Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-17
CALL HENDERSON,
WHEELER DEMANDS
Montana Senator Asks Sen
ate Radio Committee to
Summon KWKH Owner.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

William K. Henderson's defiance of
the regulatory power over radio,
breathed nightly over his broadcasting
station, KWKH. ShreVep0TC La, con-
tinues to be the subject OF main interest
in Washington's consideration OF radio
matters.
The latest move in what Is now COM
monty designated THE Shreveport
Case" is a demand by Senator Wheeler
of Montana that Mr.. Henderson be
called before the Senate committee con-
sidering radio legislation.
The fact that KWKH comes In clearly
in many parts of Washington has slim
ulated great popular interest here, as
elsewhere, but the congressional interest
is largely the result of Senator Dill's
charges before the Senate committee
last week that the owner of the station
has been broadcaSting obscene, indie
cent and profane language" These
charges and Mr. HenderSon'S replies on
the radio have brought a barrage OF
kilograms and letters upon members OF
Congress from all parts OF the country.
Operator Lauded and Assailed.
The correspondence both supports
and condemns Mr.. Henderson, but SEN
ators and Representatives are loath to
take sides in the anti-chain store night
being conducted over the Shreveport
station, and they prefer to leave action
on the score of alleged violations OF
the laws and regulations governing ra-
dio to the Federal Radio Commission.
which has been charged in the Senate
with lacking courage to meet the situa-
ton.
Goaded to action by the senatorial
criticism, the commission is now plan
ming to cite the stations owner for a
hearing on the renewal Of his license,
which expires at the end of tbs month.
The commission Is now understood to be
preparing to renew the license for 80
days rather than for the usual 90-day
period.
To relicense the station for the full
period, the commissions legal lights
hold, would weaken the commissions
position in the event the matter even
tually gets to the courts. Meanwhile,
pending the hearing, stenographic rec
ords of every remark delivered over the
station are being taken down by q
shorthand reporter who was dispatched
to Shreveport last week.
Whether the Couzens committee will
heed Senator Wheeler's suggestion that
Mr.. Henderson be called is doubtful.
Senator Couzens Is anxious to speed
the conclusion of his bill for the crea-
ton of q communications commission.
When Senator wheeler raised the
question yesterday Senator Dill re-
marked that he had not been listening
to KWKH in the last few days, but
that he had been advised Mr.. Hender-
son had agreed with the United States
district attorney in Louisiana to quit
the use of profanity" Therefore, he
added, he has no further interest in
the case.
When the question arose whether the
use of the words hell" and damn"
constituted profanity under the statute.
Senator Dill said it was the persistent
use of these and other expressions that
led him to make his charges on the
Senate floor and before the committee.
Senator Smith Democrat) of South
Carolina thereupon exclaimed: Did
you hear him last night? If that Is not
considered profanity, certainly can
hold grudge against my parents"
Indiscriminate Action Charged.
Senator wheelers proposal came
while william S. Hedges, president Of
the National Association of Broadcast
ers, was testifyine. Mr.. Hedges, refer
ring to the attitude Of the lat station
members Of this association, said that
their formal code of ethics recognized
that the radio audience represented all
forms of belief on all questions and bar
rem the broadcasting of all matter COM
monty regarded as opJectionaple or Of
fenSive.
The Shreveport station, he said, is
rot q member Of the N. A. B.
Radio advertising, Mr.. Hedges told
the committee, is essentially for good
will purposes, and thus only supple
nentary to newspaper advertising. Both
Mr.. Hedges and H. A. Bellows, the for
fney radio commissioner, now operator
Of wCCO, Minneapolis, and advisory
counsel for the Columbia Broadcasting
System, urged the elimination of the
none system of radio control and repeal
of the zone and State equalization re-
quirement.
while supporting high-power and
cleared channels, Mr. Bellows criticized
the Federal Radio Commission for hav-
ing acted unwisely in granting high
powers Unfortunately"
He also suggested that broadcasting
stations should be chartered exclusively
for broadcaSttng rsrHcSes and not as
adjuncts Of other rses.
(copyright. 1880. 6S-f American News
paper Aln$ce)