Evening star., 1928-10-07
RADIO STATISTICS
CAUSE D|SSENS|ON
Manufacturers and Electric
Group Split Over Fed
eraI Figures.
By MARTIN CoDEL.

Supported as solid fact on the one
't hand and pure fancy on the other, the
radio trade situation statistics gathered
BY the Department of Commerce have
become a real bone of contention in
the radio industry.
Sore spots will probably be- intensi-
fed by the indirect rebuke Of the Radio
Manufacturers Association discsrnible
In the form letter to the $4,000 dealers
in the United States that has just been
distributed over the signature Of Her
bert Hoover's recent successor as Sec
retary of Commerce. William P. Whit
ing.
The letter thanks the dealers for CO.
operating with the Government De-
partment in furnishing information re-
garding their stock on hand and other
associated data 1t declares that "evi-
dsnces reaching the department, not
only from manufacturers, but from the
wholesale and retail trade as well, in
dicates that the statistical information
you have supplied is serving an exceed
ingly useful purpose" Secretary Whit
ing asks the dealers to continue sub
Gkitting their figures.
The statistics and deductions natu-
the Radio Manufacturers Association
has been fighting strenuously. The
Radio Manufacturers Association has
repeatedly stated publicly that it re-
CARDS them rs inadequate, misleading
and harmful TO the industry's progress
and welfare.
Peace between the R. NJ A. and the
radio division of the National Electrical
Manufacturers Association, better
known as IN. E. M. A." appears more
remote than ever, as the Chicago radio
show Is about to open.
Within the industry, N E. M. A. has
been the sponsor of the statistical sur
feys. The r. M. A., constant critic of
the results, viii hold Chicago show and
the subject win probably be discussed
then.
Currents of opinion in the radio in
dlIstry can be aScertained readily at
major exposition like the Chicago radio
show. 1t compares with the radio
worlds fair at New York City for at
tracing the public interest to the latest
development in radio and for bringing.
together everybody in the industry.
The public's stake in the controversy
between the two rival trade associations
In the production end of the radio in
e.ustry-a bitter controversy that is only
partially concerned with trade statis
GcS--is the service they might render
bR cooperating or aHaiganaJins
At present they are frequently charged
With pursuing cross purposes IN their
Efforts to guide manufacturers to pro-
raote the industry and to keep the pub
liz authentically advised on radios fast
developments. = These are their real
reasons for existence these, and prof.
ects looking to the elimination of waste
ia production and consequent savings
that might be passed on to the con-
xumer.
Efforts to merge the r. NJ A. and
~ e. M. A. have failed repeatedly partly
because one school of thought regards
radio as a mere adjunct to the gigantic
electrical industry, while another wants
It placed on more independent footing.
If trust" considerations enter into the
trust" considerations enter into the
leading producing and distributing units
In the So-called radio trust" are mem
bers Of both associations
In fact all of the N. E. M. A. members,
with one or two exceptions, are members
OF the r. M. A. Both draw support by
assessing members a small fraction of
their gross revenue.
The warfare between the two associa-
sonal animoSity as we'll as hostile poll
cies. During the last year it has come
into the open, primarily with regard to
the retail trade statistics.
These seek to furnish State and city
index TO the turnover of radio sets, tubes
and parts. The results are intended to
serve as monthly index to buyer de-
mand and enable producers to determine
their production needs. They are also
intended to show producers and distrib-
utorS where the best markets exist and
where to stress their advertising and
promotion.
Returns from the circnlarization of
the $4,000 dealers have averaged about
per cent. They have been falling
lower recently. The r. NJ A. has Wig
orously opposed the figures as inade-
quate, stating they do not provide a
true cross-section of industry and too
frequently understate the facts.
For example: Totals from reporting
: dealers showed slightly more than $90.-
100000 as theirs 1927 sales. This led
f0 the natural deduction that four
ttmes that figure, or $500, ,000, 900, rep
resented the aggregate retail sales for
the whole country last year.
: The r. M. A. pointed out that the
radio industry Is obviously turning
over more than $500,000.000 worth Of
products year and declared the fg-
ures were discouraging to the smaller
manufacturers. Even IN. e. M. A."
interpreted the figures as representing
Q trade of 100000 or more. but its
:. methods of calculation were complex.
lCopyright, 1928, by North American News
- paper Alliancel