Mitchell, W. Foot. Monsell, Eyres, Com. Right Hon. B. M. Moore, Sir Newton J. Moore-Brabazon, Lieut. Col. J. T. C. Morden, Col. W. Grant. Moreing, Capt. A. H. Newton, Sir D. G. C. Nicholson, O. Nield, Right Hon. Sir Herbert. Perring, Sir William George. Russell, Alexander West. Rye, F. G. Salmon, Maj. I. Samuel, A. M. Sandeman, N. Stewart. Sandon, Lord. Savery, S. S. Sheffield, Sir Berkeley. Simms, Dr. John M. Skelton, A. N. Smith, R. W. Smithers, Waldron. Steel, Maj. Samuel Strang. Sueter, Rear Admiral Murray Fraser. Thomson, Right Hon. Sir W. Mitchell. Wayland, Sir William A. Wells, S. R. Williams, Com. C. Williams, Herbert G. Windsor-Clive, Lieut. Col. George. Winterton, Right Hon. Earl. Withers, John James. Wolmer, Viscount. Wood, Right Hon. Sir Kingsley. Worthington-Evans, Right Hon. Sir L. Tellers for the "Noes": Maj. Sir George Hennessy and Captain Wallace. It being after 4 o'clock, the chairman left the chair to make his report to the house. Committee report progress; to sit again upon Monday next. The remaining orders were read and postponed. Whereupon Mr. Speaker adjourned the house without question put, pursuant to Standing Order No. 3. Adjourned at 17 minutes after 4 o'clock until Monday next, December 10. Senator DILL. Have you any information as to the desirability of retaining or of striking out section 17 of the bill and permitting wireless and cable companies to unite in this country? Assistant Secretary CASTLE. No. But I will say that I have always had the feeling similar to that expressed by Captain Hooper here yesterday, that it would be a good idea to have competition along these different lines. The CHAIRMAN. In other words, have group competition rather than competition by types, or vice versa? I Assistant Secretary CASTLE. Competition by types. The CHAIRMAN. Have you looked over this bill at all? Assistant Secretary CASTLE. Only in the most cursory way. wanted to do it this morning, but the secretary called me in and I did not get an opportunity before I came down to the committee. The CHAIRMAN. So far as the State Department is concerned, you are not in a position to express an opinion on the bill itself, I take it. Assistant Secretary CASTLE. No; I am not. Senator DILL. If Congress should pass a law placing all radio activities, except those of the Army and the Navy and the immediate Government services, under a commission rather than have them in the Department of Commerce, it would not in any way interfere with the State Department, for they would be able to work with a commission as well as with the Secretary of Commerce? Assistant Secretary CASTLE. Certainly. There is no question about that. The CHAIRMAN. Any further questions you desire to have Mr. Castle answer? (A pause, without response.) If not, Mr. Castle will be excused. Assistant Secretary CASTLE. I thank you. Mr. Vallance is here, and he will be glad to answer any questions that you may wish to ask him. STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM R. VALLANCE, ASSISTANT TO THE SOLICITOR, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, D. C. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Vallance, have you anything to volunteer to the committee? Assistant Solicitor VALLANCE. I think you might be interested in knowing something about the European Radio Conference held at Prague, Czechoslovakia, April 4 to 13, 1929, for the allocation of wave lengths throughout Europe, similar to the conference we had with Canada. I have here a copy of the report of the American Delegation to the Prague Conference and that conference was held under the same provision of the International Radiotelegraph Convention which provides for regional agreements. They worked out an agreement for Europe. Many questions of a technical nature that came up there are to be considered at The Hague in September, at a technical conference, to which we have been invited. The CHAIRMAN. That report of the American delegation may be made a part of the record. (Thereupon the report of the American delegation to the European Radio Conference at Prague, Czechoslovakia, April 4 to 13, 1929, was made a part of the record, as follows:) REPORT OF THE AMERICAN DELEGATION TO THE EUROPEAN RADIO CONFERENCE AT PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, APRIL 4-13, 1929 The Government of the United States of America having received an invitation from the Government of Czechoslovakia to send delegates as observers to the European Radio Conference at Prague, beginning April 4, 1929, the following persons were appointed and attended this conference: W. D. Terrell, chief of the radio division of the United States Department of Commerce. Chief of the delegation. Commander H. P. Le Clair, assistant United States naval attaché, American Embassy, Paris. Delegate. William G. Lush, assistant European manager, Radio Corporation of America. Technical advisor. Gerald C. Gross, engineer, Federal Radio Commission. Technical advisor and interpreter. Laurens E. Whittemore, department of development and research, American Telephone & Telegraph Co. Technical advisor and secretary of the delegation. The three members of the delegation who are stationed in the United States, sailed from New York on the S. S. Leviathan on March 20, 1929. Two of the members went direct to Paris, while the third went to London. In both cities conferences were held with Government officials who were in charge of radio matters or who were to attend the Prague conference, including Mr. Phillips in London, and Messrs. Plane, Chanton, LeCorbeiller, and Serre in Paris. The entire delegation of five persons met together in Paris. En route to Prague, a day was spent at Berne, Switzerland, in order to call at the office of the International Bureau of the Telegraph Union. The work of the bureau was discussed with Messrs. Schwill and Eggli, and the members of the delegation were given an opportunity to see the various offices. 51014-29-PT 833 Feeling that information of value could be secured at Vienna, two of the members of the delegation went there on the way from Berne to Prague. A call was made on Dr. Maximilian Hartwich of the Austrian Department of Posts and Telegraphs, who arranged also for a visit to the Telefunken 15-kilowatts broadcasting station near Vienna, through the courtesy of Doctor Schweiger of the broadcasting company. Opening session.—The sessions of the conference were held in the Agricultural Education Building at Prague, the opening session being held on April 4, 1929, at 10 a. m. At this session several formal addresses of welcome were given, and Mr. Strnad, chief of the delegation of Czechoslovakia, was chosen chairman of the conference. The internal rules of the conference were adopted, and committees were appointed to study the proposals which had been submitted. French was chosen as the language of the conference. At this opening session the conference approved the suggestion of the delegate from Hungary that a telegram be sent to President Hoover, who was chairman of the International Radio Conference at Washington in 1927, congratulating him on his recent election to the presidency of the United States. A reply from President Hoover was read at the closing plenary session. Proposals. Translations of the proposals submitted for consideration are given in Appendix 1 to this report. Discussions of items 1, 2, and 7 on the list of proposals had been prepared by certain delegations in advance and translations of these are given in Appendices 2, 3, and 4. The International Radiophone Union of Geneva had prepared a memorandum regarding the present broadcasting situation in Europe. Copies of this statement were distributed to the delegates, and a translation is attached as Appendix 5. A complete set of translations of the official documents of the conference (numbered 1 to 34, inclusive) is attached hereto as Appendices 6 and 7. The minutes of the opening plenary session appear as Appendix 6-1, and the internal rules of the conference as Appendix 6-3. The final protocol is attached hereto as Appendix 7. Membership of conference.-The conference was composed of 118 delegates, representing 30 governments and 12 companies and other organizations. Of the 30 governments represented, 4 were of non-European countries. Delegates and representatives were present from the following countries and organizations. The complete list of names is given in Appendix 8. Italy Palestine (represented by the delegation of Great Britain). Latvia Norway Netherlands.. Poland. Rumania Yugoslavia Sweden Switzerland. Czechoslovakia_ Turkey Soviet Russia__ Total.... 2 1 2 7 5 2 2 1 1 Committees of conference.-The following committees and subcommittees were formed by the conference. A complete schedule of the times of their meetings and a list of the documents reporting on their work, are given in Appendix 9. Committee No. 1: Broadcasting. General Ferrie, France, chairman. posals, 1, 8, and 9.) (ProSubcommittee No. 1.-Frequency bands to be used for broadcasting. Doctor Arendt, Germany, chairman. Subcommittee No. 2.-Relation between the International Radiophone Subcommittee No. 3.-Assignment of wave lengths to European broad- chairman. Subcommittee No. 4.-Checking of frequencies of broadcasting stations. Committee No. 2: Point-to-point and special services. many, chairman. (Proposals 2, 3, 4, and 5.) Doctor Arendt, Ger Committee No. 3: Administrative questions. Mr. Phillips, Great Britain, chairman. (Proposals 6 and 7.) Members of the American delegation were present as observers at all sessions of the conference, including plenary sessions, committee meetings and subcommittee meetings. On a few occasions the chief of the American delegation made remarks as to the situation in the United States, or expressed an opinion on certain matters which were under discussion and on which his views were requested. These remarks were made in English and were, in each case, immediately repeated in French by another member of the American delegation. During the sessions of the conference one of the technical advisors made running notes in English of the discussions which were being conducted in French. These notes were very valuable to the members of the delegation who were not familiar with the French language. Courtesies received at Prague.-The Delegation of Czechoslovakia arranged a very complete program for those attending the conference, including every courtesy and hospitality. Results of the Prague conference.-A translation of the protocol which was signed at the closing session of the conference by the delegates of the European Governments is given in Appendix 7. This protocol consists of three parts. A. Frequency assignments: 1. An assignment of frequencies to European broadcasting stations, known as the "Prague plan," which is to become effective on June 30, 1929. Any modifications of this plan are to be arranged through the intermediary of the International Radiophone Union which must admit to its membership representatives of all European government broadcasting agencies. Notices of proposed changes are to be circulated to the interested governments by the International Bureau of the Telegraph Union. The Belgian Administration is charged with the measurement of the frequencies of broadcasting stations and with the transmission of the results of these measurements to the International Bureau of the Telegraph Union for communication to all the administrations. 2. A note that the wave length, 1,124 meters (267 kilocycles) is used by Germany for international criminal police service. B. Questions referred to the International Radio Consulting Committee at The Hague: 1. Frequency separation between radio channels. 2. Stability control for all radio emissions. 3. Assignment of short waves for aviation and for criminal police. 4. Assignment of short waves for national services. 5. Power limitations for broadcasting stations. 6. Frequency separation to be maintained between stations in adjacent frequency bands. 7. Study of the organization for a permanent international service for frequency measurements. C. Resolutions adopted by the conference: 1. As to the Prague plan, it is recommended that: (a) The number of low-power stations be reduced and that the power of stations in the band 550 to 1,500 kilocycles be only that required to give satisfactory service. (b) Wherever possible, local or regional stations transmitting the same program work on a common frequency with close synchronization. (c) Broadcasting stations should be required to keep abreast of technical progress, particularly as to harmonic reduction and modulation. (d) Interference with broadcasting produced by harmonics of other stations be reduced to a minimum. (e) A study be made of the present international frequency allocation with a view to increasing the channels available for broadcasting. 2. As to call letters and amateur stations, it is recommended that— (a) Call letters of the international series be assigned to all radiotelegraph stations except beacons and military stations, the latter to have such call letters if the administration so desires. (b) Copies of regulations governing amateur stations be sent to other administrations through the intermediary of the International Bureau of the Telegraph Union. (c) Copies of lists of amateur stations be sent to other administrations on requests. (d) The interested administrations communicate to one another any information regarding unauthorized or irregular amateur radio transmission. 3. As to waves used by avaiation it is recommended that all European authorities study the possibility of withdrawing aircraft service from the frequency band below 224 kilocycles (wave-length band above 1,340 meters). 4. As to interference produced by mobile and land stations it is recommended that these stations be modernized as rapidly as possible, that they cease the transmission of superfluous signals and the use of unnecessarily high power, and that the use of spark transmitters be discouraged. 5. As to the work of the International Radio Technical Consulting Committee (C. C. I. R.) it is recommended that prelininary studies and tests be conducted by the various administrations to secure information which will facilitate the work of the committee. 6. As to the limitation of the power of broadcasting stations, it was proposed that a temporary limit of 60 kilowatts in the antenna be considered. This question is referred to the C. C. I. R. 7. As to the monitoring of transmitted waves, it is recommended that periodic measurements be made of the frequencies of radio emissions, that the results of these measurements be sent to the International Bureau of the Telegraph Union, that information regarding standard frequency transmissions be sent to the Netherlands administration and that the C. C. Î. R. make a study of permanent arrangements for the measurement of frequencies. An annex to the protocol gives a list of frequency assignments to European broadcasting stations. This list contains 144 channels at frequencies ranging |