Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-07
RADIO PATENT ROW
SETTLED AM|CAbLY
Corporation and Manufacture
ers End MangIe Without
Aid of Court.

More than passing interest attaches
to the recent settlement out Of court
of the tangie of litigation affecting
radio patents held by the Radio Cor
poration of America and utilized by
other radio manufacturers in the con-
struction of sets. BY licensing agree
ments reached by the Radio Corpora
ton ana seven concerns. one of the
most involved problems in radio is
amicably settled.
Various devices entering into the
manufacture of radio sets have been
the subjects of court actions and APP
peals to the Patent Office ever since
the radio art sprang into being. Cen
eral Electric, Westinghouse and Radio
Corporation have claimed patent
rights to most of the devices involved
by virtue of laboratory development
or purchase from inventors.
The devices themselves or modifica-
tons of the originals have entered into
the making of various types of sets by
rival manufacturers ever since popu-
lar radio created the new demand for
sets that had to be met under competi-
tive conditions. With Radio Corpora
ton holding most Of the patents of the
parent concern which gave it birth in
1921. namely. General Electric, it had
entered numerous suits charging the
smaller manufacturers with infringe
ments.
Instead of pursuing the litigation,
Radio Corporation has now agreed to
a permanent truce. accepting a IA
per cent royalty on the gross incomes
from the sale of receiving sets equip
ped with the devices it licenses to the
various manufacturers. Back royalties,
II iS pCti,1oafnd will IA nai9 the
amount of considerably more than
,S1,000,000, Future royalties. judging
from the past prosperity of the COM
panieS enjoying the license privilege
and considering their potentialitieS on
the basis of the ripeness of both the
domestic and foreign markets. will I'M
doubtedly mount into millions an
nually.
The companies in the agreement
With Radio Corporation are Zenith
Radio Corporation, Stromberg- Carlson
Telephone Manufacturing Co, Crosley
Radio Corporation, Radio Reception
Co. Inc, Als-America Radio Corpora
ton, American Bosch Magnetic Co. and
Splitdorf- Bethlehem Electrical Co. E.
II. Schwab chairman of the board of
the Splitdorf concern, expressing his
satisfaction with the agreement. as
serts that the licensing agreement will
now permit of concentration on pro-
duction and sales, with the previous
marketing uncertainties removed that
were due to the unsettled court tests
Radio Corporations action removes
the doubts as to it's future intentions
with respect to it's dominating place
in the radio industry. While it re-
mains the largest manufacturer of
radio apparatus in the world it is not
holding so tight to its patents that
other companies cannot build and sell
sets equipped with it's patents A
policy of general licensing of patents,
ascribed to Owen d. Young, chairman
of the board, is one that is welcomed
heartily in the radio industry.
A tabloid version of THE Red
Hussar." by the National Light Opera
Co, the Kilt Hour of Music and the
Clicquot Club Eskimos are the prin-
cipal musical attractions scheduled |
tonight by WRC. The Eskimos will |
feature their program with a man |
doiln arrangement of Schubert's |
Unfinished Symphony In B Minor" |
The Hofbrau Orchestra and LIE |
Paradis Band and the weekly eight |
minute offering of David Lawrence |
are WRC's other attractions.
Louis B. Thompson has assembled
group of Washington's outstanding
vocal artists for a special radio fea-
ture which WMAL will broadcast to-
night from 500 to 10 o'clock Aside
from the individual singers, the choir
of the Keller Memorial Church will
take part in the gala song festival.
Dorsch's Doughboys and the con-
cert of the Army Band on the east
plaza of the Capitol also are fea-
tured by WMAL. Interspersing the
musical attractions Frank Davis will
give a series of selected readings.
The static artillery Embossed it's
disturbance on the wave lengths in
fun force last night and tore asunder
the program offerings of the out-of- |
town stations. Indeed, it was diff
cult at times to hear anything ex-
cept noise, but during brief periodi-
cal lulls in the static barrages, it
was possible to catch snatches of
music and whatever else happened to
be travelling the wave channels