Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-04-13

Editors Note.-Edward J. Nally is
the head of the Radio Corporation OF
America and one of the few great
authorities on this comparatively new
method of instant communication
While to many it is still a play thing
to be classed with the monograph
those who are familiar with its pos
sibilities declare it will do much To
introduce a new era of conlmunica-
ton between the furthermost points
on the worlds surface.
This brief outline of some of the
aspects of radio is written from a
viewpoint not often presented to the
public at large. My purpose is to
show it as an auxiliary to commerce
rather than to stress the more famil-
lar keynote of the wonders Of wire
less" which have been the subject of
many articles in the daily press. True,
it is very battling from scientific
reason why" standpoint, but SO is
electricity, which no one has yet been
able to define.
The single fact that radio communi-
cation is the one medium capable of
placing isolated communities in in
slant touch with the centers of civili-
cation has boundless appeal to the
imagination. That, too, it has for
ever ended the vast silences of the
sea further adds to its romance. How
ever, until it becomes a general house
hold utility, it will probably remain
in the public mind as something very
mysterious-a sort of witchcraft, in
teresting, but making little appeal for
intimate acquaintance; and compare
lively few people realize that this
means Of communication has already
fixed place in the worlds affairs;
that it is, in fact, an economic factor
Of major Importance, and world wide
in it's applicability.
The Reason Why
The underlying reason for the rap
| id strides it has made is not because
of its romantic, intangible or myster-
iuos nature. It's important position in
the field of communication is due sole
ly to its utility, in combination with
the three essentials of accuracy,
speed and economy.
In addition to providing mariners
with weather reports, storm signals,
and warnings of possible dangers to
navigation, it enables passengers to
keep in touch with world affairs and
with the movements of commerce
and industry. Daily news bulletins
are published on practically all Of the
ocean going vessels and transactions
of great magnitude and of moment
Gus Importance are being carried on
constantly between ship and shore
through the medium of radio commu-
nication.
In it's international application, ra-
dio is today carrying overseas very
material percentage of the worlds
communications. Radiograms, COM
mercial and social, aggregating mil
lions of words annually, are being
sent daily across the Atlantic and Pa
cific oceans. These are regular paid
communications, filed just as cable
grams are, and delivered with the &C
curacy and speed so essential to the
users of long distance communication.
Direct wireless service is maintained
night and day with Great Britain,
France, Germany, Norway, Hawaii,
and Japan, at rates which are from
four to twenty-four cents per word
lower than the cable rates. Economy
enormous total saving effected by the
use of radio in the conduct of inter-
national communications makes it a
matter of vital interest to everyone,
and this interest has manifested it
self in the constantly growing number
of countries which are adopting radio
as means of communication, and
which are constructing wireless sta
tions with which to carry on this
communication direct with other count
ries already thus equipped.
A Radio Advantage
Another great advantage possessed
| by radio is what might be termed it's
universally, with reference to COM
munication with several distant points
at the same time. This was illustrated
on the occasion Of the formal opening
of Radio Central, superpowered sta
ton of the Radio Corporation of Am
erica, located at a point on Long Is
land about sixty-fve miles distant
from New York City. On November
5th, 1921, President Harding threw
switch in the White House, and
message which he had prepared for
broadcasting to the world ran through
mechanical transmitter and the
words, carried by land wire to the
Radio Central were flung into space
without the intervening agency of a
human hand.
/ The first answer came back instant
Ily. Others followed close upon it.