Evening star., 1923-04-29
Bl PAUL GRIGGS.

To the layman the radio receiving
lanIp or tube comprises an inanimate
object or lifeless thing. To the
scientist each individual tube rcRre-
seuts a more or less mysterious.
denseiy populated and intensely ac-
tive miniature world Of it's own.
The laymau perceives only an cleo
triral device which. when function
ing, gives off faint rays OF light and
a slight TRACE of heat. The scientist
disrega rls the light altogether as be-
ing of no consequence. and in the
receiving tube he disregards the heat
also
To. the scientific mind the active
tube is primarily habitat OF hun
dreds OF millions of intensely ami
mated "electrons," the smallest con-
ceivable unit Of electricity and the
basis of all electrical energy-also
the the smallest possible conceivable
thing. hundreds of thousands of times
smaller than the atom of matter. and
of which the latter is largely COM
posed.
Eleetron Theory.
Theoretically, We have thus been
furnished a basis for the conception.
exist in the constitution of matter. as
we'll as the basic unit of electricity.
The conception of IL or the lack CT
it's conception by the average per-
son obviously is a matter of little
or no consequence. but the concep-
tion of the electron on which the
'electron theory is based has been
and is Of very great Importance to
scientists and scientific progress.
The PRONUNCIATION of the electron
! theory and its subsequent investi-
CATION and proof has enabled scien-
lists to clearly and logically explain
many a banning phenomenon which
previously was unintelligible, and,
therefore, could not be explained.
Also. the electron theory has been
in the development of the modern
radio tube both for reception and
transmission, and obviously. there
fore. this theory has assumed the
status of an extremely valuable
commercial asset.
Basis OF Radio.
From the intangible product of the
mind of modern English scientist
who promulgated the eiectron theory
there has. for example. grown our
racliophone broadcast programs of
today. our great tangible army of
radio fans. and the tangible and ex
rremrly important industry that has
great interest in radiophone broad
casting.
individually. the power or strength
of the electron is thousands Of bill
lions Of times less than that OF q
strand in the web of a spider. for
example. Collectively. they may be
made to create a force of concentrated
strength, such as the energy deliver
cd by a powerful dynamo. sufficient
to rupture the strongest steel cable.
Theoretically, every electron is
fdentically the same, whether i'm
prisoned within a substance or active
IN the current generated by a pow
erful electric dynamo or moving with
an incredible rate Of speed in the
evacuated space within the miniature
radio receiving tube. The power or
force which they can be made TO
produce depends only on their num-
hers and their emectual control and
direction for useful purposes.
Swarms Created.
In the region within the miniature
glass bulb Of the radio receiving
tube, swarms of these electrons are
created. their resultant movements
and force are more or less fntelligibly
controlled from the knowledge al
ready gained from scientific study.
and they can readily be suppressed at
will
In their creation and functioning
within the tube and i'll the electrical
circuits associated with the tube, they