Evening star., 1932-04-24
BILL SAFEGUARDS
s. OFFICE ASRRANTS
Spokesman for Candidates
Get Equal Rights in Pro-
posed Amendment.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

men to come to the aid OF
VI their parties, the political rulers
4 of the destinies Of American
radio are taking no chances
lest politics and the politicians shall
be Disseminated against in the use Of
radio during the coming elections.
One of the most important provisions
OF the Davis omnibus bill-already
passed by the House and the only
major piece Of radio legislation likely
to be enacted by the current Congress
is an amendment of the radio act de-
signed to safeguard those who 20 on
the air in quest of political ofice.
The present law simply directs that
all candidates be afforded equal op-
portunities" in the use Of radio facilities,
but left it to the discretion of the radio
managers whether their facilities shall
be used at all. The radio managers
are given no power Of censorship over
the material broadcast.
Amendment Goes Step Further.
The Davis bill, as amended by a
Senate committee headed by Senator
Dill of Washington, co-author of the
radio law, goes a step further. 1t re-
tains the equal opportunities" clause
for candidates, but applies 1t also to
spokeSmen for candidates or issues up
for referenda. In other words, If one
speaker on behalf Of a candidate or
issue is accorded the privilege of using
the radio the same opportunity under
the same conditions shall be given
spokesmen for opposing candidates or
opposite views.
The bill also prohibits censorship Of
political talks by station managers,
though no obligation is imposed to per-
S,oft r,Olffirol croakaTS pt all
before their microphones. The bill
also forbids charging the politicians
rates higher than those charged adver-
tiSng sponsors.
The expanded political clause is only
one phase Of the Davis bill. which is
styled an omnibus measure because Of
the numerous items it contains. The
bill probably will be passed by the Sem
ate with the Senate committee changes,
after which it will go to conference of
both houses Of Congress. Because OF
some of the new items included therein,
1t Is likely the conference committee
will hold hearings on 1t. Among the
other features of the bill are:
/. A section directing the Radio
Commission to assess fees on appli-
cants and license holders, designed to
net the Government $670,500 toward
defraying the costs Of regulating radio.
Many of the interests affected want to
be heard on this section and probably
will be. The fee scale ranges from 81
for amateur licenses to 5000 for so, 600
watt clear channel broadcasting sta
tions. The scale varies according to
the class and power Of stations.
Would Curb Use Of Lotteries.
2. A section aiming at Radio Com
hrnodeo OriCi-
mating in the United States but in
tended for transmission over foreign
stations. This is intended to hit at the
movement of Americans, refused licenses
In this country, to build stations In
Mexico for the obvious purpose OF serv-
ing an American audience.
8. A section designed to prohibit the
use of radio for lotteries or schemes
of chance This is intended to place
radio under the same restraints as
newspapers in this respect. The amend
ment has the support OF the organized
broadcasters.
4. A section incorporating the pro-
posed law. twice enacted by the Senate
but not yet passed by the House, which
would merge the Radio Division OF the
Department Of Commerce with the
Federal Radio Commission.
S. A section giving the Radio Com
mission authority to suspend station
licenses for cause after due hearings
and for a reasonable length OF time.
6. A section eliminating the Terri
tories and possessions from the zone
system, so that the commission at lS
discretion can assign adequate broad
casting facilities TO them without the
hfndrances of the quota provisions.
Z. A section allowing radio license
holding corporations to have up to
one-hfth alien officers or directors
This section is designed to free the
International Telephone & Telegraph
CORPORATION, which is preponderantly
an American company. from the onus
of alien identity because 4 OF its 2S
directors are aliens.