Evening star., 1932-03-29
US. FACES FIGHT
At RADIO PARLEY.
Active Preparations Made
for Conference, With Europe
Wanting More Frequencies.
BY A. G. WEST.

Active preparations Tor the nght thal
looms on the international radio front
will commence in the next few days
with the selection of the American
delegation to represent the United
States at Madrid next Fall. The trans
lation of the first book of proposals
recently received from the Berne Con-
ference Bureau, has been completed
under the direction of DR.. Irwin B
Stewart at the State Department, ano
as soon as Undersecretary of State
William R. Castle returns from his trip
following a recent illness, conferences
will be held to study the mass of mate
rial that has been assembled for this
important parley.
AS the United States now holds q
considerable number of the worlds fire.
ouencies on the radio bands that are
coveted by the European administra-
tions for their own use, and which for
the past five years they have made
energetic efforts to obtain, it is no
secret that this Madrid conference
promises to afford display of fireworks
that may have very far-reaching results
Others Dissatisfied.
It will be recalled that the last ses-
sion of this International Radio-Tele-
graph Convention. which is held every
five years, assembled here in Washing
ton in 1927. The outstanding diplo-
matte victories obtained in certain i'm
portant bands by America were not at
first appreciated, even by this Nation.
With the subsequent development OF
this new art of communication, how
ever, in the two or three years that en-
sued, and especially with the increase
of both commercial and military avia-
tion, with their radio traffic from air
planes, considerable dissatisfaction was
expressed by other nations Germany
In particular has hoped to obtain con-
cessions in the way of additional fire.
Cuencies for her police and broadcast
work, and only with the greatest dim
Guilty has this drive on the United
States ALLEGATION been diverted at the
various meetings of the l. c. c. r.,
q technical committee of the interna-
tional convention, that has met at re-
cent parleys at Brussels, The Hague
and at Copenhagen.
Since President Hoover during his
incumbency as the Secretary of the
United States Department of Commerce
headed the American delegation at the
1927 conference, IL is probable that an
official of similar rank, possibly Secre-
tary Lamont, or more likely Under
secretary Of State Castle, will be ap-
pointed for the present parley. Maj:
Gen. c. NICK. SaltZman, chairman OF
the Federal Radio Commission, who has
been on all the important radio con-
ferences, together with either Senator
White or Senator Dill, co-sponsors Of
most of the present effective radio
legislation in this country, will un-
douhtedly comprise the list of American
delegates.
Craven Is Included.
The technical advisors for the Gov
eminent will include many OF the ia
miliar faces at previous parleys, since
the forthcoming struggle TO m; ltaln
the United States supremacy in ado
will largely depend upon the Skill OF
the technical staff at the preli nary
p-e-era ions here in Washingtc :, as
VII IS in the subcommittee roo...s at
t'e hearings at Madrid. Prominent in
tbs group of experts is the former chief
to-.,-.cal expert of the United States
Nv. Lieut.. Comor. Tunis M. Craven,
Who was recalled from sea duty at the
time CT the Washington Radio Confer
ence to set up an ALLEGATION within
few days prior to the parley, and who
later represented the United States at
the ticklish conference in Canada in
1929, where a diplomatic victory was
achieved to the mutual satisfaction OF
both nations. Gerald C. Gross, radio
engineer at the Federal Radio Commis-
sion, who has oficiated at all recent
parlayS, has been study
ing the present proposals for many
months in the preliminary hearings
with both governmental and CONNER
cial experts, and will probably act as
chief interpreter as well.
Other assistants to the American
delegation may INCLUDE the names of
the chief engineer of the Radio Com
mission, DR.. C. B. Jolliffe; DR.. Irwin B.
Stewart, who has charge Of this detail
in the State Department since his ap
pointment, about year ago with par
ference; Lieut.. Comdr. Joseph Redman
of Naval Communications and Lieut.
w. T. Guest, Signal Corps, both OF
whom have done special work on the
preliminary studies for their depart
ments. Other governmental bureaus
such as the Department Of Commerce.
the Shipping Board, the Bureau OF
Standards, the United States Coast
Guard and the Bureau Of Navigation,
are vitality interested in the results to
be obtained at the Madrid parley, and
had hoped to send the usual representa-
tives. With the recent slash at the
appropriation Of $135,000 that had been
requested by the State Department,
however it was stated that the funds
allowed by the House committee of s90,-
900 will be insufficient, and it is evi-
dent that some Of these experts may
the Government had hoped to include
for the American delegation.
Bill Is High.
However, it is stated that Senator
White has included a raise in the esti-
mate submitted by the House of Repre-
sentatives, so that if the present sug-
eestion Of Sl20.000 passes the Senate
# will then be possible to have an ade-
Quate representation Of these technical
experts, as well as translstorS and
clerks AS the conference may last for
about three months, and the prelimi-
nary bill for printing alone is around
81 900. it caused something like a panic
in official quarters when 1t was realized
that, though the conference at Geneva
had some $4,000,000 to maintain it. this
radio battle was TO commence with
nothing but the. bare bones Of the
amount 1t would require.
TEOiIiIl6Ill dIlOllS LLC IdlIlto VI LllC
technical experts is that of Kenneth
B. Warner, representing the Amateur
Radio League. whose diplomatic efforts
at past conferences, both at Washing
ton and abroad, have enabled the
ham" radio fans OF America to main
tain their present perilous position on
the United States radio bands, as
against the encroachmentS of all for
eign nations and commercial operators.
The organization represented by Mr.
Warner, whose publication, QST, is IA
miliar over the seven seas, has made
many notable advances to the ra6io
art. and this country has been prac-
tically the only nation that has refused
to exile these amateurs, or 10 SO limit
their informal talks over the ether as
to Stranele all future nateur develop
ment AS the United States has a vast
network of these young amateur radio
operators that functions in time of
emergency in cooperation with the
Caited states Army and Navy Depart
ments IL has been the policy of the