Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-08
WONDERS OF RADIO
SHOWN At MEETING
OF BOARD OF TRADE
Messages Flashed to Far
away Places at Session
Last Night.
GEN. HARBORD DIRECTS
DEMONSTRATION HERE
r. c. A. Board Chairman Answers
"Loose-Lipped Comment" on
"Patent Suppression"

night as messages flashed to far cor
ners Of the world brought quick replies
to the ball room OF the willard Hotel
while Mai. Gen. James G.. Hartford,
chairman of the board Of the Radio
Corporation of America, described the
development, the present activities and
the future possibilities of this new but
colossal scientific industry.
The demonstration was staged by
Gen. Harbord at the first Fall meeting
Of the Washington Board of Trade,
which attracted 100 local business
men, who, had as their guests Of honor
prominent figures in the radio industry,
Federal radio officials and local author
titles.
While Gen. Hartford was speaking
messages we're forwarded to the New
York sending stations of the corpora
ton and broadcast by short-wave radio
to ships bound for far-distant ports
and to various capital cities throughout
an operator in the ball room reported
replies as to the state of weather which
were read by the radio industry officials.
Comment on Patents Answered.
In addition to reports from ships at
sea, reports were read from stations at
Paris, Berlin, Toxic, Manila and Buenos
Aires.
Gen. Hartford, principal guest speaker,
took the occasion to answer what he
termed the s1oose-lipped comment" fire.
quently heard about "the suppression
Of radio patents"
Creative genius has much better
opportunity to win recognition under
the organized methods OF modern In
dustry than the inventor had Of OBJ
tanning a true reward for his work in
.aef0 %k.o danlaF0d
The gathering also was addressed by
Frank A. Arnold, director Of develop
ment of the National Broadcasting Co.,
who explained the present magnitude
Of radio as an industry in this country.
Among guests Of the Board Of Trade,
In addition to the two principal
speakers, were Mai. Gen. c. NICK. Saltz-
man, chairman Of the Federal Radio
Commission; Harold A. Lafount and W..
D. L. Starbuck, members of the COM
mission; Col. Thad II. Brown, general
counsel of the. Radio Commission: Maj.
Gen. George S. Gibbs, chief signal ON
Ger, United States Army: Capt. s. O..
Hooper, director Of naval communities
tions, United States Navy; DR.. Luther
H. Reichelderfer, Gen. Herbert B..
Crosby and Maj. John c. Gotwals, the
District Commissioners, and Maj. II. l..
Robb and Capt. Hugh P. Dram, As
sistant Engineer Commissioners.
On the speakers platform were Ma.
Gen. George Harries, Samuel j. Pres
colt, J. Harry Cunningham and ". v.
Everett. former presidents Of the Board
Of Trade.
Risk Of Failures Reduced.
Discussing the problem Of organiz-
stantly by the radio industry, Gen. Har-
hord declared.
1.-THE recognition Of genius, once left
10 chance, Is left to chance no more.
Research and science have been or
ganized. Corporations today have re-
duced the risk Of failures on the part
Of brilliant inventors, many Of whom
In days now happily gone by failed for
no other reason than lack Of encour-
hand.
'The inventor who has made q real
Invention starves in his garnet no
longer. He now sits In honor at the
council table. New ideas from any re-
sponsible source are passed upon by
trained minds, and the half-concfusive
invention Of one Is fitted into the In
complete pattern Of another, with am
Die reward for both and resulting bene-
ut Of the public. Not the inventors,
but organized industry, has taken the
great financial risk Of development.
The burden Of risk Is now where it
belongs"
Gen. Harbord said that many radio
patents are not now in commercial use,
some having been rendered obsolete by
others. He made the point that GER
tificate from the Patent Once cannot
make an idea useful in itself.
Early Problems RecOunted.
Gen. Hartford emphasized the point
- k<~<l e. ~a@4yn ~fSz rR1n
discovery or invention, but the combi-
nation Of the work Of great many
individuals.
The problem at the time the Radio
Corporation was organized" he said
was 70 get enough patents under a
unified control to permit the develop
ment Of an industry. Unco-ordinated
and diverse ownership, rather than q
grouping OF patents, was the barrier To
progress"
Speaking Of the future Of radio, Gen
Harbord said that while television still
Is liz the laboratory stage, 1t will ulti-
mately serve mankind. Today an at
tempt to market television apparatus
would destroy public confidence and
retard ultimate usefulness, he declared
Mr.. Arnold, who followed Gen. Har-
bord. declared that the year 1881 would
present the most interesting and i'm
pressive programs in the history OF
radio broadcasting. Approximately $780,
000,0 900 would be spent during the pres
ent year TO provide talent for sustain
ing and sponsoring programs over the
National Broadcasting Co.'S networks
he stated. It will cost an additional
sac, 600, 900 for operating expense,
necessary to put these programs on the
air for the benefit Of the Nationwide
audience. he said.
During the last decade there Ia.
developed huge industry in the manu-
facture and sale of radio receiving
SETS" Mr.. Arnold continued. THE sale!
for the year 1929 were in excess o.
$500, 900 600, while the total for the II
years Just ended is $500, 100000.
"Out of 100000 homes in tn
United States nearly 100000 hav
radio sets, representing a family audi
ence Of 50,000.oo0 persons"
Employs 100000 Persons.
Directly and indirectly, the radio in
dustry, he said, gives employment :
100000 persons. while upward Of $50
manufacturers, distributors and jobber
attend to the making and selling of tn
Rufus 8. Lusk, director Of the maste
community survey being made Of Wash
ington by the Board OF Trade. opene
the speaking program with an outlin
OF the survey. now rapidly being com
pleted.
This survey, he said, would diffe