Milford chronicle., 1922-02-24
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
DEVELOPING RADIO COlLlTUNICA-
TION-CONGRESSIONAL
ACHIEVEMENTS RE-
VIEWED

CAN I WOIh on II lOF dWQlle. 1 went
to bed awful early last night" It was
Jack complaining because he wanted
to work on his radio outfit, in the at
tic which was the pride of his life.
However, Uncle Ted had another view
of the matter.
Look here, jack" said Uncle Ted.
Your mother told me to begin with
that 1 couldn't keep you kiddies up
late tonight with story so if you
want story you had better start
getting ready for bed and I'll talk at
the same time"
"Oh, all right" said Jack, "but I'll
bet 1 work on that radio tomorrow
night"
Don't be too sure" commented
Ruth, as she tugged at her dress.
Tomorrow night is another time.
Let's not worry about that now,"
said Uncle Ted as he sat down on
the edge of Jacks bed.
Talking about your radio outfit re-
minds me of what President Harding
has asked Secretary of Commerce
Hoover to accomplish. The develop
ment of radio has grown so rapidly
that few people have realized how far
reaching it really is, even now. The
army has its radio, the navy it's radio,
the post offices department, the de-
partment of commerce, and so on
down the line of the government de-
partments. Then there are dozens of
private radio concerns running just
as telephone companies are run, a
truly commercial business. In addition
to these agencies there are the thous-
ands of amateur radio enthusiasts
like you, Jack, who are filling the air
with messages and receiving them
according to the strength Of their
outfit. President Harding realizes
that anything as important as radio,
especially since it is growing so rapid
ly, must be controlled to a certain
extent, and that a policy should be
worked out by the government for its
regulation just as other similar agen-
cies are regulated. In addition to this
regulation, necessary at all times, it
is highly important that the radio sys-
tenn of the country, governmental,
commercial, and amateur be upon
such basis as to be available and ef-
ficieht as a means of national defense.
with all this in mind, President
Harding, at a recent cabinet meeting,
directed Secretary Hoover to call
conference of experts in the various
government departments, with others
from commercial life and scientific
men, to consider to what extent the
government should go in it's control
of radio waves, their length, etc. Con-
siderable work was done in this mat
ter some time ago and was held up on
account of the arms conference. What !
is believed to be the policy fairly well |
agreed upon, is that the idea of de- |
partment of national defense shall be |
established and that this department |
as one of it's important duties will |
have control and right of way in all |
radio communication at all times"
do you mean they will make me |
quit using my OUTFIT" asked Jack, |
with long face.
"NO, indeed, Jack. Uncle Sam will
want you and all others to go ahead |
and develop radio communication.
Capital will be encouraged to aid in
this development, but it will all be un-
der strict governmental regulations.
The government program will draw a
sharp line between the civil and mill
tary radio service. When a policy is
finally worked out the operation and
regulation will undoubtedly be sepa-
rated. The actual regulation will, it is
believed, continue by the Department
of Commerce through a system of Ii
censing the wave lengths.
"I wonder if you realize, Jack, the
future in radio. In the opin-
ion of many experts the possibilities
are practically unlimited. The biggest
future, it would seem to me, would be
in the communication with ships at
sea; the communication with out of
The way parts of the country; with
airplanes in flight and, last and big
gest, the communication across the
ocean. This wonderful invention has
gone steadily forward and very few
people realize it's possibilities. That is
why it is one of the most important
domestic matters upon which a policy
must be decided at this time. Just
stop and think for a minute what ra-
lilo could do if it were organized to a
nigh point of efficiency with a net
work of stations throughout the
country. When the terrible flood
)roke last year in Colorado and all
means of communication were sever
ID think what radio could have done
n speeding up help. When great
loods, fires, hurricanes, strikes, riots,
md other catastrophes occur, the or
linary means of long communication,
telephone and telegraph are out of
lse because of broken and tangled or
.ut wires. Radio has no wires and
would prove valuable beyond meas
ire.
president Harding's interest in
his communication problem is an
ther demonstration of the up-to-the-
minute activities of the present ad-
ninistration.' AS soon as one thing
as been accomplished that is truly
ig, he does not stop. He goes ahead
nth. something else. AS Senator
.odge said at a recent dinner in Bos-
On, the Republicans found the worst
ituation economically which any
arty in this country had ever been
allied upon to face, and we have
Ight to be proud of our record. The
by every artifice of delay
nd time-wasting, have done their
est to make this Congress a do-noth-
lg body, and, although they have fail
/, they are keeping on saying it just
le same The Republican party may
ell be proud of record to date
hich includes savings of billions in
overnment appropriations, the re-
arkable work of the arms conference
4T,C Of 49, |