Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-08
PATENTS IN RADIO
/ PROVOKE INQUIRY
Confusion Exists in Trade
From Numerous Disputes
Over Rights.

One Of the radio industry's most
complicated problems. patent rights
Is to be made the subject of an ex'
haustive inquiry by the Radio Manu-
facturers' Association, a group com
prising more than 500 makers or sets
and parts. This was announced by
L. S. Baker, vice president Of the as
ISOLATION, who is also the secretary OF
the National Association OF Broad
casters, while here this week to invite
the Radio Commission 10 participate
in the broadcasters' part OF the radio
industries week program in New YORK
IN mid-September.
Despite the recent license agree
ments covering n score of important
patents and entered into by Radio
CORPORATION of America with seven
other manufacturers in order TO OBJ
viste numerous litigations. the patent
situation is still tied up in knots which
the courts have been asked to unraVel.
For example, some speaker patents
are notably in dispute, as are many
other devices.
Only this week. Radio Corporation
began suit against a New York radio
dealer as a test to determine whether
back royalties are not due from one
of the Alexanderson patents, the
rights to which recently were SuS-
tanned in the courts. In other words,
r. c. A wants to collect on back
profits made on device TO which It's
legal claims had been upheld.
The recent license agreement miti-
gated to a large extent the strained
situation among some manufacturers.
whose ability to continue producing
theiS sets depended on the use of the
PARTS in litigation. AS pioneer in the
radio field and the rightful successor
to General Electric and Westinghouse
radio patents of the early days, Radio
Corporation claimed the rights TO these
patents 1t consented however. to
licensing them TO the others at roy
= atty amicably agreed upon.
MIR. Baker said the radio industry is
in a position analogous to the auto
motive in the latters infant days. The
automobile manufacturers settled
their problem by pooling most automo'
bile patents and interchanging their
use through system of cross-licenses
The Radio Manufa cturers' Association
regards 1t as possible that it can do In
its field what the National Automo-
bile Chamber of Commerce did with
automotive patents.
DTS. Alfred ftall-IgueSt ana faaTTy
Hibschman, whose weekly debates be
fore the microphone Of WEAF are one
of the outstanding features of WRC's
program, have picked for their topic
tonight the mooted question, Are the
Movies a DemoraliZing Influence?'
The debate is scheduled at 6:l0 o'clock.
WRC also win draw from New York
D number of other attractions. chief
among them the weekly entertainment
of "Roxy's Gang" and tabloid yer.
sion of Verdi's opera, 1.-The Masked
Ball." which will be sung, as usual. by
the National Opera Co.. under the
direction of Cesare Sodero. Roxy
will feature Adelaide De Loca, con
tralto. new acquisition to his
'gang"
The concert of the Navy Band on
the plaza of the Capitol is the only at.
traction of local origin on WRC's
schedule. It will begin at O'Clock.
The Roumanian Gypsies, under the
direction Of Gica Jonesco. and a pro-
gram of music by students of the
O'Connor School of Expression and
q joint recital by Rosa Polio Hartman,
meZzo soprano, and Elizabeth Gardner
COMBS, concert pianist, are the musi-
cal attractions on WMAL'S program
tonight. Speech Force and Speech
FleXibility," the third talk of a series
on the art of public speaking by Caleb
O'Connor. will conclude the program.