Heinl radio business letter (July-Dec 1940)

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9/27/40 CHAIRMAN FLY: ( Cont* d) Besides cooperating in every particular with the Commission in normal times, the amateur has been of particular aid in the national defense set-up by policing his own frequencies. It may be interesting for you to know that by voluntary action most amateurs stopped communicating to warring countries long before the Commission imposed its general prohibition respecting foreign contacts. I cannot o ver-emphasize the fact that action of the Commission in prescribing certain general curbs is precautionary rather than disciplinary. We are proud of the patriotic and cooperative response of operator and industry both. INTERVIEWER: Mr. Chairman, has the FCC uncovered any startling use of radio for espionage purposes? CHAIRMAN FLY: I have no report for you on that score. I might explain though, that in times like these our investi¬ gations of alleged unauthorized use of radio have increased tremendously over the thousand or so cases we had last year. The American public is now natur¬ ally "Fifth Column" conscious. Every antenna on a coastal fisherman’s shack or a mountain cabin is a potential "spy" outfit in the eyes of some observing citizens under the present situation. It is necessary for the Commission to inquire carefully into every case reported to its field offices, even though these suspicious wires oftentimes lead to harmless receiv¬ ers. I will say that most cases of unlicensed operation turn out to be acts of thoughtless or mischievous youth. XXXXXXXX DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS BOARD CREATED President Roosevelt on Tuesday created by Executive Order the Defense Communications Board the chief function of which is to coordinate the relationship of all branches of communication to the National Defense. This refers not only to radio broadcast¬ ing, but also embraces common carriers such as commercial radio¬ telephone and radiotelegraph as well as other telephone, telegraph and cable facilities. The Board, according to the Order, will have no power to censor radio or other communications, or to take over any facilities. The President designated James L. Fly, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, as Chairman of the new Board. Others appointed were Maj. Gen. J. 0. Mauborgne, Chief Signal Officer of the Army ; Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes, Director of Naval Communications; Breckenridge Long, Assistant Secretary of State in Charge of International Communications; and Herbert E. Gaston, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in Charge of the Coast Guard. 4