The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-12-14

There can be no doubt that the strenuous
work done by Admiral w. H. G. Billiard, as
chairman Of the Federal Radio Commission,
shortened his life. Not long ago he said whim-
sically: Il never 60 to bed at night until every
thing has closed down." BY such remark he
endeared h;s1self to the radio "fans." but it had
an application to the discharge Of duties so
onerous that little time was left for rest. His
task was never 'closed down." A few days
before he died he was planning two weeks of
relaxation, but SO much time he was not likely
to waste in looking after his health. AS an
authority upon the science of radio and an in
defatigable pioneer in adapting it to the wants
of the world. Admiral Billiard will be sorely
missed. American in spirit, he was interna-
tional in his conceptions of the uses that could
be made of the electricity Of the air. In an ar
ticle in The Times in September he proposed the
expansion OF chain programs as "a step closer
to national system for broadcasting in the
time OF great emergency or calamity" A
separate operator in the vicinity of Washing
ton could tune, he said, to the Arlington broad
cast wave and start message that might be
convened all over the country from station to
station. Think" he added, what such sys-
tenn as this would have meant to us at the time
|of the Mississippi flood or the Florida hurri-
cane" In q speech before the National As
ISOLATION of Broadcasters in this city recently
he said:
We stand at the threshold of an amazing
new development in civilization. The radio
is the most marvellous means Of linking to-
gether all the people of our nation, and ulti-
mately of the entire world, that has ever
been devised by the human mind. One
thing, and only one thing, should govern
it's use. It must be employed for the BEN
Eft of the public. It must be q real serv-
Ice, not plaything or means of self
seeking publicity.
| Admiral Billiard believed that the time was
coming when ships will be without chroncm-
eters and will be in constant wireless touch
with New York until they reach the English
Channel" When President Coolidge appointed
him chairman of the Radio Commission it was
said that the President had picked man who
knows more about the phases of radio than any
other man in the country" It was not con-
sldered an exaggeration by those who knew
how long Admiral Billiard had been related to
the practical application Of the mystery of
radio before his detail as Superintendent Of the
Naval Radio Service. Some one has said that
to DO than anybody else with establishing the
radio industry in the United States on firm
basis"
The Radio Commission was to do it's work
IN year, If it could, but the job was colossal.
keallocating wave lengths and distributing
broadcast powers under the new law in order
70 eliminate interference could not be accom-
lplished in SO brief time. There were 752
broadcasting stations already Tin the air" and
how TO deal with them equitably seemed to be
battling problem. Not long before his death
Admiral Billiard expressed the opinion that
Congress- would have to extend the term Of thu
commission by another. year. Admiral Bull
lard's service in the navy was obscured IN some
minds BY his labors in the field Of radio. HI
attained commission rank 1t an early age, and,
Ian o{ficer Of great zeal promotions came "a
him rapidly. In the World War he distinguishes
himself as commander Of the Eastern Mediter.
|ranean Squadron and received the surrender o.
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