Evening star., 1940-03-25

more unemploy-
ment viii follow
T h e Federal
Communications David Lawrence.
Commission was empowered by Con-
gress to allocate wave lengths for
broadcasting and for television. but
1t was never given any power or
control over the sale or merchan-
dising of receiving sets. 1t now
seeks to grab that control. In fact,
If It's present order is not upset by
the courts the F. c. c. will exercise
complete control next over what
the owners of radio sets may or may
not do. There is as much legal JUS
tification for what the F. c. C. has
just done to kill off or retard tele-
vision-a pioneer industry in which
millions have been spent in research
as there is for telling people what
programs they may listen to with
their receiving sets.
Encouraged perhaps by the iber-
ties and license given governmental
commissions by the Supreme Court,
now controlled by five New Deal
appointees, the Federal Commun,-
cations Commission has really
reached out for power over the
whole television industry The the
ory which Congress had in MIND
in creating the F. c. C. was that
mechanical interference in the use
of one wave length as against an
other and purely technical collisions
would be avoided by governmental
supervision. But the only man on
the commission who knows any.
thing about technical problems. for
mer Comdr Craven of the United
States Navy, dissented on the latest
F. c. C. edict. so all technical re-
Quirements were doubtless met.
Sudden Decision Injuries Company.
What is most surprising, however.
Is not so much the decree ordering
that television development in effect
be suspended, but the manner of
its issuance. Instead of giving
hearing to the interested parties.
or any previous notification, the F
c. c.. in a sudden decision, Injuries
the good will of leading company
which has spent millions in research
and development. The Logan
Walter bill now pending before Con-
gress is designed precisely to pre-
vent governmental commissions
from doing what the F. c. C. has
done. This latest abuse of power
will give further ammunition to the
advocates of that measure when it
shortly comes before the House OF
Representative for a vote.
What really is needed is a con-
gressional investigation of the F.
c. c. in its entirety to determine
the extent to which the present
law is being distorted The F. C. c.,
for instance. declares it has au-
thority over radio program content
and it bases that on the vague
phrases of the law. public interest,
convenience and necessity" which
we're never intended by Congress to
cover anything but the mechanical
problems involved in allocating wave
lengths. Despite the fact that Con-
gress has written specific prohibl-
ton of censorship, the F. C. C.
through the public utterances of its
members, claims the right to pass
on program content in renewing
licenses SO that the broadcasting
industry is under the thumb of
governmental commission.
More Power Usurped.
In the case of television, the
usurpation of power has gone fur
ther than ever before. The F.. G. c.,
in its latest order, comments on
the merchandising plans of one OF
the leading companies which was
ready to put television on the mar
ket. If there is anything wrong in
the announcements of that COM
pany to prospective purchasers, the
Federal Trade Commission is the
agency to take care of anything
misleading But the Communica-
tons Commission in a public state
ment undertakes to interfere in the
merchandising problem and even
raises the question of obsolescence
Every automobile company makes
cars which become obsolete in a
year or so. Will the Government
soon prohibit new models in auto
mobiles? The F. c. G. declares that
the first television sets may become
obsolete. Yet the seller of new tele-
vision sets knows that and has more
at stake than the F. C. c. if there
should be ill will because new sets
are introduced in year or so. And
besides the sets are to be sold to
people of means anyhow, who prob
ably would be glad to pay a few
hundred dollars for television sets,
knowing that new models will come
out subsequently. The seller. how
ever, has already arranged system
of rebates should new sets be intro
duced.
Fundamentally the F.. c. c. prob
ably isn't interested In the mer-
chandising problem as such, but in
getting complete control over the
recipients as we'll as the transmit
ters in television. The present law
gives the commission control only
over transmitting instrumentalities.
Once the F. c. c. acquires control
over all receivers as well, the way is
opened for a governmental control
of all television, which is wholly at
variance with the existing law.
Work for idle Men,"
There has been much talk Of idle
49, ~ - - -.