGY'S IL
cense on its application in January. As
a consequence the station does not have
the regular authority to broadcast
Since the last license covered the Pc
ROD up to January 81 only. says the
motion. the question whether the COM
mission acted rightly in the reallocation
IS affecting the station and In issuing
Il license for only limited time instead
Of full-tirne operation have become
moot questions and no actual rights OF
interests of any part to this appeal are
now involved"
Radio Regulation Laws.
The radio regulation and interference
survey shows that only three States
Maine, Michigan and Nevada-havt
laws to regulate radio and to prevent
interference Thirteen eities-six ir
WiSconsin-have adopted ordinances X
prevent interference to reception, such
as that produced by electrical devices
X-ray machines and the like. In De.
troit Oakland and Memphis there art
ro011lof i0r1e ouoiY,cf tranfa0 11~0tfFsosa nYaf
disturbing the peace and good order q
the neighborhood through the use q
radio loud speakers. Because Of ''radit
\ insomnia" created by radio fans witt
run their receivers full blast during lat,
night and early morning hours, ant
thus interfere with the sleep of tfei
neighbors, Detroit has adopted an ordi
nance making it crime to use radil
in such manner by which the peac
and good order of their neighborhoo,
are disturbed or annoyed"
To add to Washington's radio tur
mol, numerous representatives of tn
National Broadcasting Co. and Colum
bia Broadcasting System are scurryin
about the city trying to Guido eacl
other in presenting to the radio audi
ence the spectacle of the Hoover Curt
Inauguration. There is no telling nol
what the final show will be, and tn
chains appear at this time to be In
dead heat as to preliminary arrange
ments. One thing is certain, the listen
ers in this country as well as in othe
countries are assured of the finest an
most complete radio coverage Of an
event In the history of all broadcas.in,
and it will cost them nothing.
Well over 100 stations of the tw
chains will broadcast the ceremonie
demestically. beginning as early as /
O'Clock on March 4, and ending perhar
at shutdown. Short-wave stations wi
distribute the running accounts to for
eign nations. Also the Navy dirigibl
Los Angeles will fly overhead, sendin
forth by radio code accounts Of the spec
tacle from the air and for :he news
papers. 1t is to be gigantic under
taking for radio, and its success is as
sured from the start
Thirty or more microphoneS of Il
: N. B. C. will follow the course of til
event. The Columbia System also HI
lined up large battery. Both chair
will use their crack announcers, vii
the major phases of the ceremonies d.
scribed by outstanding Washingto
newspaper correspondents.
Copyright, 1929, by the Consolidated Press