Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-05-12
SENATORS HEARD
Boys ARGUMENT
Why Young Wireless Amateur
Opposed a Bill,
LISTENED TO WITH attention
w. e. o. Stokes, Jr, Told Whsrs
Measure to Regulate Wireless ls
FauIty-said America 10 Bshindhand
and Made Offer to keep Off the
Grass and Help.

FauIty-said America 10 Bshindhand
and Made Offer to Keep Off the
Grass" and Help.
For the first time in the memory of
man boy in short trousers was listen
ed to with attention the other day by
committee of the United States sen.
ate.
w. f. D. Stokes, Jr., president of the
Junior Wireless Club of America. linn.
tied, was the youthful speaker. and his
mission was to oppose certain features
of the Depew bill providing for the
governmental regulation of wireless
telegraph. Master Stokes plunged into
his argument In true legislative style
and despite the smiles of the commit
tee soon had the members tangled up
In the intricacies of radlo-activities.
Master Stokes. who was SO short of
stature that he showed less than half
he held no brief for anybody except the
organization of boy amateur wireless
telegraphers. He told the committee
his organization favored bill which
provided a nominal license. revokabie
for malpractice" The language he
used In stating his position was that
Of a grown man. which. contrasted
with his size and boyish voice. kept the
committee laughing covertly.
Seven Objections Stated.
Finally Master Stokes stated his
main objections to the bill. which were
! seven In number, as follows:
He said the bill proposed discrim-
ination against amateur wireless teleg-
raphers in favor of commercial COM
panies, which. he said. were mostly
stockjobbing concerns or affiliated with
trust.
! He said the bill was impracticable In
many features and that 1t was am-
biguous. making 1t possible for further
Determinations against amateurs.
He urged that its provisions were un.
Just to manufacturers engaged In the
production OF amateur wireless outfits.
That the bin would stifle the inveu-
tive genius and ambition of American n
boys was one of his chief contentious.
He added that It would require from
1000 TO 5000 wireless operators. draw
ing 5000 a month each. to carry out
the full provisions of the bill.
incidentally the young orator had
much to say about the practical work
ing of wireless telegraphy. He said
the United States was far behind al
foreign powers In its system and ad
vised the government to establish q
standard Of wave length OF its owr
and get a code which, combined, he
said, nobody could read. He said the
commercial companies had never re
covered from the fact that It was A
Maine boy amateur who had first pick
ed up the battleship feet on its return
from its world cruise. He declared
that one station was enough to trans
act the wireless business from New
York city. but four had been estnb
lished for stockjobbing purposes anC
nine kinds OF stock were now on sale
by one company.
The Lads Remarkable Prophecy.
Then Master Stokes turned 10 proph
ecy. He said in ten years il would be
possible for persons on land to commu
uicate with their homes by wireless.
IF man breaks down in his auto
mobile twenty-five miles from home
he said, "all he will have 10 do Is &c
take out his instrument and call VI
his butler and tell him lie will not be
home for dinner"
In conclusion he told the committee
that there were from 25.0OO TO 4OOOt
boys in the United States already IN
terested in wireless telegraphy. which
he and his organization were willing t.
organize to cooperate with the govern
ment In any fair undertaking.
LET the government establish Its
wave length. and we will take an oath
to keep Off the grass and help the gov
ernment IN any way We can with our
apparatus" he said
At the conclusion of his testimony
several questions were asked the
youngSter. When Senator Bourne ask
ed him what the capital of his organi
Zation was. however. he replied. III.
Fifty-secord street. New York"