Radio Disputes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 170, 8 October 1927, Page 9

Radio Disputes

International Conference

CONTENTION OVER IRISH VOTE THE International Radio and Telegraph Conference at Washington is being marked by some keen disputes. There is disagreement about the votes allotted to the British Empire, the Irish Free State having claimed an independent voice. The position of America, which is very jealous of its position, is also likely to be a subject of contention. By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright.

Reed. 9.5 a.m. WASHINGTON, Friday. TRELAND at the I nternational A Radio and Telegraphic Conference has developed a voting issue which may overshadow the German vote question at the next plenary session. According to the 1912 distribution of votes, the Irish Free State was merged with the British Empire at the final vote, when six British votes were cast in a unitl, including the opinion of Ireland, the Dominions and Colonies. Now the Irish Delegation, instructed by its Government, refuses to acknowledge any relationship to the British Delegation, insisting that It be accorded its own vote, on pain of withdrawal altogether from the parley. The United States emphatically opposed the Irish claim on the grounds that the British Empire vote has already reached the maximum of six, and should not be increased by another. The United States, supporting its contention, says that there are several more important delegations. Ireland has replied that it is just as independent of the British Empire as Finland or Poland, and therefore cannot properly have its vote accorded to England’s chairman. Other units of the British Empire also express dissatisfaction with the position allotted them at the conference. Mr. A. Johnston, chief of the Canadian delegation, yesterday formally drew the attention of Mr. H. C. Hoover, president of the conference, and the United States Secretary of Commerce, to the fact that certain delegations were not seated alphabetically. Canada and other British units were placed under the letter G. The Bolivian representative, Senor De La Bara, threatened withdrawal, because his name was unwittingly omitted from the list of the tentative committee on assignments. The error was corrected, however, to the satisfaction of the Bolivian.—A. and N.Z.

NO INTERFERENCE AMERICA’S WARNING SENSATION CAUSED Reed. 9.5 a.m. WASHINGTON, Friday Judge Stephen Davis created a sensation at the radio conference when he warned the conference not to write anything into the convention that would conflict with the fundamental constitutional position of the United States regarding the control and operation of private companies. Judge Davis mentioned that there could be no possible retaliatory steps, but the impression among the delegates was that the United States would find itself unable to ratify the convention if such undesired provi-

sions were incorporated. Judge Davis, interviewed later, explained that there were many communication systems. Thus, it would be comparatively easy for them to pass detailed regulations and apply them. However, in order to enforce the application of the rules by privatelyowued companies, they must pass a new special law each time the rules were changed, which was impossible. Judge Davis declared that the United States was only asking the conference to put into the convention matters essential to the regulation of radio in the public interest, largely leaving to the individual nations the manner in which such efforts should be carried out. Australia was accorded representation on the following standing committees:—Convention, general rules, rules governing communication from point to point and other services, the special section for examination of the Cortina report, tariffs, word-count and accounting, technical. New Zealand is represented on the following standing committees: Convention, general rules, rules for mobile special-service regulations, the section examining the Cortina report, tariffs word-count and accounting, technical. The United States Federal Radio Commission will confer with the delegates from Cuba, Mexico and Canada on October 10, over the division of broadcasting wave-lengths in the entire western hemisphere.—A. and N.Z.