Evening star., 1933-12-24
d. s CO-ORD|NATOR
MAY MAP MERGER
Wire and Radio Communities
tons Systems Expect
Regulatory Action.
Bx MARTIN coDEL.

- 01<A1A1N NVOEAs
Upon the shoulders Of q Federal CO.
ordinator. who may be appointed by
the President under a special emergency
act, may fall the task Of laying the
groundwork for the coordination and
possible unifications of the Nations wire
and wireless communications systems
now being considered by President
Roosevelt.
Basically, the report OF the special
rnterdepartmental Committee. headed by
Secretary Of Commerce Roper, which
may be the basis for recommendations
in the Presidents message to Con-
gress when 1t convenes next month, is
predicated upon co-ordinated COM
munications. Coordination will mean
using wires where they are most ef-
fecttve and economical, or radio where
1t can be substituted safely for wires
or both, If desirable.
Alternatives as to how the co-ordina-
ing should be done-whether by letting
things drift to take care Of themselves,
by allowing monopolies under strict gov
ernmental regulation or by Government
ownership-are suggested in the Roper
report. The administration view leans
toward the idea Of strictly regulated
private monopolies so organized as to
eliminate destructive competition and
the recurring losses being suffered by a
great part Of the American communi-
cations industry, with its investment of
billions Of dollars.
Situation That Of 1929.
Thus the Roper report, framed by
q committee of experts, actually carries
the situation back to 1929, when the
Senate Interstate Commerce Committee
heard testimony from leaders in the
wire and wireless fields, which largely
favored changes in the existing set-up.
The matter considered then was Sena-
tor Couzens' bill proposing q Commits
sion on Communications to take over
the seldom exercised regulatory author
tty Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission over the wire telephone and
telegraph systems, the regulatory au-
thority Of the Federal Radio Commits
such authority as resides in the De-
partment Of State over the cables.
That IS exactly what is now pro-
posed In the Roper report, This report
1929. when the radio trust issue
loomed large and when sentiment wa:
distinctly prejudicial to the proposed
purchase (for something like $780,
600, ,000) of the worldwide wireless
telegraph system of the Radio Corpora.
ton Of America by the vast wire.
wireless system of the International Tel.
ephone & Telegraph Co.
The radio trust" issue was later set
tied by Department of Justice decree
and the old prejudices are presumed to
have disappeared. Now the problem Is
one Of economy in the public interest
with evaluations and rate-making BY
new commission to safeguard the
public.
Commission Suggested.
There is nothing In the Roper report
so far as can be learned, which recon.
mends a co-ordinator. but such ster
one in the light Of what has happened
In the transportation industry. The re.
port does suggest the possible make.
up OF q Commission of Communica-
tions. It would consist Of five men. sit.
ting practically as q judicial body ant
reviewing the decisions Of o Fedora
director Of communications. Under the
director there would be three directors
each equipped with adequate techntca.
STATS to administer:
!. Internal communications. BY thi!
Is meant the wire telephone monopol,
Of the American Telephone & Tele.
graph Co, hitherto virtually unregu
lated; the competitive Western Unior
and Postal wire telegraph systems
which would be merged. and the vart-
us systems. aec Chief Of which Is a the Mscka,
Radio & Telegraph Co., like Posta
Telegraph, q subsidiary Of the Interna.
tional Telephone & Telegraph Co. Co.
ordination would be effected, legalizint
monopolies If necessary, to make fol
economy and efficiency.
Military Position Factor.
2. External communications. BY thi!
Is meant the cables Of Western Union
the cables Of the several I. T. & T
subsidiaries and the radio circuits ol
raio circuits sna abrosd sdDeS whars
competition for exclusive franchises ha.
often gone to the cut-throat stage. Tht
radio also includes ship-to-shore radio.
telegraphy and radiotelepf ny, chiefly
conducted via short waves. Co-ordina.
ton would be designed to avoid un-
economic duplication and to present Q
united front against foreign monopolies
particularly the giant British cable
radio merger) and to strengthen the
American military position.
3. Radio broadcasting. BY this i.
meant the mass communication of en-
tertainment and education into the
homes. This relatively small phase ol
radio has loomed so large in the last
few years that it has occupied most OF
the attention of the Federal Radio
Commission because of its ramified so.
cial and economic problems. The Roper
report suggests very little about chang.
ing the existing broadcasting structure
beyond the fact that the present Radio
Commissions functions would be exer-
cised by q single administrator, with
appeals to the new commission. It is
certain that no monopoly would be per-
mitted in this field, but rather the en-.
couragement of diverse ownership o1
the 600 existing stations.
RADIO WILL SUPPLY
CHRISTMAS NOVELTIES