TELE-COMMUNICATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 279, 26 November 1945, Page 5

TELE-COMMUNICATIONS

BRITISH-U.S. CONFERENCE

CHEAPEST RATE FOR GREATEST VOLUME OF TRAFFIC Bermuda Nov. 22 Spokesman for all the Dominions and India supported a proposal from Sir Raymond Birchall, Deputy Direc-tor-General of the British Chief Post Office, head of the United Kingdom delegation at the opening of the Em-

pire-American Conference, that the United Kingdom could support only an agreed rate

system which showed a reasonable prospect of being economic when both cable and wireless costs were taken into account.

An immediate issue for the conference to settle was disclosed Ahen the United States spokesman Mr. Paul Porter, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said the American policy was competition

among private companies, irrespective of whether they used cables or wireless.

Sir Raymond Birchall, who revealed that the United Kingdom called the conference at the United States suggestion, reviewed the steps which resulted in the policy accepted throughout the Commonwealth of nationalising the tele-communications system. He added that the United Kingdom Government, in reaching a decision, had been swayed not only by a desire to substitute ,a public service for a profit.motive, but eaually by a determination to have a free hand in providing the cheapest and most efficient possible service which the whole world required. Tele-communications could do much to promote mutual understanding as to each country’s viewpoint, which was mankind’s greatest hope. The United Kingdom was prepared to bring a broad and constructive outlook to tele-communications problems and would be guided less by considerations and immediate gain than the present future service to mankind. Most of the issues in practice turned on rates, which are the most fundamental item on the agenda. Regulation of telegraphic rates on the main international routes should always be subject to full consultation, and where possible, to firm agreement, not only between countries directly concerned in those routes, but also countries whose interests were less direct. The conference should, therefore, adopt as a policy that Britain and America should not make a general move in such matters without full consultation.

Sir Raymond Birchall said it was probably common ground that many existing rates were too high. The United Kingdom hoped, as the result of the conference, that they could agree to substantial reductions. It would be the British aim to secure the adoption of the principle of international collaboration in fixing long distance rates, and the delegation proposed that the Commonwealth and United States should bind themselves, as part such a settlement, not to make further rate alterations on the main routes until next international conference. It was further proposed that other countries should be given the opportunity of sharing the rate reductions to which the conference might agree. They hoped it might be possible at the next international conference to provide in international regulations for a world rate scheme which would he the fruit of give and take by all sides and to which the United States and Commonwealth would be prepared to adhere. Mr. P. N. Cryer, for New Zealand, said his Government was anxious to settle outstanding suestions. He appealed for the same British-American co-operation as operated during the war.

Mr. Porter said no one knew what to-morrow would bring in tele-com-munications. He hoped they would never achieve finality. All they could do was to anticipate and formulate a general policy of mutual benefit. Congress had fixed a broad basis for a policy which was a maximum volume traffic all over the world at the lowest possible rate. Mr Porter, after reference to competition between the cables and radio, said cables could be an aggressive competitor with radio, hut, irrespective of differences regarding organisations, it clearly was important to the United States that direct circuits from America to as many points within the Commonwealth as could be made subject to agreements, should be maintained. It was essential for the dissemination of information by the press and others that the rates should be as low as possible.