The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-06-17
SENATORS HEARD
Boys ARGUMENT
Why Young Wireless Amateur
Opposed a Bill
LISTENED TO WITH ATTENTION

Measure to Regulate Wireless Is
FauIty-Said America Is Behindhand
and Made Offer to "keep of 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
a committee of the United States SEN
ate
w. E. 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 radio-activities.
Master Stokes. who was so short of
stature that he showed less than half
his body above the table. declared that
he held no brief for anybody except the
organization of boy amateur wireless
telegraphers. He told the committee
his organization favored a bill which
provided a nominal license. revokable
for malpractice" The language he
used In stating his position was that
OF grown man. which, contrasted
with his size and boyish voice, kept the
committee laughing eovertly.
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 dlscrim-
ination against amateur wireless teleg-
raphers in favor Of commercial COM
panies. which. he said. were mostly
stockjobbing concerns or affiliated with
q trust
He said the bill was impracticable in
many features and that it was am
biguous. making it possible for further
Determinations against amateurs.
He urged that its provisions were I'M
just to manufacturers engaged in the
production Of amateur wireless outfits.
That the bill would stifle the inven-
tive genius and ambition Of American
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 all
foreign powers in its system and ad-
vised the government to establish a
standard of wave length of its own
and get a code which. combined. he
said, nobody could read. He said the
companies had never re-
covered from the fact that it was
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 estab-
ished for stockjobbing purposes and
nine kinds of stock were now on sale
by one company.
The Lads Remarkable Prophecy.
Then Master Stokes turned to proph.
ICY. He said in ten years it would be
possible for persons on land to commu-
licate with their homes by wireless.
IF man breaks down in his auto
mobile twenty-five miles from home"
lie said. "all he will have TO do Is to
axe out his instrument and call up
lis butler and tell him he will not be
home for dinner"
In conclusion he told the committee
hat there were from $4,000 to 10000 |
,oys in the United States already in |
crested in wireless telegraphy. which |
lie and his organization were willing to |
rganize to cooperate with the govern |
nent in any fair undertaking.
LET the government establish its |
wave length. and we will take an oath |
o keep off the grass and help the gov
rnment in any way we can with our
pparatus." he said.
At the conclusion of his testimony |
everal questions were asked the
When Senator Bourne ask
d him what the capital of his orSani-
alton was. however, he replied, "142
street, New York"