Evening star., 1928-12-28
|W|RE MEN R|D|CULE
|RADO COMPETITION
Advent of Wireless Commu'
nications Company Not
Taken Seriously.
BY MARTIN CODEL.


The prospective advent of the Uni
versal Wireless Communications Co.
into the telegraph field, using radio
channels granted by the Federal Radio
Commission to communicate between
cities of the United States, has awak-
ened great interest among telegraph
officials. They showed no disposition,
however, to regard seriously the pro-
posed competitor of the Western Union,
the Postal Telegraph and the Radio
Corporation of America.
Newcomb Carlton, president Of the
Western Union, was frankly doubtful
about the tntercity radio-telegraph
project backed by a group of Buffalo
residents. Interviewed by long-dis-
tance telephone in New York, he ridi-
culed the suggestion that the new radio
company could operate successfully in
competition with the land line COM
panies, and expressed himself rather
pointedly.
ut reminds me-" he said, "of a fellow
nobody ever heard Of deciding to be the
heavyweight champion of the world.
He is asked v lat are his credentials;
and replies that he knows fellow who
owns pair of boxing gloves.
1--WE mustn't take seriously the fact
| that other fellows are moving into the
telegraph business. They have been
doing so for the last six years. There
Is more to telegraphy than transmits
by wireless by overland. We do not
regard it feasible or practicable.
Some Other Object.
I'VE have the highest regard for ra-
where there Is land line transmission.
I think you will find some other object
here than that of transmitting mes
SageS."
Another high telegraph official. SINH
larly interviewed by long-distance tele-
phone, but declining to have his name
used, said he regarded the project as
| IAN absurdity" Efforts to obtain for
NAL expressions from high Postal and
Radio Corporation of America officials
were unavailing. Both companies were
unsuccessful applicants for short waves
for similar domestic radio-telegraph
networks, although the Radio Commis-
sion has indicated that their trans
oceanic radio circuits may be extended
or supplemented to permit them also to
conduct overland message services.
| Among private and Government on
cials identified with communications
speculation was rife today regarding
one undertook to condemn or praise the
action of the commission publicly
Some regarded it a mistake to admit an
entirely new and unframed company
into the field, while others saw this as
desirable in order to maintain competi-
ton and possibly bring about q reduc-
ton in telegraph rates.
There was a distinct disposition to
inquire into the technical qualifications
Of the Universal company. DR.. John
Nathansohn, its director, has announced
that the basic patents it will utilize
are a radically new four-element tube
invented by Earl Koch, formerly with
the Westinghouse company, and tank
Gum. a civilian, In charge Of the heat
And light section Of the Naval Research
Laboratory In Washington.
Has Own Apparatus.
The company according to DR.
Nathansohn, has transmitting and re-
ceiving apparatus of its own design and
manufacture, which, 1t is claimed, can
utilize the 40 frequencies granted by
the commission to f1ve times the ca
pacity of ordinary modern transmit
ters and receivers. In other words, each
frequency can be employed to transmit
five telegraph messages simultaneo eously
DR.. Nathansohn explained.
Multiplex transmission Is not in
volved Narrower spacing of the fire.
quencieS is said to be required for q
form of transmission that is thought to
be superior to anything now in exist
ence. The chief engineer Of the con-
Germ, Howard L. Ford, recently con-
Quoted a demonstration at a 1ocal
laboratory for the Federal Radio Com
mission. The transmission and recep.
ton were measured, checked and cali
brated at the Naval Research Lahora-
tory.
The use of the 40 frequencies, the
equivalent of 400 telegraph channels In
its new system Of transmission, will be
ample for communicating between the
ITO American cities the Universal pro.
poses to serve, according to DR.. Nathan
sohn. The building for the first oi
the string Of stations Is nearing com.
pletion at Scobeyville, N. j., he said
This and another transmitter at Chi.
cago must be completed next February
under the terms of the construction
permit from the Federal Radio Commis.
sion.
DR.. Nathansohn said he fears no liti-
cation for patent infringement, since
the devices to be employed involve
hrand-new principles. He added thai
his company holds or has under ex.
elusive license many other patents
which he is not at liberty to disclose
Besides the laboratory in Washington
1t has tube manufacturing Laboratory