The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-30
Age-Herald's
 Sunday
RADIO AND WIRE WAR FOR MASTERY Gen. Squier'S "Wired Wire less" System May Affect
 Development

DGV6IOpIII6ill
 A great battle for supremacy will soon be fought 10 q sinish between the forces of radio and the electric light system, In fact the first skir- mish in the impending war has al- ready been fought in Washington where MaJor General George U Squier, chief signal officer of the United States army, leading the forces of the latter. succeeded in reproduce ing broadcast music by the simple process of hooking up standard radio receiving set to the electric light socket of one of the stand lamps in the room.
 The electric light people have not yet marshaled for the fray, and In many cases the leading lights in the industry do not see the possibilities of the future and are resisting all ef- forts to get them interested.
 The situation is as interesting as 1t Is unusual. There are two meth- ods whereby the electric light wires can be used for the reproducing of music and entertainment broadcast from a central station. The first is by the system of wired wireless' discovered and developed by Gem eral Sauier. and the other is by means of using the wires as an antenna to receive music broadcast from a radio transmitting station.
 Light Wires for AerlaIS
 In the latter case 1t is an nterest- ing fact that the Richmond Power end Light company of Staten Island. through the initiation of W. H. Rud- disill, the chief engineer is actually urging it's customers 10 use their electric light wires for this purpose wherever possible. The company has even gone to the extent of advertis- ing In the local newspapers to this effect and giving the necessary in- struetions showing how 1t can be done.
 The awakening interest of the elec- tric light companies is voiced in an article published by Q. IT, Caldwell in Electrical Merchandising" in which he says, after reporting the experi- ments of General Sqnier.
 After all. the outstanding fact demonstrated by the 'radia rush Of the last few months has been not the attractiveness of radio alone but the discovery of a popular demand for electrically broadcast entertainment permitting Mir. and Mrs. John Smith to sit at home and enjoy programs transmitted from distant centers.
 "A radio set will always nave it's charms of marvellous mystery, bui after the romance of the new radio outfit has worn off is it not fact that the owner wants real entertain- ment, given by competent talent and transmitted with clearness and de- pendahle volume2"
 EWired Wireiess' Important
 After asking this question, se points out that under the wired wireless" system there will be no static interference, and also that large number of programs can be sent over the same wires by using carrier currents of different frequencies. He also makes the point that with wired wireless" programs can be broad cast by the use of five-watt tubes. as compared with the 500 and 1000 watt sets needed for radio broadcasting service.
 The possibilities of the electric light wires of the telephone wires cannot be overlooked They are very important. but l do not think for one moment that they will ever oust radio from the public mind. In the first place radio offers the mystery which wired wireless can never give. It is true that the majority of the pub lie is interested in the reception of clear entertainments of dependable volume, but the public also wants the unexpected which wired wireless" cannot give.
 With radio there is always pos- sibility of hearing the distant station and the radio novice is forever ad- justing his set in order to listen to the station which is beyond his nor nal reach Just think of the number of fans in the New York district who ar 1xuo a etr fo Chicago and Detroit. and the Chicago fans who are listening for Newark or San Francisco, And when they dc get reception from any of these dis tant stations they talk about 1t with their friends for months afterwards. That is the charm of radio.
 Static Not so Terrible
 static, which is being discussed very largely at this time, win not be the big bugbear that many pessl- mists proclaim if will The stronger age fan will strive to overcome i;s effects. He may do lot of cussing, but he will try 10 do what none of the radio engineers have been able to do yet that is. to eliminate static and his efforts will keep him SO busy that the work will be really interest ing.
 mere IS another factor in the Situ- alton, and that Is the farmer and the dweller in the rural communi- ties, where electric light facilities to not exist. To them radio is a god send, as 1t gives them at one stroke instantaneous information that is in- valuable to their industry. and en- tertainment after hard days work in the fields.
 Taking these things into considers tion, therefore, 1t seems to me that the best way to develop the situation Is to have the electric wires for city use and the radio broadcasting for general purposes. Both can be de- veloped simultaneously for the gen. eral public benefit.
 The electric light system will un- doubtedly solve the problem of send ing out series of programs simnl- taneously for city use. so that one may listen to any particular type Of entertainment, according to one's de- sires.
 split this wedge into two groups.