Evening star., 1932-02-21
CANADIAN CONTROL
Of RADIO UPHELD
Decision Giving Dominion
Sole Power Arouses
u. S. Interest.
BY MARTIN CODEL.
MEXICAN broadcasters viewed

MEXICAN broddcaSterS viewed
n with considerable interest the
II decision OF the British Privy
4 \ Council in London last week up
holding the Canadian Supreme
Court in its ruling of several years ago
that the regulation of radio is a proper
function of the Dominion Parliament
rather than of the Parliaments of the
respective provinces The Province OF
Quebec, joined in appeal with the Prov
ince of Ontario, had carried the case to
the British court of last resort.
The final decision was somewhat
along the lines of similar decisions in
the Federal and State courts Of the
United States, which have consistently
upheld the right of Congress to legis-
late on radio matters and rejected most
efforts of the States to take over any
jurisdiction over radio.
Results Matched Closely.
Whether the decision will renew agi-
tation for government ownership and
operation Of Canadian broadcasting
under a monopoly similar to the Brit
tsh system-agitation that has been
quiescent of late-is being watched with
interest here. The Canadian Royal
Commission appointed to recommend
reorganization of Canada's radio system
several years ago proposed federal
monopoly with limited commercial
| sponsorship of programs.
The commissions report brought
forth vigorous objections from certain
Canadian broadcasterS, eager to con-
tinus supporting radio by advertising
as in the United States 1t also raised
the question of Canadas ability, under
prevailing economic conditions, to take
over the radio structure and adequately
compensate the owners of existing sta
tons for their investments Most Of
the opposition to private enterprise in
Canadian radio arose from educational
interests, and some was based on an
tagonism to radio advertising.
In the United States a somewhat
similar situation exists. Certain edu-
Gators are fighting for share of the
radio channels to be allocated educa-
tional institutions under State auton-
| omy, an autonomy that is exceedingly
doubtful in view of the Federal control
over radio that has been vested in the
Federal Radio Commission. The edu-
cational interests here have devoted
much of their effort to deprecating the
advertising support of radio and point
ing to the superiority of the British
system of government monopoly free
of advertising.
Federal Power Upheld.
The Privy Council in Britain held
that no distinction can be made be-
tween radio transmission and reception.
1t held that wave lengths are inter-
national In character, necessitating
international negotiations by the Do
mtnion government. Such negotiations
have already had Canada as q par
ticipant, notably the International
Radiotelegraph Convention of 1927, of
which Canada, as federal entity, is
| a signatory. Thus. the court held,
Canada as whcS, is amenable to
other powers for carrying out the con-
vention."
In the United States the interna-
tiona aspects of radio regulation have
been accepted as Federal function
without questioning. The States have
occasionally questioned certain domes-
tic phases, almost invariably losing out
under the Federal constitutional pro-
vision vesting the regulation Of all
interstate commerce in the Federal
knowing no boundaries, broadcasting
has been declared interstate in char
acter. Congress has recognized State
rights here only to the extent that it
his directed the Radio Commission to
equalize facilities among the States
according to their populations. In
Canada there was proposal to erect
a single high-power station in each
Of the provinces.
Switzerland, famous for its cheese,
has banned the importation Of hard