Evening star., 1931-12-08
RADIO PROGRESS
SHOWN IN REPORT
Complete Revolution in Equip.
ment Made in Year, Com
mission States.

Reading like a story plucked from
Aesop's fables, a year of radio progress,
br1stl1ng with activity, was unfolded to
congress yesterday by the Federal Ra-
| dio Commission.
Although it covers only the fiscal
year which ended last June, the report
tells fascinating story of the accom-
plishments of radio in its many aspects.
Even SO drab and business-like docu-
ment as an annual report cannot be
stripped OF the glamour that typifies
radio.
Broadcasting, ship-to-shore commu-
| nlcation, radio police services to sup
press crime, aviation radio transoceanic
telephones without wires, television and
hundred other related radio subjects
| are covered, and in every instance there
Is a story of notable development. The
report covers principally the technical
and regulatory phases, and does not 20
into the radio program and entertain
ment aspects.
Equipment Revoiutionized.
| The year saw complete revolution"
| in the type of equipment used by
broadcasting stations, which has made
| for remarkable improvement in quail
ity OF transmission, Maj. Gen. Charles
NICK. Saltzman, commission chairman,
| told Congress. Howls and squeals, ex-
| cept those outside the "man-made"
category, have been all but obliterated
| by these technical advances, and the
next year will see even greater i'm
provement, he predicted.
In less than a year all stations were
| brought to the high level of service of
which only few stations boasted at the
| beginning of the year." said Gen. Saltz-
man. THE broadcasting stations of
| this country should be congratulated
upon their willing cooperation in
bringing this condition about"
Television Still Puzzle.
Television, destined to be radios next
| epochal achievement, Is left dangling
In midair by the commission. No pre-
diction is made as to when the visual
art will become an entertainment me-
dunn on comparable footing with sound
broadcasting. The commission admits
that rapid strides have been made"
but said that as yet it has not recor-
nized commercial television.
In fields other than broadcastinp and
television, but which are not so close
| to the hearts of the people, equally
| significant developments have taken
place. Some of these other services are
| now indispensable to the commerce and
industry of the country, Chairman
Saltzman said, as we'll as to the safe
| guarding of life at sea and In the air,
In the prevention of crime and detec-
ton of criminals, in the scientific re-
search and development of radio, and
in other national services.
Aviation Aids Cited.
Radio Is serving as the eyes and ears
for aviation, and in the past year five
networks, crisscrossing the country,
guided commercial and other aero
! nauticS. Police radio services have
spread from two or three experimental
arrangements year ago to some 10
such city units now, and they promise
to become virtually nationwide. In
ternational radio telephony developed
to an amazing degree also, so that now
86 per cent of the worlds telephones
may be linked with the United States
system, with radio as the interconti-
mental circuit. Even passenger ships
on the high seas may be contacted by
radio telephone.
The United States, Gen. Saltzman
advised, today is the foremost radio
country in the world" He said the
statement often is made that this coun-
try is using more than its share of fire.
quencies, but that consideration should
be given to the part it has played in
the development before placing too
much emphasis on such an indictment
(Copyright, 1931)