Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17
RADIO Commission
AT LAST IS STABLE
Both Houses of Congress
Have Passed Bills to
Extend Its Life.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

For the first time in its short and
hectic career. the Federal Radio Com
, mission has taken on a degree of sta
bility. Both houses of Congress today
passed bills extending its life indefi-
nitely That President Hoover will sign
the extension measure is taken as a
matter of course in view of his recon-
mendation to Congress regarding radio
While the commission has yet to OBJ
tain funds with which to continue pay
ing salaries and expenses after January
|. when its treasury will be depleated.
it has been relieved of all apprehension
lest Congress fail to extend its powers
Hitherto its authority has been con-
tinued on year by year basis only.
but the new bill extends it indefinitely,
or until other legislation is enacted.
Limit Was Defeated.
An effort in the Senate to limit the
commissions life again, this time until
May l, 1881, was defeated by a ma jority
vote. AS passed by both houses. the
bills of Representative Wallace White
and Senator c. C. Dill, continue the
commission as at present, except that
they authorize the commission to add
an engineer division with the same
status as the legal division, authorized
last year.
Instead of borrowing its engineers
from other agencies of the Government.
the commission can now engage a chief
engineer at salary of $4,000 a year
and two assistant engineers at salaries
OF $500 each.
Other than its fiscal problem, the
only uncertainty still facing the COM
mission is whether President Hoover
will reappoint the present five commits
SionerS when their terms expire IN Feb
ruary. Some dissatisfaction with the
administration of the radio law, par
ticularfy the Davis equalization amend
ment parceling out broadcaSting facili-
ties to zones and States, was voiced in
the short debate on the Dill-White bill
in the Senate. 1t was agreed the COM
miSSioners should be called upon to eX-
plain their administration of broadcast
ing when their combinations came be-
fore the Senate.
Accepted AS Expedient.
The passage of the Dill-White bill
with little or no debate is generally ac-
copied san expedient until the whole
subject of regulating communications
comes before Congress: Senator James
Watson, Republican floor leader. said
during the debate that Congress will
probably pass bill providing for the
regulation of all forms of communica-
ton within year.
This is the purpose of the Couzens
bill, now the subject of hearings before
the Senate committee on interstate
commerce. Considerable impetus has
been given the Couzens bill in the hear
ingS thus far. Radio interests gener-
ally favor the commission it proposes to
establish over both wire and wireless.
However, the telephone and telegraph
interests remain to be heard and the
fact that the bill also includes regula-
ton of the interstate transmission Of
power may keep it the subject of in
curry for many months.
Officials of the Radio Corporation of
America. now being heard by the COM
mittee, has Endorsed the main purpose
Of the bill, but application of their
views will be sought from the wire tele-
graph and cable interests, notably the
Western Union and the Postal Tele-
graph. The committee will adjourn this
week until after New Year day, when
one CT the first witnesses will be New
comb Carlton, president of the Western
Union.
Copyright. 1929. by the North American
Newspaper AllanceD