The Washington times., 1924-03-17
DIR. De FORREST
URGES FREE
RADIO
Suggests Bulb Tax and U. s.
Control Of Fund to Assure
Good Entertainment.
BY HELEN FOX,
Cosmopolitan News Service.


NEW YORK, March 17.-Clears
ing up the muddle In radio broad.
casting depends on three things, Dr.
Lee De Forrest, commonly called
the father Of radio broadcastinGS
said today. These things, according
to this eminent inventor are:
IA tax Of ten cents on each
bulb in every receiving set to raise
fund for furnishing high class
broadcasting programs, the money
to be apportioned among stations by
the Government.
2-The connecting UP Of broad
casting stations, to eliminate waste.
S-Government control Of broad
casting to prevent development OF
trust control.
IA little Government taxation
would clear UP the radio situation
very nicely" DR.. De Forrest said.
And the taxation per receiving set,
based on the bulb method, and col
lected at the source Of manufacture,
would not average one dollar per
set.
Easy To Collect.
1T would not be practicable to
tax the receiving sets themselves.
A handy youngster can buy various
parts and put a set together. Be-
sides, there are so many manufac-
turers Of receiving sets, that taxa
ton Of them would be extremely
complicated and probably not feas-
ible. On the other hand, bulbs are
being manufactured only by three
companies. Therefore, the placing
Of a small Government tax upon
each bulb that leaves the factory
could be easily managed.
There are about 5000 900 receiv-
ing stations in the country. There
is an average Of three bulbs to each
set. In short, there is an output
Of 100000 bulbs to go around once.
Counting on a minimum change Of
bulbs, this figure can be multiplied
by two. We then have a bulb out
put Of 100000 a year, not count
ing accidents and more frequent
usage and change.
Surprising there were a maxi
mum tax Of 10 cents per bulb. The
Government in it's yearly tax would
collect 81, 800, 900. That is a large
sum. 1t should be enough to run
a mighty program of operate
calibre, BROADCAST through the
country by connecting up stations,
and other programs Of less expen-
sive talent.
inexpensive Entertainment.
can operatic concert nightly at
an average of so cents a year! Why
one couldn't go to one concert for
less than $1.1O."
DR.. De Forrest said that such a
tax should be distributed as well
by federal officials.
"It would be the duty Of Govern
ment agents to study the situation
and distribute the fund to the most
deserving stations" DIR. De For
rest said. I'm that way they could
be made to toe the mark and give
the public the best service obtain
able for the money.
Radio is of tremendous import
ance to the general public. For
this reason there must be Govern.
ment control. The Government has
an absolute right to step in and see
that a radio trust does not develop.
There is something so big involved
that patents and patent ownership
should not be- the first consideration.
While the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company says that it
does not intend a monopoly at
present, the eventual formation Of
a trust Is inevitable unless the Gov.
eminent steps in and does some
thing about it.
The A. T. & T. would, no doubt,
run many excellent broadcasting
stations and give the public first
rate concerts. But it does not seem
to me that the public should have
to listen only to the things that q
trust would give them. While the
idea is not especially democratic.
Wants Radio Free.
Radio should be as free as the
air which 1t utilities in broadcastine
its messages. And it is the func-
ton of the Government to keep it
free"
DR.. De- Forrest hopes to see the
Improvement OF radio concerts
through further use Of conneotinR
broadmasting stations. There iS
great waste at present, he believes,
with dozens Of concerts being broad.
cast throughout the country at the
same hour.
1T would be possible to obtain
higher.priced talent If fewer artists
were used" DIR. De Forrest said.
by connecting up the stations it
should be possible to give one good
concert night and one or two
minor concerts Of other talent"