Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-04
RADIO STIMULUS
TO EFFICIENCY
Use of Loud Speakers in
Factories Proves Aid
to Workers.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Radios charm to soothe the frayed
nerves of routine factory workers is be-
ing enlisted more and more by plant
executives. Not only does radio help
relieve the monotony Of routine tasks
but there is evidence that it stimulates
efficiency and production.
From Camden comes the report that
radio is effective and popular even where
the machinery is noisy; in fact, it is said
that radio provides a better nervous aTio-
dyne when heard by workers above the
roar of machinery they are attending
than on the quieter jobs. OF course, the
radio companies are quite enthusiastic
about factory radios, for proof Of its
effectiveness will soon open up big new
markets for receiving apparatus.
Just Experiment.
The first experiment in factory radio
on record was tried some two years age
by a Garden City, Mass, concern, whose
workers demanded the installation OF
loud speakers when asked to work over
time. They wanted to hear the presi-
Dental campaign speeches. A trial soon
convinced the factory heads; they re-
ported that production increased It's
per cent over given period due to the
radio.
wandter, that the best type of music
to speed up work is jazz. Speeches tend
to slow up workers when they try to
catch every word Some of the en-
ployes, however, say they can work bet
ter when listening to classical selections
There is no doubt in my mind that the
use of broadcast music to increase pro-
duction in industry is worth a thorough
investigation"
Many cigar factories which formerly
employed readers to keep the minds OF
the workers of their dull routine are
now finding radios valuable for tuning
in stock market quotations. When he
was Secretary Of Commerce, President
Hoover had a receiving set in his office
to listen to broadcasts of important
events occurring during the daytime.
Radio on Trains.
In one branch of radio, at least, the
Canadians and Europeans are continu-
ing to show the way to the United
States. That is the use of radio aboard
trains, for some years demonstrated as
practical by the Canadian National Rail-
ways and by certain lines in France
OCLHldIlyt EO4dl10 d4l0 1buocAd' ASb VA
the plea of impractieability, and then
on fainter pleas of economy, American
railroad officials have attempted to ex-
cuse that lack on all but a few of the
more progressive lines. in this country.
From France this week comes the re-
port that the year 1891 will see at least
500 cars equipped to- provide constant
Geographic communication en- route be-
tween passengers on trains and the post
office central station at PontoiSe. The
Canadian National Railways has proved
by actual everyday installation on its
Toronto Montreal run, with an extern
sion in the service to Chicago projected
that telephone conversations as well can
be carried on between moving trains and
the connected telephone system OF
Canada.
From London comes a Department OF
Commerce report that, after several
years of experimenting, seats in the
London & Southeastern Railway Co.'S
express which leaves Kings Cross fol
Leeds each morning and returns the
same day have been fitted with multiple
sockets into which headphoneS can be
plugged. The use Of the headphoneS
costs / shilling each for the journey
This is England's first train radio. AS
in Canada and other countries, the Brit
ish propose to develop broadcast recep-
ton aboard trains in such manner as to
cause no inconvenience to other passen-
gers. Far from proving a nuisance, the
radio on Canadian National trains is
hooked TO loud speakers in club cars
only when all passengers concur, other
wise headphones are used.