New-York tribune., 1922-10-08
Broadcast i'm
Britain Will
Begin Soon
Amateurs to Fight Proposed
Law Which Will Exclude
Foreign Apparatus From
Country for Two Years
Also Against Monopoly
The Patent Situation Also
Causing Great Alarm to
the Small Manufacturers
By Ware B. Wells

LONDON, Sept. g5.--Broadcasting In
England now is expected to begin
shortly. due to the ironing out of the
difficulties between the government and
the radio companies, which hitherto
have held up the scheme. Low-power
broadcasting should begin, both in Lon
don and Manchester, within a few
weeks, though probably it will be the
end of the year before the permanent
stations are working and the full sys-
tenn Is in operation.
In anticipation applications for
licenses for receiving sets are COM
ing into the postoffice steadily at the
rate Of about 1000 week.
Though certain points have been re-
ferred back for consideration by legal
experts, conference this week be-
tween representatives Of the postotfice
and Of the companies concerned, has re-
suited in agreement on the final form
Of most of the articles Of association of
the British Broadcasting Company.
Postmaster General Kellaway had re-
quired assurances to make it clear that
the conditions laid down by the govern
ment are to be carried out and also
that the interests of all the firms that
are to participate will be properly safe
guarded. His final approval Of the
articles is not likely to be much longer
delayed.
Patent Difficulties
Aside from one outstanding difficulty
the terms on which certain patents
held by one of the firms are to be
made available to the others in manu-
featuring receiving sets--another main
question has been what amounts the
smaller manufacturers are to con-
tribute toward the upkeep of the sta
tiops. A number of the smaller makers
contend that they should not be called
upon to contribute.
The six big firms, who have guar
anteed the required capital for the
eight stations-which it is reckoned
will cost around 100000 year apiece
for upkeep--insist on part of their
risk being underwritten by the makers
OF receiving sets, who, by virtue of
their membership in the broadcasting
company, are privileged to sell sets to
the public. The central feature of the
British scheme is that part of the
profits of manufacture shall 20 toward
the cost of broadcasting, while the
postofflce proposes to hand over a per-
centage of the licensing fees for the
same object.
Amateurs Against Monopoly
Meantime good deal of opposition
is growing up against the monopoly as
1t affects both amateurs and small
manufacturers and importers, who are
left outside of tho scheme George
Sutton, honorable secretary of the
Wireless and Experimental Associa-
tion. has sent TO Mr.. Kellaway a letter
in which he states that his committee
views with considerable alarm the ap-
parently inspired notices to the effect
that 1T is in the contemplation of the
authorities to forbid the use of ANA.
teur constructed receiving apparatus.
I'VE are of opinion that the best
interests of the science would not be
served by allowing all broadcasting
facilities to fall into the hands of a
monopoly unless it were depart
mental one, under the rule Of the re-
sponslble government"
SO far the association has receivad
only an acknowledgment Of this COM
munication, but the case for the post
office is, broadly, that amateurs will
not be interfered with if they can
satisfy 1t that they are carrying out
serious research.
Small Makers Alarmed
Small manufacturers of radio gear
similarly are perturbed by the monop-
oily. In conjunction with American
lmp,orters-hit by the two years bar
to importation--they asked Mr.. Kella-
way on August Is to receive depu-
tation to state their case. No meeting
yet has been arranged, but it is
threatened that the whole question
Will be raised in Parliament.
III the broadcasting combine is
given any monopoly" declares q Lon
don firm of radio engineers, I'VE shall shall
put put IT., the whole scheme to the test by
sammp,y SNIP! importing, manufacturing and
seiiing as usual. 1t will then be for the
postofiice to take legal action against
US al and suppress us If they can"
This revolt will be backed bv nj
least , one M. P, in the person Of an.
tain Wedgewood Benn, who has mada
HI himself self its tu champion against what what
nnin;ana ne cans y Tariff Reform in Public