710.G1A/318: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chairman of the American Delegation (Hull)
90. Your 58, December 15, 11 p.m. The following frequencies, 6120—9550—11730—15130—21500, have been assigned by the President to the Navy Department for the Pan American Union for broadcasting from the United States. Their assignment for broadcasting from any other country would, of course, be for the appropriate authority of the government of each country. It would appear that there should, in addition, be a central organization such as the Pan American Union which would coordinate broadcasting on these frequencies among the various countries; for example, assigning certain hours each month for broadcasting from each country.
Consideration is at present being given to the needed addition to the equipment of the Navy station to enable it to use these frequencies, which it has not hitherto done, but whether the additional equipment will be added in the near future is not yet determined.
For your confidential information, this Department has recently decided that if the Pan American Union would formally request it to do so, and the Navy Department would formally indicate its concurrence therein, this Department would, as had been informally suggested by the Counselor of the Pan American Union, apply to the Public Works authorities for the funds needed (estimated at not more than $50,000) to add the new equipment to the Navy station to enable it to use these frequencies. The Pan American Union has formally indicated its desire that this be done, but the Navy Department’s concurrence has not yet been received, and of course the Public Works authorities have not been approached. The Department’s action in the matter has been premised on the assumption that the programs would be confined to music.
Please consider advisability of amending resolution to permit Board of Pan American Union to recommend to constituent governments the types of programs other than music which could be broadcast, such recommendation to become effective when approved by all the governments. Subject to such amendment or other safeguard that programs would tend to build up rather than destroy friendly relations, the Department sees no objection to the delegation introducing the resolution.
Reference to “distribution” is not understood as it has not been discussed with the Department by Pan American Union. Department would prefer to have it omitted.
[Page 192]Please advise whether you think it important that we endeavor to expedite obtaining necessary authority for the equipment mentioned above, so that you could, if you so desired, make announcement during the Conference in connection with the proposed resolution.