OCR Text |
Show A GOOD BILL. Congressman C. P. Curry of Calif or-' n:a has introduced a bill which authorizes au-thorizes and directs the use of navy department de-partment radio facilities for news transmission across the Pacific ocean j at minimum rates of five and six cents ; pur word. 'Tho navy department has proppE?d a measure giving authority for general use of the radio facilities for commercial purposes at its discretion, discre-tion, but since this bill contemplates ihe possible elimination of the business of private radio companies there is decided de-cided objection to it. The measure failed in ' tho last congress. The bill introduced by Pepresentative Curry is framed along diffeiont lines and will undoubtedly meet with the approval of the house committee on merchant marine ma-rine and fisheries to which it has been referred. The text of the bill follows: Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, that the secretary of the navy be, and lie is hereby, authorized and directed, so fur as consilient with the transaction of govern in enr business, to permit the use of radio, stations under the control of the navy department for the transmission and reception of commercial messages for tlie immediate benefit of American maritime, press, and other interests, under un-der regulations prescribed by him, and he shall fix the rates for such service; provided, that the rates to be charged for news messages for news associations associa-tions and for individual newspapers shall not exceed a rate of 5 cents per- word between the Philippine islands, the Hawaiian Ha-waiian islands and other Pacific and South Pacific islands and the west coast of the United States, and shall not exceed ex-ceed a rate of t cents" per word between Asia and Asiatic islands and the west oast of the United States, and that press and commercial messages shall be entitled to as speedy transmission as the interests of the government will permit: provided, further, tha.t the transaction of commercial business by government radio communication under the control of the navy department shall not be permitted where American-owned and operated private pri-vate radio stations of adequate power for the receiving and transmitting1 of messages mes-sages between the transmitting or sending send-ing radio station and the radio station for final delivery are maintained and operated. op-erated. Sec. 1. The receipts for such service shall be turned into the treasury as miscellaneous mis-cellaneous receipts. We believe congress should pass the Curry bill without delay, to become operative op-erative as soon as peace is officially declared. The people of the United States are entitled to cabled news from 1 he Orient and no restrictions should be placed upon the associations and individual newspapers gathering such raews. The government "would gain considerable con-siderable revenue by making the concession. con-cession. Tlie provision proliibiting tlie transaction ot commercial business by government radio communication under control of the navy department where Amcric;in-own.'d and operated private radio stations of adequate power arc maintained is a sound one. Tho people of the country have had experience enough to satisfy them that private control of land wires, cables and radio stations is much better than government control and they are not jn favor of stifling private enterprise. Congress will make no mistake in passing pass-ing the Curry bill. |