Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-13
Uncle Sam and the Radio
Work OF Government Helped In
Many Ways BY Wireless Phore.
from the Washins,on S,ar)


Hundreds OF thousands OF dollars have been
spent annually ier many years by the govern
men, in an attempt to advertise itself. There
are many citizens Of the United States Who
nigh, resent this spending on advertising as
| ~ssteiul. but Il IS surprising how lew there are
| OF the American people who know just what the
government al Washington Is doing 10 help the
people-with It's hundreds oil scientists here
studying aud developing all manner OF things.
The spread OF the fadiophone fad throughout,
the country bids fair TO reduce even this really
necessary government. expense. Tor With millions
oi people all over the country who have taken
up the craze. there are many who listen In each
| day and night Tor any messages they can pick
M. The government has seized this opportunity
OF telling the people some OF the things they
can have by spending few cents. and OF others
which they can have Tor nothing.
BY utilizing the several powerful stations OF
the government in Washington and scores OF
others scattered all over the country. 4 can send
its messases further than others with less power
iul apparatus And its wave lengths are no., re.
s,rie,ed 10 the small ones allowed many broad
easling stations.
While the government is trying out the broad
casting experiment. il Is publishing many books
on radio which wil serve 10 increase the interest
and instruct thousands how 10 prepare aud oper-
Ate these sets. and thus gain more Listeners" to
rs new mode oI advertising.
Just the other night the Washington radio
station sent broadcast over the country a mes
sage telling OF 600.page book on Principles
Underlying Radio communication" prepared by
the United States bureau of standards and the
army sigma! rorps and printed by tho govern
mcnt printing Office Early the next day more
than 100 radio enthusiasts lined mp at the book
counter IN the Office OF the superintendent OF
documents TO buy copies Of this publication Even
now mail orders are pouring into the Office from
all parts of the country. and. although the book
sells for 81 a copy. more than 1000 requests are
on the waiting list for another edition.
This Is bu, A small illustration Of the great
possibilities in the hands OF the government for
telling the people things that il wants them TO
know. The public health service which has for
its task the work OF protecting the health OF the
American people. has been using the radio al
most nightly from Washington. Each night
some expert Of the service sends through the air
some interesting points on guarding the public
health, the prevention OF disease and methods
10 prevent cpidcmics OF all kinds. The message
goes farther than the thousands OF radiophone
listeners who receive il directly for usually these
fans" tell others the next day Of what they
received over their sets the day and night before.
Millions OF dollars are spent annually by the
government in gathering crop information for
The benefit Of farmers or traders. IT costs mil
lions more 10 get il quickly TO the places where
il would DO more good and in time to be Of value
Heretofore this had TO be done by the intrcate
system OF land wires. both telegraph and tele
phone. But now with thousands of people listen
Ing on the radiophone, they can get the inforrla
tior, to all parts OF the country instantly.
Scientists in the government service who
have made it their lifework gather meteorological
data daily, from which they forecast the weather
Many times in the past the forecasts have
reached the remote sections too late TO do any
good, too late sometimes 10 prevent a farmer
cutting his hay iii the face OF an impending storm
or gale. But now all the farmer has 10 do is to
stop few moments in the morning, put his
radiophone receivers on his head and get the
weather report and the crop information. as we'll
as the prices quoted on the produce market and
then he can go ahead with his work, acting on
the information as he sees fit. He may want to
ship load OF produce to some distant market,
but message of the radiophone announcing
low prices owing to flooded market may save
him lot of work as we'll as a lot of money.
Would any One Believe that the postal service
reeds advertising? People have taken the pos
tai service as matter of course, because it has
Been here since the nation was born. But be-
cause the people have taken the service too
much as a matter Of course 1t does need advcr
tsing in order to get their cooperation to make
it more efficient. Postmaster General Work has
seized on the radiophone as a means OF adver-
tising the service.
In connection with the great postal improve
lncnt week, he sent broadcast to postmasters and
radiophone receivers throughout the country an
appeal for the help OF every one to assist in i'm
proving the service in various ways THIS Ines
sage reached thousands aside from those Who
actually heard his voice. The messages sent out
were posted in postoffices throughout the ceun-
n.y. and in addition, radiophone listeners spread
it after they Rad heard it.