The National tribune., 1909-02-25
TROUBLES OF WIRELESS TELEG-
RAPHY.


I RAPHY.
| The recent trouble which the Navy
Department had in communicative
with the feet off the Azores brings
lively attention TO a world of legal and
other difficulties which surround wire
less telesrapily In the case mentioned
| the operators claimed that they could
not send messages because a lot OF
students and school boys in Brooklyn
were putting bugs in the air." that is
their messages prevented the transmits
sion of the waves which the naval OPP
orators were sending. Just what Is
going to be done with regard to wireless
| telegraphy is a question to puzzle the
lawyers. Any boy with scientific in
clinations can easily put up a wireless
telesraphic station, and amuse himself
conversing with another boy in the
next block or the next Township. A
wireless telegraply station is one of
the easiest things for boy with me-
chanical and electrical tastes to install.
It need not cost more than s5. He can
get some. cheap instruments, fasten his
wire to the lightning rod on his faith
cr's house, and there he is, ready for
unlimited talking with any other boy
who has similar instruments and light
ming rod. He would seem to have the
most perfect right to do this. and talk
with his boy companion as much as
he pleascs without infringing upon the
dignity and power of the United States.
Yet he can infringe, as was shown in
the above instance. most effectually.
Teachers in Industrial schools set up
wireless telegraph stations for the in
struction of their pupils, and these are
in pretty constant operation. All Of
them make waves which are in the
highest degree detrimental to the send
ing of messages. This has been done
races one enterprising firm sent out
yacht with newspaper men and COM
piete wireless outfit to report the race.
Another firm of wireless telegraphers,
who had been left out and were as
jealous of the successful one as two of a
work filling the air with cuss words
and remarks highly derogatory to the
successful firm. 1t succeeded in break
ing up the transmission of the reports
of the race, and making its competi-
tors very cross and to saying all sorts
This will give an idea of the possibili-
ties of wireless telegraphy and the diff
culties there is going to be to make
legal regulations. OF course, when the
United States Government wants to
with it's fleet or any other
else ought to shut up. But the diff
Guilty is how to arrange this. Theo-
every man owns the air above
his house to the full extent of the As
miles of the atmosphere, precisely as
he is supposed to own the ground to
to do anything not illegal on that spot |
OF ground, and if he does anything lille
gal it is a matter for his own State to !
regulate and not for the Government. |
Neither State nor Government has |
the slightest desire to interfere with !
the individuals liberty, and will not'I
except for grave reasons. The method |
that first suggests itself is that there |
should be an announcement when the
or State wishes to make |
communication. This would be some
thing like the old proclamations by
the heraids of the Eastern despots that |
his Sublime Highness was about to ap-
pear on the streets and everybody must !
90 indoors. Suppose some mischievous
boys or cantankerous men choose to
interfere with the Governments mes
'ages. How are they to be dealt with?
VIII the Government have to have a
corps of policemen watching out for
-hese and suppressing them? That
would be costly, inconyenient and of
effectiveness Then, when the J
Government wanted to talk or a State,
here might be some great. private
which had almost as much
light to the air, such as reports from
he Lusitania or Lucanfa. These mes
'ages might be of quite as much i'm
,ortance to the country as those which
he Government was sending. 1t will
,e seen that quite field OF effort has
opened up for our lawmakers.