New-York tribune., 1922-09-03
BY Agnes r. Mackenzie

I
! ROME, Aug. .-Accordingeto Com-
mander Tosi, ex-naval officer and an
i inventor Of various wireless improve
ments, ITALY, though the birthplace of
the inventor Senator Mareon, is so
I far behindhand in wireless equipment
that broadcasting would never assume
the popular character it has in the
United States.
"This," he said, is due to the oppo-
sition of every ministry which has OBJ
tanned power during the past twenty
years 1t was just twenty years ago
that Senator Marconi sent a letter to
a member of the government in which
he outlined his wonderful scheme for
making Italy the most perfectly
equipped nation SO far as wireless was
concerned
HE waited many weeks for an
answer to his proposal. After some
time he received back his letter, in
which he had given detailed notes OF
what equipment, staff and land reser-
vations would be needed, and on the
margin was written in the minister's
Handwriting the words I consider Sig
nor Marconi o fit subject for an in
sane asylum. ] withhold the name of
this bureaucratic member of the gov
ernment.
Italy Tardy With Radio
Needless to say Signor Marconi took
his invention abroad, and only when it
proved a success did Italians think
that the plan was worth adopting. Any
effort toward making wireless a popu~
! lar means of communication seemed
futile.
| "It was only on the eve of war that
| the military and naval ministers point
| ed out to the Premier that wireless
was Indispensable, as the enemy might
cut the cables and leave Italy cut off
from half the world. A limited mum
Der of stations were then equipped and
worked regularly during the war.
Italy doesn't lack inventors or me-
chanies keen on radio, but unfortunate
ly the average Italian knows little
about the wonders of modern wireless
1t is due to Italian inventors that many
improvements have been made, after
( the great discovery by Marconi. For
example, the direction finder, as we'll
as the dispositive from which the loop
barrage is obtained, are both Italian
inventions, which were disposed of
/ abroad, as no one in Italy thought
| them of sufficient interest to buy the
rights or supply money for their plac-
ing
Inventors Go Abroad
'The principal reason why radio
| telephony is very little known in italy
is because all the inventors find that
4 if they wish to have chance to sell
| their inventions they must so abroad.
! There has rot only been indifference
/ in government circles, but absolute OPP
/ position where wireless is concerned.
| 1t is the same spirit which led peasants
| to break into pieces the first harvest
ing machines which were imported into
| France some years ago. Grass igno-
rance unfortunately prevails IN
bureaucratic circles.
"For instance, at the Ministry of
Posts and Telegraphs no effort, up to
! the present, has ever been made to Use
i wireless when the telegraph system was
held up either by strikes or storius.
They preferred that the public should
wait until matters were normal,
even during the way no ncw
methods were adopted. It is due really
to the officers in the army and navy
/ that wireless stations were not aboi-
lished after their use in the war, their
aim being accomplished, according to
] bureaucratic circles, who work on the
/ theory that as their gfandfathers de-
pended on the telegraph and knew
X
! of to-day have no need to install nsw
machines and stations.
Navy Takes Control
1T was due to the naval authorities
that the station at st. Paul, near
1 Rome, was built Naval experts also
manned it during the war and are still
1 in control. From this station conf
munication has been opened up be-
! tween the United States and Italy.
Last year it was decided that q
new commercial station should be
| built. the concession TO be given to
\ private firms who would pay SO much
/ d year for it, This concourse would be
4 international and would depend on
the tender submitted Up to the pres
ent the firms who wished to compete
\ have been unable TO obtain from he
government any details regarding the
number of stations IND where they