Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26
SENATE TOPROBE
NAW-R. c. A. BOND
War Branch Not Inclined to
Fight for Patents, |. C. c.
Body Told.

The intricate radio patent situation,
in large measure cornered by the Radio
Corporation of America and for years
past inquired into by the Federal Gov
eminent and by courts, will be delved
into by the Senate. The interstate
commerce committee of that body will
endeavor to learn whether the Navy
has been lax in it's efforts to uphold
its radio patent rights against the Ra-
dio Corporation of America, notably as
to the much-controverted Alexanderson
patents for radio frequency amplifica-
ton, one of the basic devices in all radio
receiving apparatus, including broad
casting sets.
A frank admission before the commit
tee by Capt. S. c. Hooper, director of
naval communications, that the Navy
is friendly" with the Radio Corpora
ton of America, because it was organ
lied during the war at the Nays sug-
gestion and with the assistance of the
Government, and for that reason is not
inclined to fight the company, precipi-
tated the inquiry. Chairman Couzens
Immediately ordered an inquiry to de-
termine who is responsible for this
policy, and Lieut.. Comdr. Harold Dodd
of the Judge Advocate Generals Office,
which handles Navy patents, has been
called to be first witness.
The specific question surrounds the
AleXanderSon patents, owned by the
General Electric Co.. but controlled by
the Radio Corporation of America, and
the Schemmel Won Bronck patents,
seized by the United States from Ger
many at the outbreak of the war and
turned over to the Navy. These de-
vices perform the same basic functions.
Recently high Canadian court held
the Won Bronck patents had priority
over the Alexanderson devices, but dis
trict courts in this country have held
the Alexanderson patents good.
Senator Dill (Democrat) of Washing
ton brought out that only last Winter,
when suit involving these patents was
in progress in California, he had asked
the Navy to intervene on behalf of the
Won Bronck patents and against the
Alexanderson, but nothing had been
done about it. He asked Capt Hooper
if it was the Nays policy not to fight
the Radio Corporation of America on
patent litigation, and the response was
substantially in the affirmative.
In another quarter before the Radio
Commission the Radio Corporation of
America was preparing to relaunch its
fight for continental Short-wave fire.
quencies with which to establish a do
nestle photograph system to be set
up in competition with the land tele-
graph companies and for use as q
feeder for its far-f1ung tranSoceanic
system. entering 80 foreign countries.
Twenty-nine cities would be aligned
in the Radio Corporation of Americas
continental network, with the number
Of channels to be employed as yet not
definitely presented. The Radio Cor
poration of America once before pre-
sented its case to the commission, but
rehearings on all applications now are
in progress before the commission takes
further action with respect to propo-
sails to create additional radio telegraph
message networks similar to the one
now being formed by the Universal
Wireless Communications Co. Of Buffalo.
This company was awarded 40 chan
-nelS with which to interconnect 10
cities last December. while the applica-
tions of the Radio Corporation of Amer
lea, Mackay and other companies were
passed over. The award was provoca-
tive of much hubbub and even an in
vestigation into the grant by the House
merchant marine committee.