Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-06

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give us any cause for. hoping
there would be lower rates for
the Government"
| Senator Sparkman said he
got the impression Mr.. Minow
had disapproved of the idea.
The FEC chairman, who testi-
fled Friday, indicated it was up
to Congress to so indicate if it
wanted rate differentials for
the Government as a matter of
policy.
| Senator Morse, Democrat of
Oregon, leading opponent of
the private enterprise bill, asked
Mr.. Murrow if he would oppose
an amendment requiring the
satellite corporation to trans
NIT a given number of hours
of freedom information from
USIA by television each day
at cost.
81 am not here to propose an
amendment" Mr.. MurrowI
replied. II felt it was my duty
to call attention to the magni-
tude of cost"
Earlier, Mr.. Murrow had ex-
planned that, If the new satel-
lite rates were comparable to
current cable charges, it would
cost USIA 5000 million a year
to use the satellite for 80 min
utes a day to transmit a tele-
vision program in behalf of
freedom around the world.
/ Budget Limitation
To emphasize that this would
be impossible under the present
budget, Mr.. Murrow testified
that, for all purposes, his
agency had only Sill million
last year and has only $3.50
million in a pending appro-
priation bill for this year.
Mr.. Murrow told the commit
tee the recent successful DEM
onstration Of the AT&T TEL
star satellite had been greeted
with worldwide acclaim for
the accomplishments of the
United States.
But he cautioned this coun-
try against overselling the idea
because ut is still q long way
to a going operation" for
a worldwide communications
satellite system. Some parts OF
the system are several years
away, and others a decade
away, he added.
Mr.. Murrow told Senator
Symington, Democrat of Mis-
souri,, that he does not favor
Government ownership Of the
satellite system, and would
vote for the private enterprise
bill if he we're in the Senate.
The scheduled appearance of
Secretary RuSk at 2:30 had
to be postponed until later in
the afternoon, however, be-
cause some committee members
were still questioning Mr..
Murrow.
The committee also is plan
ming some night sessions in
order to comply with the
orders of the Senate to report
the bill back to the floor not
later than Friday.
The bill, strongly supported
by the Kennedy administration,
would set up q corporation in
(which half of the stock would
be owned by communication
companies and half by the
public generally, but with close
Government supervision.
Liberal Opponents
! A group OF about Is liberal
Democrats is fighting the bill
as a "giveaway" to the private
carriers Of a new channel of
communication which should
be owned by the Government.
i Senator's Morse and Clark,
Democrat Of Pennsylvania, said
over the week end they would
not object to private operation
on a lease basis if 'the Govern
! ment owned the satellites.
Senator Wiley, Republican Of
Wisconsin, said he has received
a number of kilograms tody
suggesting that "a lot Of propa-
ganda" has been put out
against AT&T. The Senator
said he understood no one COM
pany could have more than 20
per cent of the stock.
Mr.. Murrow replied, however,
that his counsel had advised
him it would be possible for one
corporation to own so per cent.
The bill was drafted on the
assumption that a number of
! carriers would join in the ven
ture, because it provides that
no company could vote for
more than three of the six d.
rectors to be chosen by the
communication carriers. There
would be six other directors
elected by the public stock
holders, and three appointed by
the President.