Evening star., 1934-08-19
us. BODY STUDIES
RADIO APPLICANTS
Dr.. c. B. JoIIiffe Seen as
New Chief Engineer
for Unit.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

ITO all intents and purposes, the
new Federal Communications
Commission at present is es-
Il sentially fact-finding body.
It will take many months, and
perhaps more acts of Congress, to
bring it's important telephone and
telegraph divisions into full function
ing. AS for its broadcast division, its
course is more clearly defined for 1t
has simply assumed the powers and
functions of the old Federal Radio
Commission.
In their quest for facts, the several
divisions of the F. c. c. have issued q
number of orders to obtain informa-
ton about wire and wireless COM
panies operating in interstate and in
ternational commerce. The commits
sion first wants to know Just who it
must regulate in the wire telephone
and telegraph fields-it's jurisdiction
over broadcasting and other radio
fields alone being complete-before
deciding how far 1t can 60. In the
broadcasting field it's broadcast d.
Visions first fact-finding effort will
be the open hearing october / on de-
mands of educational and religious
interests for a proportion of the wave
lengths.
An evidence of how warily the F. C.
C. Is proceeding was given this week
when the full commission, holding it's
first formal meeting since it's organ
ization meetings In early July, ordered
80 days of grace in the cases Of l6
telephone, radio and cable companies
which have interlocking directorates
with other companies. Multiple d.
rectorships in more than one COM
munications company are prohibited
in the new law except by specific au-
thorization of the r. G. G. In the
cases of the 16 companies, including
the A. T. & T. Co., r. c. A., Mackay
and various lesser companies operat-
ing in interstate or international COM
merce, the commission decided to wait
before fixting upon a policy and so
authorized the directors affected to
hold their present positions for three
months pending an inquiry.
Broad Policy Action.
Although each of the commissions
three divisions is practically inde-
pendent of the other, being linked
only by the fact that Chairman Sykes
is a member of all three, the full
commission acts on matters OF broad
policy and organization. Otherwise,
each division issues its own orders
and renders decisions in its own field.
Routine decisions are being rendered
weekly, but most of the commissions
attention Is focused now on gathering
facts for the recommendations 1t must
make to Congress next February /
regarding amendments to the new law
that will enable it to 60 ahead with
full force.
Primarily, the problem Of the tele-
phone and telegraph divisions Is to
draw a line of demarcation as to how
far the Federal authority extends, as
against the jurisdiction Of the 48
States.
When the new Congress convenes,
one of the coauthors Of the COM
munications act viii be missing from
its ranks. Word has reached here
that Senator Dill has definitely de-
cided to retire. He did not file in the
Democratic primaries In his State Of
Washington last week, which clinched
his previously announced determine
ton to return TO private life. His
successor as chairman Of the Senate
Interstate Commerce Committee prob
ably viii be Senator Wheeler of Mon
tana, ranking Democratic member.
Within the ranks Of the F. c. c.,
activity Is feverish because Of the
mass of detail facing that body. It
is still handicapped by an incomplete
organization, but later this month or
shortly after Labor day, the remainder
of its executive personnel should be
named. So far the commission has
named only its secretary, Herbert L.