Evening star., 1932-10-10
RADIO DESCRIBED
AS j. S. STEPCH|LD.
Uncertainty of Industry
Pointed Out by American
Bar Committee.

The radio industry was pictured as q
sort Of stepchild of the Government,
in report Of the Standing Commit
tee on Communications Of the Amer
lean Bar Association, which met here
today at the Maynower Hotel in a
gathering preliminary to the associa-
tons convention. y
1T my be safely stated that in the
entire history of the United States no
industry has ever had imposed on it
SO much uncertainty as to its continued
existence or as to the protection of its
investment, or so great an expense be-
cause of Government regulation, as the
broadcasting industry" 1t was declared
by Louis G. Caldwell, Washington law
yer, who formerly was chief counsel for
the Federal Radio Commission.
Ira E. Robinson, former chairman Of
thc Radio Commission. threw the meet
ing of the committee into confusion
when he charged that the report was
IAN awful indictment of public off,
Gals" He said the report was tact
less and that he was opposed to it.
The charges 1t contained, he said, were
general and not specific
j. was agreed that those opposed to
the report should be given an oppor-
tu1ity to file a protest this afternoon.
Called Major Defects.
The conclusion of the committee was
reached in a summation of the ma jor
defects apparent in the commissions
radio) administration of its regula-
tions," the committee including this
along with survey of radio legislation.
Federal, State, municipal and foreign,
and with recommendations on the con-
duct of the radio industry.
The report called attention to the fact
that lin the absence of any pronounce
ment by the United States Supreme
Court and with only a few decisions
by other courts, the boundary line be-
tween Federal and State jurisdiction in
radio regulation continues vague and
obscure"
LAS a result" it continued, States
and cities are continually adding to the
list Of enactments of doubtful validity.
This tendency has been given emphasis
during the recent past by legislation
imposing license fees or privilege taxes
of one sort or another on the opera
ton of broadcasting stations and of re-
ceiving sets"
1t was also pointed out in the report
that the long awaited test of the funda-
mental conStitutionality of the radio
act may be furnished in the Court of
Appeals of the District on appeals from
two Chicago stations--WIBO and WPPC
whose assignments were given to In
diana broadcasters on the grounds that
Illinois is lover quota" and Indiana
under quota" under the Davis amend
ment
Several phases Of the administration
OF the Radio Commission are criti-
cized by the committee.
Important matters, it says, which to
all intents and purposes are given the
effect Of regulations, are not embodied
in the regulations and no one can be
certain in particular case whether
such matters will be determinative in
his case
Because of the prohibition of censor
ship, the report points out. the COM
mission regards itself as without power
to forbid certain types of programs
such as lotteries and fortune telling
talks, yet holds that any such matters
are pertinent to an application for a
renewal of license and may be relied
upon to justify denial of such an appli-
cation. This, it points cut, subjects
a broadcaster to deprivation of his
license without advance notice of spe-
ciflc charges he may be called upon tc
meet at hearing
Process of COrrosion.
Clear-chanIel service, which is the
only method of reaching large portions
of the rural sections, the report con-
tinues, lis undergoing a relentless
process of corrosion which threatens
ultimately to ruin them" This cor
rosion," it says, has taken the form of
permitting duplicate operation of sta
tions on clear channels by consent" of
the dominant clear-channel stations,
the authorizations of daytime and lin
ited-time stations on clear channels at
inadequate separations and the recent
consent of the United States to the use
OF two United States clear channels by
proposed Canadian stations.
The few hearings held by the conf
mission are also criticized
Legislation to restrict radio advertis-
ing is opposed, lat least for the prcs-
ent," by the committee.