Detroit evening times., 1946-01-03
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
PeeIer


tions Commission in Washing.
ton, charging that the Alamo
Broadcasting Co. of San An
tonic by underhanded methods
obtained physical possession of
important broadcasting equip
ment. the property of Cia, In
dustrial Universal dc Mexico.
at Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
The Alamo station is the
most important single property
of the Texas State Network,
organized by Elliott Roosevelt.
The networks stock, repre-
sented TO be worthless in Janu-
ary, 1912, recently was valued
at 500 a share.
Bakers petition alleges that
on the basis of the acquisition
of this equipment. the FEC, Gin
an unprecedentedly short time,
and without notice or opportu-
nifty for any interested parties
To be heard, granted Alamo
Broadcasting Co. construction
permit"
OUCH equipment was frozen
~ by war regulations at the
time. Bakers petition charges
that the FEC gave Alamo the
permit on the understanding
that Alamo would use in it's
improved station transmitter
and-other apparatus acquired
from the Mexican company,
whose station was known as
KENT.
Baker has a record of two
convictions in the federal
courts. both set forth in the
petition In the first case. in
1886, he says the FEC insti-
gated an indictment charging
HIM with making and trans
porting across the border into
Mexico out permission
from the FEC, a phonograph
record which was played on
KENT.
He was sentenced to four
months in jail and fined 1000.
The petition says the conviction
was reversed by the circuit
court OF appeals on the ground
that FCCs regulation was in
valid.
A LTHOUGH he does not say
"A so. there is reason 10 as.
sumo that the phonograph rec
ord dealt with method by
which Baker claims TO have
cured external cancer.
He was next convicted of
dSTF4F tfie mails to detraud IN
the operation OF hospital At
Eureka Springs. Ark. He was
sentenced in January, 1910. 10
tour years IN prison ana fined
$4,000
He lay in Jail II months, for
which he received no credit,
while his appeal was pending.
lie then went 10 Leavenworth
on March %, 1871, and he was
released on July 10, 1914.
At that time he was on proba-
tion and could be sent back 10
Leavenworth At the whim Of
the department Of justice 10
serve out his remaining IL
months of good time so he
lay low until he was out Of
Jeopardy Baker insists that ne
had available as witnesses many
persons whom he had cured.
He seemed TO be convinced
that he can cure cancer and IN
have suffered severely. but
whether he is mercenary
quack. mistaken zcalot or
martyr 10 prejudice remains
matter Of opinion.
He relates that even before
he set up his station in Laredo
the FEC revoked his license for
a station in Muscatine, la.
BAKERS petition says that
~ some time in 1941, he being
in jail. a trusted employe ot
Kent delivered 10 representa-
tives of Alamo an option TO
buy the Mexican station.
And, he says, under that
option the Mexican firm did
deliver part of the equipment
TO Alamo.
Thus, he says, he was put out
of business at last. a result long
desired by the FEC, and Alamo
was enabled TO apply for
better frequency and increased
power while other stations were
unable to obtain such advan-
tageS because of the freeze" }"
Returning 10 Laredo in July.
1914. he charges, he was warned
by persons unnamed that If he
tried to prevent the physical
transfer of the apparatus across
the border he might be arrested
for violation of his probation or
prosecuted in tax case.
Nevertheless, Baker states,
he notified the Mexican govern
ment which forbade the expor-
tation of the equipment during
the war
This. he says, delayed deliv-
cry and compelled Alamo 10 ask
the FEC for extensions Of time
for the completion Of its i'm
provementS.
| HOWEVER; Baker alleges. "in
H April. l945. the Alan q
Broadcasting Co, Its agents, Of
ficials. servants and employees,
went 10 Nuevo Lare and
loaded four large trucks with
said transmitting and other
radio equipment, preparatory to
crossing the bridge under cover
of night"
He therefore, started action