Evening star., 1934-02-18
Administration Sponsors
Legislation to Create
Communications Body.
II HOBKRr & MACK.

Thus, the new commission. to b pat
termed after the !. O. O., would b
free 70 recommend changes tn the NV
affecting al phases Of radio and wire
communication, including broadcast
ing, after it had opportunity 10 m-
vestiests these broad fields.
Instructions given b President
Roosevelt 10 Senator DIN. Democrat,
a Warrington. and Representative
Rayburn, Democrat, Of Texas. re-
spectiye chairman II the committees
70 b charged with the legislation,
apparently nullifles moves Of the last
several months to bring about far.
reaching changes IN the communica-
ton held. In confoemauce with the
Presidents viewy. also shared By
Senator Din, no effort WI BE- made
TO amend existing laws 10 - TO al
low radical departures from existing
conditions.
Mergers Not Contemplated
Thus 1t appears definite that no
steps will be taken TO allow immediate
mergers In the wire and radio com.
munications field, - was proposed
By the Interdepartmental COMMITTEES
created BY Secretary Of Commerce
Roper. Similarly. no Legislative
action = planned On . series Of
recommendations to amend tho radio
oct with respect to broadcasttng regu-
latiou, proposed originally By the
Radio Commission, but submitted TO
Congress By the Interdepartment0
Committee. Finally. II b apparent
that Congress win not give considera-
ton to any report on bFoadcasting
such - Is proposed by Secretary
Roper through formation Of . new
Intsrdepartmental Committee to hold
hearings In that deld-
Both senator Dill and Mr.. Ray
burn have stated thsy VIII not seek
TO amend existing lawn, except to pro-
vide for creation a the new CON-
mission, since that unlunst3onably
would lad to development Of oppoE-
ton which might block legislation
altogether. Introduction Of the new
legislation h promised promptly with
every effort 70 be made to ezpedfte
passage. Senate hearings are In
definite, but MI. Rayburn said he
hoped TO hold hearings On the meas
ure before his COMMITTEES.
May Have Seven Membera
While details are not yet known.
the new commission, II Il believed.
VIII be composed Of seven members.
q ag1inSt i've on the present radic
ssency. Ths chairman would b 9
sGensrals imsmbeF, end there would
b two commissioners for broadcast-
ing; two for wire communications,
such - telegraph, telephone and
eable, and two for radio con,munica-
tions. It b doubtful whether more
than one or two q the members Of
the present radio agency would be
reappointed to the new commission
because Of the peculiar Qualification
which Wm be necessary.
The broadcaSting industry ap-
pareutly viii not b materially AZ
fected at the outset by The shih in
regula&Uy control. Senator Dln has
Indicated that hs mioht include IN hia
measure several amendments to the
radio oct Of 1927 Of an uncontrovefsial
nature, which Congress passed nearly
two years ago, but which were pocket-
vetoed by President Hoover when he
retired from once March 4, 1887.
But for the Presidents action,
Congress might have taken Legislative
steps for sweeping changes In broad
casting regulation, based on suggested
amendments to the law proposed BY
the commission through the Inter
departmental Committee. Among
these proposals WIS one to give the
commission powsr to regulate adveT-
tislng content o( pEogxams-psrhapG
tn most agitated Of hEuadcast1ng -
Suas. Another seemed 10 suggest that
the oummin1nn also b given poWsg
10 regulate advertising rates ehary0d
By stations for sale Of time. but The
wording was ambiguous. 4 third
asked for repeal Of the so-ca1led
Davis amendment providing for an
equitable distribution Of broadcast-
ing facilities among States and
zones, and pointed out that . rea1lo-
cation Of facilities would b under
taken Il this were done. Other pro-
posed changes dealt with such items
- new authority to suspend Ncensss
q wayWard stations; banning of lot
tsgy advertising over the cir, and
prohibition Of American studies for
foeisn stations.
Committee 70 Make Study.
Plans for the new Roper Committee
win be shaped to conform with de-
velopments. Secretary Roper had
announced that this small committee
would make . study - . seQual to
the communications report. He had
hoped that Congress would hold In
abeyance any legislative action until
this committee completed It's work.
But the Presidents Intervention
caused Senator Dtll and Mr.. Rey-
burn to decide not 10 await this
bruadcasting report. Secretary Roper
himself Is chairman Of this broad
casting committee. Herbert Z. Pettey.
secretary Of the commission, and DR..
Irwin D. Stewart, State Department
radio expert, were named members,
with . fourth member to be dedg-
mated.
To the wire and wireless communi-
cations companies, the decision to
avoid legislation TO enable contem-
plated mergers d viewed as some-
what disappointing. The present IN.
tentiou Is to let the new cosnnission
work out such merger plans, whereas
the Interdepartmental Committee,
apparently with the implied support
Of such companies q international
Tslehone and Telegraph. which con.
truls. Postal All-American Gables and
Mackay Radio; RCA Communication,
me-, and Western Union, advocated
steps to permit mergers and end over
tapping cperations and competitive
conditions which have proved un-
economical TO the companies and ore
said 70 have resulted n higher tails