Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23

of Commerce and it fell to his lot
to nurse its early growing pains.
Though he has paid little or no
attention to radio problems since
his ascendancy to the presidency,
Mr.. Hoover is one of radios true
pioneers. Not only did the Radio
division of his Department Of
Commerce regulate radio until the
Federal Radio Commission was
created by Congress in 1927 upon
his recommendations, but he was
chairman Of the American delega-
ton to the international Radio
telegraph Conference OF 1927,
which wrote the first all-embrac-
ing treaty covering the interna-
tional uses of radio.
Moreover, 1t was under Secre-
tary Hoover's guidance that the
early broadcaSting conferences
voluntary efforts on the part OF
station operators to maintain or
der on the wave lengths - were
held in Washington.
But broadcasting Is only part
of radio, whose earliest functions
and whose very important func-
lions today are also to provide
maritime, aviation and worldwide
communication Theodore Roose-
welt really was the first President
of the United States to throw his
support to efforts to bring about
the regulation of communications
by radio.
Many persons concerned with
radio" relates William r. VAL
lance, assistant solicitor OF the
State Department, who formerly
had charge Of international radio
problems, 'fhave probably forgot
ten the incident which aroused
Roosevelt's interest in radio. To
those concerned with the history
of radio regulation, however, 1t
illustrates the difficulties expe-
rienced whenever efforts are made
to restrict and limit the develop
ment Of radio communication to
use Of q particular type OF appa-
ratus by patent monopolieS or re-
strictive agreements.
an 1902 Prince Henry of Prussia
visited the United States. As he
neared the Isle of Wight on his
return voyage on the German
steamship Deutschland he wished
to send q radiogram to President
Roosevelt, thanking him for the
many courtesieS and honorS ne
had received during his visit here.
The radio equipment Of the ship
was not powerful enough to COM
municate with radio stations in
the United States, and so an Eng
lish station was requested TO re-
ceive the message and to trans
NIT It to the United States by
cable at the expense OF the Ger
man ship.
GAS the shore station in England
was equipped with Marconi appa-
ratllx and the ship station was
equipped with Sloby- Arco (Tele-
funken) apparatus, the product o.
German corporation, a rivaI OF
the Marconi Co., the English sta
ton declined to transmit the meS-
sUpon his return to Berlin
Prince Henry reported the Incl
dent to his brother, Emperor VIII
liam. With RooSevelt'S co-opera-
ton. Emperor William arranged
to have an international radio
Conference held in Berlin from
August 4 to August II, 1908. The
chief subject discussed at the cons
ference was whether the station
of any company should be allowed
to decline to receive messages, as
the station of the Marconi COM
pany had done. A draft conven-
ton was prepared, but failed to
become effective, due principally
to the opposition OF the Marconl
company.
"a second conference was held
at Berlin from October % to NO
vember s, 1905. A convention was
signed and ratified, making II
compulsory Tor all coast stations
to receive and forward radiograms
from vessels at sea by whatever
system they might be sent. The
convention was promptly submit
ted to the Senate, but its advice
and consent were not given until
April 8, 1912"
1t was in 1912 that the Radio
Division of the Department of
Commerce was established to adj
minister radio, then almost en-
tirely devoted to maritime pur-
poses, under a communications
act passed by Congress that year.
That law held force until it was
held not applicable to the newly
developed broadcaSting art by the
Attorney General in 1926, leading
the next year to passage of the
radio act Of 1927, under which the
Federal Radio Commission now
regulates all forms Of radio in this
country.
D ADIO'S oldest program series,
n the GypSies, under the direc-
ton Of Harry Horlick, will undergo
radical change the first week in
September. The weekly hour of
eight uninterrupted years on the
air will be split into two periods.
A new feature, the Atlantic g.
Pacific Dance Orchestra, also I'M
der Horlick's leadership, will be
inaugurated over a National
Broadcasting Co. network Thurs
day, September 3, taking 80 min
utes of the long established Mon
day hour, which will be reduced
to half an hour. Frank Parker,
tenor, will contribute vocal inter
ludeS to both programs.
The Monday night program of
light concert music, in its present
form and tempo, on September z
will begin 80 minutes later.
Veronica Virgins, contralto, will
continue to sing with the or
chestra.
a
TELEVISION fans whose re-
i Ceivers nightly pick I'D signals