Evening star., 1922-11-24
RADIO WILL SOUND
VOICE Of CONGRESS
TO ENTIRE NATION
Schools and People in Homes
May "Listen in" on
Debates.
BY WILL r.. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p KENNEDY.
Congress is going to be. brought to
every schoolhouse and home In the
! country, so that those who cannot make
the trip to their National Capital to sit
in the galleries and listen to the debate
on important national issues can listen
in by telephone.
The necessary machinery and instru-
ments are installed in the Capitol. and
just as soon as adjustments can be made
the House will be all ready to broadcast
to the country
During the recent election recess of
Congress permission was granted by
Elliott Woods, architect of the Capitol.
to the Western Electric Company to in
stall for experimental purposes. their
voice ampiifying system. such as was
used to make President Harding's voice
carry to $4,000 persons gathered IN
the Capitol plaza when he delivered
his inaugural address The same sys-
President Harding's oration over the
body of the unknown soldier in Arling-
ton national cemetery year ago.
1t was generally thought about the
Capitol that the sole purpose OF in
s.alling this system was to make
speeches in the House more easily
audible The real reason is disclosed
in arrangements now being made by
Architect Woods to make the radio
broadsastiug possible. If everything
works out as is expected, equipment
eventually will be put into the Office
of every member of Congress so that
he can talk at will to the people of
his home district.
Care-eXtrene care-is being taken
that this unprecedented work OF
bringing Congress close to the people
in their homes and TO children in the
schools shall not be marred or
thwarted by partisan politics. 1t is
probable that special program Will
be arranged in conference between
republican and democratic leaders for
formal opening OF this new sys-
tenn. when speakers Of national pop
ularity. both republicans and demo-
Gratis. will have time allocated to
them for addressing the whole people
of the country on some nom oiitical
or at least non-partisan subject.
Quiet Line to Air station.
Architect Woods made arrange
ments with the Chesapeake and Po-
tomac Telephone Company yester-
day for quiet line from the Capitol
to the naval air station. over which
the voice from Congress can be car
ried for broadcas sting. Mr.. Woods
himself has an air station on the
Capitol grounds, which was used by
the Navy Department during the war
for International communication, but
this station is too powerful for use
when it is proposed that the people
of the country generally will listen
in" The naval air station has been
selected because it's equipment is the
same as that installed in the Capitol.
and the originating station and the
broa adcasting station can work i'm
closest harmony.
The technical men in charge of the
amplifying system in the Capitol say
that their transrlitter and the ap-
paratus installed in the Capitol base
ment carries through three stages
that are necessary for broadcasting.
All that is needed for actual broad
casting is to carry the voice by tele-
phone to an established broadcasting
station. When this line has been
quieted, all that is necessary is for
a member of the House to stand
where his voice will hit into a micro
phone. There are now five of these
microphones on the floor. one at the
Speakers desk. one for the reading
clerk and three on the speaking desks
in the pit used by members. 1t is
proposed also TO put HnlcTopnoneS on
the tables in front of the republican
and democratic leaders.
For amplifying the voice there is a
cluster of ten large horns above the
Speakers desk and other horns have
been placed in the press gallery. in
the rules committee and in the clerks
office.
This entire equipment requires the
services of two men-one at the
switchboard in the House gallery. and
one to keep the apparatus in the base
ment properly tuned up.
When broadcasting of the proceed
ings of Congress becomes an actual
ity, here Is what will probably hap
pen:
President Harding. in addressing
the new session of Congress in De-
cember, or in sending promised mes
sage on farm credits. can speak at
the same time to all the people of the
country who may gather at radio re-
ceiving stations, whether public or in
their own homes.
If the President is sick or too
closely tied down with the press of
other business to come to Congress,
he will be enabled to speak from his
sick bed or while sitting at his own
desk, and Congress can get the full
force of his message. with his own
infection and emphasis, such as can
not be had when the message is read
Dy a clerk. AT Iue same Time, tnG
people of the country can listen in"
Another Possibility.
Again, it will be possible, by putting
up horns in the corridors or even out
side the Capitol building. to make
the Presidents voice or that of any
other speaker audible to throngs un-
able to secure seats IN the galleries
of the legislative chambers. In this
Way. when the President addresses a
ioint session Of the House and Sen
ate. by use of these ampaifers. his
address can be duplicated in the Sem
ate chamber, audible to people in The
Senate galleries. just the same as If
they were sitting in the House gal
leries.
All this will probably mean that in
the near future radio receiving sets
will be placed in most Of the schools
throughout the land. SO that the
youth of the nation will be kept bet
ter informed and in closer touch with
the government, what it means and
how it functions.
Commander Hooper Of the naval air
station today told Eliot Woods that he
would be glad to cooperate to the full
est extent for broadcasiing the proceec-
ils.: T.. ce.s. ess from The Cipitol.