811.7400 Amateur/2
The Chairman of the Federal Radio Commission (Sykes) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter dated, November 22, 1933, concerning a proposed agreement with certain other Governments under Article 8 of the General Radio Regulations Annexed to the Telecommunication Convention of Madrid.
It will be recalled that at the Madrid Conference, the final wording of Article 8 was the result of a compromise between the views of the [Page 766] American delegation, whose attitude was inclined to be liberal toward amateur radio, and the views of certain European delegations whose tendencies were to restrict amateur radio as much as possible.
It was largely through the efforts of the American delegation that a compromise providing for the negotiation of agreements for the permissive handling of third party traffic between countries interested in fostering amateur radio was adopted. At the Madrid Conference, the desires of the United States to bring about the adoption of such agreements were clearly manifested, and it now appears that the consummation of such desires by suitable negotiations would be most appropriate.
It may also be mentioned parenthetically, that active steps in this direction by the Department of State would tend to overcome any apprehensions manifested by representatives of amateur radio prior to the ratification of the new Convention by the Senate, because of the more restrictive terms of Article 8 of the General Radio Regulations.
The Federal Radio Commission is, therefore, in sympathy with the suggestion contained in the letter from the Department of State and approves the exchange of agreements between this country and such other countries as may be willing to enter into such agreements in accordance with the provision of Article 8 of the General Radio Regulations Annexed to the International Telecommunication Convention of Madrid.
Very truly yours,