Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-02-22
Unlimited Future For
Radio Communications
MEET REQUIRE
MENTS RADIO AND WIRES
WORK TOGETHER

ANY forecast of the future achieve
ments of science in the development
Of electrical communication is likely
to be inadequate. Certainly marvellous
DEVELOPMENTS may be confidently ex-
pected on the basis of our past exper-
fence. Fifty years ago the telephone
was unknown, as many of us well
remember. The telegraph is only a
little older, and wireless is little
brother to them both, being scarcely
of voting age. Yet today we see more
than $4,000, 900 telephones connected
with the Bell System, and hardly a
corner Of the earth that is not reached
by wire or wireless telegraplly.
This is a practical age and it is
likely that the developments of the
future will be chiefly along the line
of the public's requirements.
We know pretty definitely that the
public demands vast system of in
accommodation SO that any person
can talk to any other person no mat
ter how distant, promptly and private
~. To meet that demand we have
strung nearly thirty million miles of
wire and invested nearly two billion
dollars in telephone plant and property
But in spite Of incessant work the
race with demand continues and as
we believe will continue for years to
come. 1t can never be met by more
construction, but must be met, and
we are constantly meeting it, by
means of improvements and technical
developments linked with practical
experience.
When we consider the younger field
of radio the future is not so clear.
The radio telegraph has already prov
ed itself on shipboard, and ocean tray
ell is immeasurably safer because of it
The captain of a modern ship is in
constant communication both with
other ships and with the shore. He
gets weather reports as regularly as
anyone on land. In trouble he instant
ly calls for help or is summoned to
aid other. vessels in distress. In cloudy
weather when the sun cannot be seen
he can get his exact position by means
of wireless shore stations
The radio telegraph, moreover, is
already an important factor in transo-
ceanic communication. Islands and iso
lated spots where wires are not prac-
teal will also be within it's scope,
and will be connected with the great
centers of population. The public
clearly demands these developments
with the minimum degree of useful
ness and economy that can be achiev-
ed with the aid of science and exper
fence
1t has recently appeared that the
public also demands the broadcasting
of all sorts of information and enter
tainment. 1t is doubtful if there will
be fewer newspaper, fewer colleges,
fewer churches or fewer theatres, but
there is no doubt that radio broad
casting will be developed far beyond
our present knowledge and have an
important place in the civilization of
the future A prophecy of the progress
that will be made in this direction
would be all the more interesting per
haps because it would be without his
toric basis. Telephoning by radio be-
! tween ship and shore and across
oceans is an accomplished fact and
can be made available when the pub
| lie demand is sufficient to overcome
the technical, political, and economic
difficulties.
If radio had been invented first,
the invention of wire telephony would
/ have been considered a wonderful i'm
! provement, because it enables a man
to direct his voice to the particular
person desired. Coming later than the
telephone. radio seems destined to fill
different field and as it is developed
it may materially work in closer re
lationship with the present intercom
municating telephone system.
Technical men are now endeavoring
to secure for radio a freedom from
static interference, to give it direction
lcontroI and a reasonable degree OF
privacy. When these problems are
solved every Bell telephone user may
have his wire connected, not only with
any American home, but, as far as
the limits of ether will permit, to air
planes, ships land the distant capitols
of other countries
BY H. B. THAYER
WOODRUFF NEWS