Evening star., 1933-04-03
RADIO COMMISSION
REMAINS AT WORK
Fears That Agency Might
Lose Its Identity Are
Partly Abandoned.

Fears that the Democratic admins
tration might abolish or otherwise alter
the status of the Federal Radio Com
mission were partly set at rest, for the
time being at least, by President Roose-
velt's appointment Of James H. Hanley,
Omaha attorney, to the fourth or Mid
die Western zone vacancy shortly after
the Senate had confirmed the reap
pointment Of Judge E. o. Sykes as third
or Southern zone commissioner. Judge
Sykes, who has been on the commission
since its inception in 1927, has been
elected chairman Of the Radio Board.
Last week the appointment of Her
bert l.. Pettey Of Kansas City as sec
retary of the commission was also an
nounced. Pettey is personal choice
of President Roosevelt and Postmaster
General Farley. Formerly in the talk
ing picture division of the r. G. A. Victor
Co., he Joined the Democratic National
Campaign Committee as radio director
early in the campaign and handled its
broadcasting activities through the
Inauguration.
Discount Radical Changes.
Observers believe If the administra-
ton were planning any radical changes
In radio regulation, 1t would not have
completed the commission membership
or filled the secretaryship vacated when
James A. Baldwin resigned recently to
represent American broadcasters in the
North American wave length parleys to
be held In Mexico City, probably in
May.
On the other hand, the economy
moves OF the administration have led to
repeated reports that the commission
might be absorbed by the Department
OF Commerce or made a division of a
newly created Bureau of Transports
ton. 1t is also known that before he
assumed Office President Roosevelt fav-
ored the Rayburn bill for Commission
on Communications and Power, which
has been reintroduced in Congress.
Since the Radio Commission and its
recently absorbed radio division of the
department OF Commerce are costing
something like $750,00O annually, 1t IS
feit that the commission Is unlikely to
be done away with in the immediate
future. Most Of its problems are Of q
mi-judicial nature, and it is almost q
certainty that some sort of appellate
board will have to be established over
radio cases If the commissions func-
tions are taken over by . Government
department before action Is taken on
the communications commission bill
Such a board would undoubtedly cost
fully as much as the Radio Commission
is costing.
Reduced Personnel.
1t is more than likely that the COM
missions status quo will be maintained
for some time to come, with the prob
ability that its personnel may be con-
siderably reduced in the economy moves.
The only remaining major vacancy on
the commissions staff is the general
counselship. from which Duke M. Pat
rick. Indiana Republican, retired Feb
ruary Is.
Mr.. Hanley comes to the commission
without radio experience, but will prob
ably be acceptable to the Senate Sem
ator Dill has indicated he will hold
hearing on his qualifications before con-
hrmation. He has long been active in
Nebraska State politics and at one time
was secretary to the late Congressman
Lobeck OF Omaha. He was recommended
by Arthur Mullen, Democratic national
committeeman from Nebraska.