Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-26
HOOVER LAUDS u. 5.
FREEDOM ON RADIO
Praises Decision to Develop
Without Governmental
Support in Talk.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
A decision reached early In the life
Of the radio industry net to have gov
ernmental broadcasting supported by q
tax upon the listener was praised today
by President Hoover as having avoided
dangerous political ana social pitfalls.
This message was broadcast by the
Chief Executive in a radio address to-
day directed particularly to the National
Broadcasters Association meeting at
Detroit. He spoke from the cabinet
room of the White House.
Recalls Close Contact.
The President recalled his close as
ISOLATION with the radio industry while
he was Secretary of Commerce and re-
ferred to the decision made at that time
to license broadcaSting channels to
private enterprise under governmental
supervision.
This and other decisions he said, had
country"
The text Of Mr.. Hoover's speech fol-
lows:
1T gives me great pleasure to greet
the ninth annual convention Of the Ma
tional Association of Broadcasters meet
ing this week in Detroit AS Secretary
CT Commerce had the pleasure Of
wide acquaintance with the purposes of
your association in the annual national
radio conferences which were called at
that time for the development of the
national policies in relation to radio.
Decisions Were Important.
"The decisions reached at that early
date have been of amending Importance
The determination that radio channels
were public property and should be
controlled by the Government; the de-
termination that we should not have
governmental broadcaSting, supported
by tax upon the listener, but that we
should give license to use of these chan
nelS under private enterprise where
there would be no restraint upon pro-
grams, has secured for us far greater
variety Of programs and excellence OF
service without cost to the listener.
This decision has avoided the pit
falls of political and social conflicts in
the use of speech over the radio which
would have been involved in Govern
ment broadcasting. 1t has preserved
free speech to the country.
These principles are now strongly
imbedded in our law and in our entire
public system. The industry has con-
stantly faced new and complex problems
in developing policies and practices
ABREAST OF 0eVelOpmenC ana neeo. 1Our
association has contributed greatly ia
their solution.
Radio Essential Element.
ct am confident that you recognize
the responsibility which rests upon you
in public interest 1t is needless to men
ton the many-sided importance Of radio
in modern life Its dissemination Of en-
tertainment. Of knowledge and Of public
opinion and topics Of the public wei
fare has become an ESSENTIAL element in
the intellectual developments OF our
country
1T has brought most of the sup
posed values which were formerly avail
able exclusively to life in the cities to
every home throughout the land, fol-
the treasures of music, OF entertain
ment and of information have been
brought to the loneliest farm and the
most remote hamlet It Is an meal
culable extension Of happiness and con-
tentment.
IT extend TO you my most cordial
greetings and good wishes for your
meeting, with the confidence that you
will develop still further policies Of
sound management and public service