Evening star., 1921-07-17

debarred. with the understanding that
they would handle private business and
the government was not in competition.
The Marconi company was financed
largely by the British Marconi Company
British company. the Navy has always
maintained. The Navy has been opposed
to that element in the Marconi company
and has succeeded in eliminating the
British influence. Then an attempt was
made to get legislation regulating radio
communication. International conven-
tions were held in st. Petersburg and
Berlin. The United States was repre-
sented at Berlin, but the conclusions
there reached were never accepted by
the United States. At the London con-
vention in 1912 the United States was
we'll represented and its conclusions
were adopted. Then the United States
had to pass laws to put certain Of these
determinations in effect.
Recently a public resolution has au-
thorized the Navy Department to handle
press messages. This was brought about
by the fact that cable messages across
the Pacific were at a prohibitive rate.
The Philippines were getting practically
nothing but foreign news. China was
not getting reliable news from this
country, and Porto Rico was faring just
as badly. Under the very low rate by
Navy wireless the press associations are
now able to send 1000 words day
across the Pacific and 500 words to
Porto Rico. Thus the United States is
now able to get to its own possessions
accurate news about what the United
States is doing.
There has been some agitation for
government ownership and operation of
all radio stations. Secretary Daniels
was a strong advocate Of such a policy,
but the present administration is equally
as earnest in the desire and conviction
that private enterprises should be given
every proper incentive to build up radio
communication service as a CONNER
cial enterprise.
Coast-to-ship Service.
Tho coast-to-ship service offers
problem. For the commercial concerns
to handle adequately this business there
must be monopolies within certain areas,
SO that the entire coast line may have
reliable service. otherwise there would
be Improbable rivalry at congested port
areas. such as Boston. San Francisco or
New York. where the bulk Of the
shipping is. and there would be no serv-
ice at the smaller ports. With four or
i've. stations fighting for the business,
none would fnd 1t profitable. From the
government viewpoint the greatest OBJ
lection to such rivalry would be inter-
ference, resulting in failure to handle
tho messages with dispatch. The ex-
perience Of the Navy in handling port
business during the congested period
was that the ideal method is to have
. central control. which would direct
which Of the three stations in New York
and two in New Jersey would handle
the call from any particular ship, thus
facilitating the dispatch of the message.
Fifty large steamship companies asked
to have this continued, but Congress
did not see it that way and said the
private companies should go ahead and
operate.
The big argument for monopoly in
radio development is that it can thus
handle more correspondence and best
avoid interference. The Radio Corpora
ton Of America is said by Navy officials
to be thorough American concern, It
bought out the American interest in the
American Marconi company and is
backed principally by the General
Electric Company, which furnishes the
principal apparatus. If federal legis-
lation allows a monopoly to take charge
Of radio development it is believed this
concern will get the business. It oper-
ates about three ship-to-shore stations
and circuits to Norway, GERMANY.
France. England and japan via Ha-
waiian Islands. 1t contemplates a big
station in South America, at Buenos
Aires. Their big radio control is being
built at Rocky Point. L. l., and will be
the biggest radio plant in the world.
The Federal Telegraph Company is
building a high-power station in China
and by dealing direct is expected to take
a very prominent part in trade develop
ment in the far east.
Messages From the Interior.
The concern that does get monopoly
for shore to- shore or United States-to-
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