Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-25
ROOSEVELT SEEN
FRIENDLY TO RADIO
Industry, However, Looks
AnxiousIy to New Regime for
indication OF Attitude.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

n more dallies with radio as q
wv mere side ISSUE the broad
casting industry. perhaps the
most rigidly regulated of all
enterprises ruled by a Federal commits
sion. is looking anxiously toward the in
coming Democratic administration Tor
an expression of its attitude toward
radio.
President-elect Roosevelt knows some
thing of radios American beginnings
under the auspices of the Navy some IL
years ago, because he was serving under
President Wilson as Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy at the time it was
decided to allow radio to develop in
private hands rather than as a public
monopoly.
He also had radio brought forcibly
to his attention during the recent po-
litical campaign, when he and his
spokesman used it very extensively.
Then. too. one of his secretariat. Col.
Marvin Mcintyre. former Washington
newspaper man, has been deeply inter-
ested in broadcasting for some time,
and indeed for a while was affiliated
with one of the largest of the radio
organizations.
Will Look to Dill.
It has also been presumed that Sem
ator Dill, Democrat, of Washington, an
early Roosevelt hacker and the CO.
author of the radio law, will be Presi-
dent Roosevelt's chief adviser on radio
subjects Senator Dill is even now
pressing for enactment OF certain legls-
lation to bring about additional re
forms" in radio. It is not improbable
that Senator Dill, who Is third ranking
Democrat on the Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee, in charge of radio
legislation, will become chairman OF
that committee in the event Senators
Smith OF South Carolina and Pittman
OF Nevada, who rank him, elect to take
other committee chairmanships
In any event, the broadcasting fra
ternity looks forward to a more or less
sympathetic attitude toward its prob
lens from President Roosevelt. Unlike
President Hoover. who nurtured the
regulation of radio by the Government
as Secretary Of Commerce, and who IS
really the father of the Federal Radio
Commission. Mr.. Roosevelt does not
know too much about the manifold
ramifications of the subject. He may
bring to it a fresh viewpoint, including
q determination that bureaucratic con-
troll be made less rigid. in line with his
announced policy of eliminating or cur
failing Federal commissions.
Whether President Hoover will NOM
mate a successor to Mai. Gen. Charles
NICK. SaltZman. who resigned as chair
man of the Radio Commission last
July. is problematical If he chooses
q Republican before March 4, his Sc
lection is almost certain to fail OF con-
flrmation in the Senate. The commits
sion now consists of two Republicans
and two Democrats. and the party in
power Is entitled to majority.
Bills Still Pending.
Meanwhile, in Congress, about two
dozen radio bills are still in the hopper
as holdoverS from the last session. Only
one has thus far received serious con-
sideration, having passed the House
last session and having been reported
out, considerably amended, from the
Senate committee last week. 1t Is the
Davis omnibus bill, Incorporating many
proposed changes in the radio law.
Author of the bill is Representative
Ewin L. Davis, Democrat, of Tennessee,
chairman of the House committee in
charge OF radio and lame duck
Congressman who is frequently men
toned as possibility for commission
post
Senator Dill wrote the Senate report
on the Davis bill, and also has intro
duced another bill proposing that radio
stations pay license fees to help defray
the cost of the Governments regula-
ton of the radio. This proposal was
previously stricken out OF the DAVIS
omnibus bill by the Senate committee
and probably stands little chance OF
enactment as separate legislation IN
the present Congress. In general, 1t
would fix fees of about 500 year on
100-watt stations, $500 on 1000 waters
and $4,000 on clear channel stations.
But the amended Davis bill, as re-
ported to the Senate, proposes to i'm
pose the same penalties on radio that
are imposed on the press for using
the mails for promoting lotteries and
gift enterprises involving schemes OF
chance There is very little opposition
to this proposal.
Provisions of Bill.
The Senate bill also provides for
amendment of the political equality
feature of the radio act to allow equal
opportunity to discuss opposite sides OF
all public issues; proposes that political
broadcasts shall not cost more than
ordinary commercial broadcasts; de-
clares that the Radio Commission
should be authorized to forbid the
establishment of radio studios in the
United States for broadcasts from
transmitters in foreign lands this iS
aimed primarily at American-con-
trolled broadcasting stations In Mexi-
COZ; provides for appeals from COM
mission decisions in all Federal Dis
trict Courts instead of only in the
Court of Appeals of the District OF
Columbia, as now: authorizes the COM
mission to suspend radio stations pend
ing investigation of their public serv-
ice merit, and excludes the American
Territories and possessions from the
radio zone system.
Some Of these proposals are OPP
posed, and most Of them differ IN es-
sential details from the House bill al
ready passed This would indicate
little chance for passage OF the ON
uibus bill as a whole during the Few
months remaining to this Congress.
Senator Dilrs report also. severely
criticiZes the Radio Commission LOT
delegating to its examiners the task OF
holding hearings on contested april
cations, and proposes to eliminate the
examiners and have one or more COM
missionerS hear each case. -.
Under tho present procedure
Senator Dill states, there seems to oe
little justification for the continuation
of five commissioners unless the COM
miSsioners are to conduct the hearings
and do the work originally intended by
1.-The law. If this policy is to continue,
II would seem to be IN the 1nterest OF
ieconomy to cut the commission TO
M1ree members or to dlrector OF