Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-31
PRESS RADIO ROW
REPLY PRESENTED
Commission Tells Court Con-
ditions of Wave Grant Have
Not Been Met.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Efficiency in management and opera
ton, economic and scientific utilization
of wave lengths, the prevention OF ruin
GUS competition and guarantees OF
equality of service are cited by the Fed
eral Radio Commission among the rea-
sons for ordering American press inter-
eStS-applicantS for radio facilities with
which to handle part of their domestic
and foreign news trafhc-to adopt the
lone big company" idea.
These reasons are stated by the COM
mission in findings submitted to the
Court of Appeals of the District OF
Columbia in reply to the appeal OF
Universal Service Wireless, Inc, against
its decision of last June 20, making the
issuance of NermitS to build press sta
tons conditional upon the organization
by interested parties of one general
public utility corporation representing
and serving the whole American press.
Practically all of the newspapers and
press association applicants have EVIL
denced their willingness to agree to this
requirement.
The Universal Service Wireless, a
Hearst newspaper subsidiary, appealed
largely on the ground that a commits
sion grant of channels of December %,
1928, authorized a separate use of radio
facilities Hearst interests have indi-
CdISU GIlSlI ullWllllIlSIleSS W PAL IlSlpdIC
i'll a unified company, preferring to
handle their traffic on separate fire.
Quencies worked by their own stations.
Conditions Not Met.
The Radio Commissions counsel
maintains that previous conditions i'm
posed upon the press group, when fire.
quencies were to have been parceled
out among the several applicants and
separate public utility corporations
formed by each, had not been met up
to June 20. Moreover, the commission
states there was no probability OF COM
pliance with these conditions, as is
shown by the repeated refuSalS of the
press to agree, particularly in their
final proposal of June 5. 1929"
Shorn of all confusing legal verbiage,
the situation until the commission
zone big company order was simply
this: The press applicants, including
all of the large press associations and
some of the country'S leading neWSpa-
pers were unable to agree upon the divi-
sion and administration among them
selves of the 20 continental and the 20
international short waves reserved fol-
press service. There were repeated
hearings and conferences and much
pickering. largely precipitated by the
rivalry existing among competing press
interests.
Impatient at the delay, the commits
sion ordered all previous proposals and
arrangements set aside, and Is now de-
claring that the issuance of construc-
ton permits for press public service tc
one general public utility corporation
to serve all the press rather than to a
number of companies organized by and
subsidiary to individual newspapers and
press associations is in the public in
tereSt, convenience and necessity"
Press Groups at Odds.
The press groups were virtually told
to take or leave this proposition. Most
of them apparently are willing to &C
cept it, Technical as well as economic
advantages are seen by the commission
in such an agreement. The rival inter-
ests would subscribe to the stock OF one
public service company, but 1t woulc
be operated for any and all newspapers
just as other communication companies
are operated In the public service.
The Universal Service Wireless, Inc.
is not to be confused with Universe
Wireless Communications Co., the Buff
falo company proposing to establish q
Nationwide network of radio stations
working short waves and handling al.
proffered messages in competition with
the wire companies. The Universal
Service Wireless would serve the Hearst
newspapers and clients of various
Hearst press services, though it would
agree to operate under a public utility
charter.
Counsel for the commission maintain
That failure of the press to agree since
the conditional plan of December %
1928, was tantamount to a reputation