Evening star., 1927-03-13

.or;,nJ nromotion and likely to ex-
nedite the execution OF the new iesu
Iations and directions OF the eueL
Radio Commission, soon TO start lu,io M
+iorjrc for these duties Hill deVolNe
an chief w. ID. Terrell, Is ne was
formerly known, now to serve ulreceiS
under the Secretary of commerce, III
stead of as head of the radlo seCtlol'
Of the Bureau of Navigation WneIe
n was placed some 10 years ago "heh
radio was found practlcal coli'iuu W.
world and required on all American
passenger vessels.
In Service 16 Years.
Mr.. Terrell entered this service aoout
.he came time that the first radio law
went into effect in 1911. An experi,
enced wire and wireless operator ana
execptyie. he was chosen as the hrsl
limited States radio inspector ever aP'
nointed, and his first duties TOOK nlm
TO New York City, where ne was
ouired to inspect vessels equlppeu VIII WIZ
radio. His only equipment the hlos
daS,s u-as nenciI and a notebook, ana
his own generous knowledge or now
and WHY a radio set should function
no had no meters or other apparatus
an those davs, but soon acquired some
ip order to test out the radio equip
nent he was obliged to test Tor EN-
cheney. This equipment has gradually
Increased until today the inspectors
~ the department in the field, when
v,ai,ine some experimental or special
tests on transmitters, have to nave an
automobile to carry it about, and IN
one district a special radio test car Is
employed.
Following four years service in the
Atlantic Coast district, Mr.. TerreiIewas
ordered to Washington and MADE chieI
supervisor of radio in the Bureau OF
Navigation, where he has served ever
since. and it may be said success
fuIIv. efficiently and faithfully. There
ts no situation on record under which
he is known to have fallen down or
been unable to render a just and equl-
table decision, unless it has arisen since
the eventful and fateful day when the
Acting Attorney General ruled that
the Department of Commerce had no
Jurisdiction over radio, except to H.
cense stations.
Awaited Control Laws.
When the lid came off. as 1t certainly
did early last July, the chief radio
superyisor leaned back a. little more
comfortably in his Office chair, per-
haps. and began dealing out broadcast
licenses to all comers who could snow
that they had stations ready TO op-
crate and licensed operator. Much
of his work was eliminated, and the
activities of his field staff were re-
duced by the order of the Justice De-
partment and the announcement or
the Commerce head that the ether was
now open to all. but he simply sat
tight and waited for a radio law which
would again restore some semblance
of order in the ether channels.
AS the chief of the radio police, Ter
reIi will soon be sitting upright again
directing the issuances of licenses as
Dassed by the commission. closing sta
ticns that are refused licenses and
natroIling the ether routes with the aid
If his inspectors so that the traff1e
In these lanes may never again get
into the impossible jam that the pres
ent host of uncontrolled stations has
brought about. He controls a loyal
force of skilled radio inspectors with
a steady rein, and although he never
drives them, his supervision OF the
nine national radio districts Is de-
lightfulIy clean and efficient service as
any industry or military force couid
wish. when he has behind HIN the
authority of the law, and this backing
now happily exists again.