Evening star., 1940-04-10
Tempers Flare
Al Senate Hearinq
On TeIevision
Senator Reed Challenges
Committee Jurisdiction
In Quiz on F. c. c. Ruling
BY WILLIAM WHEATLEY

Tempers f1ared during the Senate
Commerce Committee hearing today
on the resolution of Senator Lun-
deen, Farmer-Labor, of Minnesota
to investigate the latest action of
the Federal Communications Com
mission on television.
At one point Senator Reed, Re-
publican, of Kansas challenged the
jurisdiction of the committee to
conduct the investigation and left
the room. He was followed into the
hall by Chairman Wheeler and re-
turned with him.
Senator Reed later said he did not
understand why the F.. C. C. chair
man should be before the commit
tee. and charged that Senator Lun-
deen. who had been pressing a
number of questions, had usurped a
lot of time for one not a committee
member Chairman Wheeler point
ed out that Senator Lundeen Is a
member.
F. c. C. Chairman James L. Fly
suggested that any congressional in
vestigation be delayed until after
the commission has concluded it's
present television hearings. He said
the F. c. c. had made a mistake in
issuing its original order authorizing
a limited program commercializatio ton
of televiSion.
Mr.. Fly defended the action of the
majority of the commission in sus-
pending the programming order.
pending further hearings, by saying
that it was required by the statute
under which the commission oper-
ates.
Fears Freezing" Television.
Chairman Fly explained that the
original order of the commission
was unanimous. When Senator Lun-
deem asked if the suspension order
was unanimous, Mr. Fly said it was a
4-to- vote, and Senator Lundeen
suggested that the dissenting voter
should be called before the COM
mlttee. This was Commissioner T.
A. M. Craven, who already had ex-
planned his views to Senator Lun-
deem in letter requested by the
latter.
Mr. Fly told the committee that
he didn't think television should be
frozen now by allowing one COM
pany with a particular system to 70
out on the market and sell receivers,
as that would have a tendency to
freeze television for that system, but
Senator Lundeen pointed out that
Allen B. Du Mont had testified that
receivers could be made flexible at
this time.
Mr.. Fly insisted that the Radio
Corp. of America sales plan of
Offering receivers on term payments
would freeze television, but Senator
Lundeen pointed out that the same
system was prevalent in the radio
sound receiver and automobile in
dustry. The Senator added that the
only way for the industry to pro-
gress is to permit the public to test
the various systems. However, Mr.
Fly insisted that in order to perihit
public participation there must be
competition.
wants Public to Do Testing.
Senator Lundeen called attention
10 the statement that $4,000 900
nad been spent in research to bring
television to its present stage and
said he thought this country should
have as much courage as Great
Britain and fix a period of years for
freezing television to permit a public
test.
Senator Lundeen said If the COM
mission hadn't rescinded its first
order, experimentation would have
proceeded. as well as sales and tele.
vision, but Mr.. Fly insisted that If
he saw possibility Of sales and ad-
Vertlslng locking the industry he
was going to step in, and declared
that the act required this duty of
the commission.
He frankly told the committee he
did not think that, with its limited
study, it could substitute its iude.
ment for that of the commission on
a matter which was clearly within
the latter's jurisdiction. However,
Mr.. Fly admitted that the recent r.
G. c. action was taken after noting
the merchandising advertisements
of r. c. A.
The committee was to continue its
investigation after the luncheon re-
cess, when David Sarnon, president
of r. q will he ~, thu cfopd