Evening star., 1952-07-18
N Repairmen Group
Walks Out in Tiff
0verLicensing Debate

Between IS and so television
repairmen from the Washington
area last night walked out on a
meeting of industry people when,
they said, they were not allowed
to be heard on the subject of
licensing repairmen.
On the other hand. Leslie Ruck-
er. president of Rucker Radio
Wholesalers, who sponsored the
meeting. said those who left would
have had plenty of time to present
their case if they had stayed, since
an open forum concluded the ses-
sion. Mr.. Rucker explained that
there had been a planned program
which had to be followed.
The incident took place in the
United States Chamber of Com
merce auditorium, 1915 H street
NV. Mr.. Rucker. who presided,
called the session with the an
|nounced aim of trying to educate
the industry to improve itself. He
previously had termed it "a sick
Industry"
The fepairmen left the meeting
after their representative, Charles
KaSmir of the Fox & Kasmir
firm. asked that he be heard in
favor of licensing repairmen.
Breach of Trust Charged.
Norman r. Sellinger, treasurer
of Cooperative TV. an organized
group of repairmen in the city
Icontended the walkout was a pro-
test against a breach of trust.
He said circulars and newspaper
advertising announcing the meet
ing had stated that the pros and
cons of licensing were to be dis
cuSSed.
Mr.. Sellinger said licensing is
desired to protect the public
against quack television repair
men, who it was stressed, repre-
sent a small number.
Mr.. Rucker said he suggested
that a separate meeting be held
to discuss licensing. so that last
nights program could go ahead
The walkout followed a speech
by Louis B. Calamaras, executive
vice president of the Electronic
Distributors Association. He came
out against licensing. He said
licensing could not accomplish
anything that clean, ethical work
could not do.
Publisher Heard.
Another speaker, John F. Rider
president of a New York publish
ing company. said he feels the
ills of television could best be
corrected through education oi
the public, accomplished through
Better Business Bureaus, civic
and other groups.
Frank w. Mansfield, director
of sales research of Sylvanis
Electric Products. Inc. predicted
that nearly a million televisior
sets will be furnishing entertain.
ment in the homes of the twir
trading areas of Washington anc
Baltimore by the end of 1861. He
said the saturation point for the
sale of sets to additional home.
will be reached in that year and
at that time, there will be 482,-
900 sets in homes in the Wash.
ington trading area and 470,00(
in the Baltimore region.
This would represent 2 per cent
of the 47,7O0,000 sets expected tc
be in use in the United States ir
that year, he added.
The speaker said the trading
area he described would have q
population of more than 1.6 mil
lion and would consist Of the Dis.
ltrict and Calvert, Charles, Mont
gomery, Prince Georges and st
Marys Counties in Maryland, anC
Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, LOU
doun, Prince William and Kappa
hammock Counties in Virginia. In
this region, there were 278.00(
television sets at the end of 1851
including $4,000 in the District
Sic Million Business Seen.
Mr.. Mansfield said the total tube
and parts business of radio anc
television dealers and service re.
ipairmen is expected to total nearly
$50 million in the Washington
area In 1852 and win grow to about
$l6 million by 1861.
| He mentioned that the country.