The war forcibly brought home the knowledge that foreign nations largely controlled the international communication of America. Nearly all cablegrams cleared through London. Even when there was more direct contact with other European points, the cables could be cut.
Several of the great scientific and engineering organizations of America had made progress in radio development work, but foreign interests were closely identified with the radio communications business even in America. These foreign interests, therefore, were the only ones in a position to buy the expensive apparatus developed in America.
Realizing the effect of such a situation upon the future of this country, representatives of the Navy Department appealed to American interests to establish an American owned, operated and controlled radio communications company, powerful enough to meet the competition of radio interests of other nations--to set up for America a world-wide wireless system that would give this country contact with the rest of the world, free from interruption or tampering.
The task required vast capital because powerful radio stations cost millions. In order to do the job for the Nation, corporations had to forget their rivalries and work together. The Radio Corporation of America was formed. In order that America might work as a unit in radio and present a single front to |
the rest of the world, the General Electric, Westinghouse, United Fruit, and American Telephone and Telegraph Companies, after long negotiations, exchanged patent rights and research facilities, so that the best apparatus could be developed for the Radio Corporation of America, quickly and free from pertinent patent restriction.
It is because of this generous cooperation that the Radio Corporation of America was able to acquire the patents which cleared the way for the building of a world-wide wireless system with powerful connecting stations in all parts of the world.
In achieving the major national purpose assigned to it, the Radio Corporation of America has developed an effective radiogram traffic between the United States and foreign countries; marine radio communication, including the erection, maintenance and operation of radio telegraph apparatus on American vessels, and the transmission of broadcasted concerts, information and other forms of intelligence, as well as the manufacture and distribution of home receiving sets, known today under the registered trade name of Radiolas.
In the continuance of this series of messages to the American farmer, the Radio Corporation of America will present, as simply as possible, the principles of radio, the manner in which wave lengths are used, and the way in which the farmer can gain the most benefits from radio generally. |
