Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-30
P|CKARD RESIGNS
FROM RADIO BOARD
Commissioner viii Join Co.
Iumbia BroadCasting Sys-
tenn as Vice President.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

ID MAIN Nv AObEAIs
The scrambled radio situation is left
still more confused by the resignation
of Samuel Pickard. member OF the Fed
eral Radio Commission, representing the
fourth radio zone of Middle Western
States. His resignation, Just accepted
by President Coolidge, TO become effec-
tive February /. follows close upon the
determination Of Commissioner o. H.
Caldwell of the first zone of Eastern
States to retire when his term expires,
February %.
At the age of 80 Commissioner Pick
ard joins the newly-eXpanded Columbia
BroadcaSting System, one of the two
great national radio networks. as vice
president The president of the chain
is William Paley, who is only 81. Mr..
Fickard will have charge of relations
with member stations. and he will or
ganize a farm program service for the
Columbia's Nationwide chain of nearly
SO stations.
He assumes the task particularly well
qualified, by reason of experience. He
was formerly director of Station KSAC
of the Kansas State Agricultural Col
lege. He came to Washington at the
instance Of Secretary of Agriculture
Jardine, formerly president of the col
lege, to organize the departments farm
radio services. He then became secre-
tary of the commission and was APP
pointed commissioner in November,
1927.
Wartime Aviator.
Mr.. Pickard is a wartime aviator
He was shot down in combat during the
war with Baron Richthofer's famous air
circus"
The retirements of Commissioners
Pickard and Caldwell place the Federal
Radio Commission in much the same
position it found itself about IA months
ago upon the resignation of MI. Pick
ards predecessor, Henry A. Bellows of
Minneapolis. Shortly aftcrward the
chairman of the commission, Admiral
w. H. c. Billiard, died. This was just
before the congressional session had
considered the proposed extension of
the administrative functions for one
year. The same question is again before
Congress now.
President Coolidge in accepting the
resignation congratulated Mr.. Pickard
upon his entrance into the private radio
field and commended him upon the
small number of complaints received
from his zone during his incumbency.
The President did not indicate the pos
sible successorship either to Mr.. Pick
ards post or that of Mr.. Caldwell. He
has indicated, however, that he will re-
appoint the other three commissioners,
although many observers think he will
consult first with President-elect
Hoover about the men who shall COM
pose the commission during the next
administration.
Efforts are being made in Congress
to speed the bill to extend the commits
sion for one more year rather than per-
NIT its authority to revert to the Secre-
tary of Commerce. The House COM
mittee hearings on the bill are about to
close, and Senator Watson of Indiana
has Just announced that the Senate
committee will begin its hearings next
Monday. Unlike the House committee,
which has been going into all the rami-
hcationS OF radio, the Senate hearings
will be confined to the extension bill,
Senator Watson said.
Terms Expire February q.
Terms of all of the present commits
Honers expire February %, or eight
days before Mr.. Hoover is inaugurated
The commission, under the law, Is due
TO become an appeal board March is.
The effort is being made to get legisla-
ton to continue it in its present au-
thority before the short session of Con-
greSs expires, March 4. The status of
the commission depends largely upon
whether the bill to extend the commits
sion passes in the remaining five weeks
of the session.
Observers agree that the measure has
q good chance of passage, for it will be
pushed by leaders of both parties. There
is always chance. however, that it will
be caught up in the usual eleventh-hour
jam of an expiring Congress. Many
members Of Congress are not entirely
satisfied with the commission, but most
OF them agree that some sort of direct
regulation is necessary Some leaders
regard another years extension as only
temporary expediency until the pro-
posed establishment of Federal COM
munications commission can be brought
up.
Among members of the commission
themselves there has been disagreement
concerning the desirability of extending
that body. Commissioner Caldwell is
outspoken in his opposition to the COM
mission form of jurisdiction over a
problem which, he says, is essentially
technical. Commissioners Robinson and
Sykes have urged the House committee
TO extend the commission, the latter
stating that there will be need for
commission for several years to come.
copyright, 1929. by North American News
paper AlianceD