Evening star., 1942-05-31
Conversion Of Radio
Plants Completed;
War Rush Faced
$4,000, ,0O0, 900 Orders
Piled Up; Improved
Methods Speeded

hNe SP '"FS
Methods Speeded
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, May 29.-Conplete
transition Of the radio industry to
a war footing has been achieved,
at least on the manufacturing end,
Fitch Investors Service reported
today.
The radio manufacturers have an
immense job ahead OF them, but
they began preparing for it with
the start Of the war in September,
1899.
"At the end of l941, war business
represented about 90 per cent Of the
untitled orders Of r. c. A. Other large
manufacturers also were well on
the way to full conversion TO war
work. With the stoppage on April
% of production of ali radio re-
dustry buckled down to its war as
signment in earnest.
Principal work of the industry is
the supplying of all types of radio
communications equipment and
sound-detecting devices for the
armed forces. Out of this NAV
come important technical advances
that might open up entirely new
communications fields and result
/ in vastly improved receiving sets
in the period of peace that is TO
come. Radio, as it has come TO
/ be known in the home, was born
Of the last war. The postwar pc
/ riod ahead may draw a measure Of
acclaim as the era of television.
Research Stimulated.
War spurs the inventive mind
Of, man and there will be much
more attention given TO radio. and
by more people, while this war lasts
than at any time heretofore. Thou
sands of young men in the land,
naval and air forces will come to
know the most intricate of radio
equipment at first hand and some
are bound to prove particularly
adept in the development of better
methods, making for improved op-
Grafton.
The immenSity of the task con-
/ fronting the larger radio rIanutac-
| turerS can be readily appreciated
/ from the fact that untitled orders
now aggregate some $1,000 900 900,
whereas the normal peacetime VOL
/ ume was not much more than s400.-
100000 per annum. The retail value
OF all radio sets sold in l94l has been
put at about S520O00.000 and tube
! sales amounted to approximately
/ S146 000, 900. These totals, Incl
dentally. were much the best since
/ 1929 and well above the average Of
/ recent years.
Profit Outlook Good.
with the changeover to war
work completed, and considering
the huge total OF orders on the
books the radio manufacturers
should do quite well from a profit
STANDPOINT IN 1897
Production efforts will be inten-
siied, volume should expand con-
siderably and profit margins are
likely to be satisfactory if only for
the reason that the usual competi-
tive factors, which in the past have
weighed heavily upon price levels
for sets and tubes, will be absent.
The manufacturers will continue
to make tubes and parts for re-
placement purposes. but such oper-
ations will require the use OF only
a small part of total facilities and
will not interfere in any way with
the war effort.
Networks Given Job.
1T is not only the radio manu-
facturerS who have been assigned
specific war tasks. The networks,
too. have definite part in the war
program. The principal broadcast
ing systems are of real assistance in
! promoting the sale of War savings
stamps and bonds by means of re-
peated appeals.
Considerably more time on the
air is now being made available for
Government use than in pre-war
days. Then again, the radio will
play a vital role in afraid protec-
ton. while the short-wave stations
operated by the larger networks
keep an ear turned to enemy doings
constantly.
Where there has been complets
+ cessation of production for civilian
needs, as with autos. some spon-
sored radio programs have been
dropped but. on the whole. radio
time sales have held up well thus
far and for the balance of 1912.
from present indications. should
compare favorably with 194l vol
ume."