OCR Text |
Show A SHORT HISTORY OF RADIO Replying to charges by Federal Trade Commission that eight leading industrial companies had secured & monopoly in foreign. and domestic radio business, Pres. Swope of General Electric Company, said : "The connection of General Electric Company with question of radio communication dates back to the war. At that time radio communications in this country were handled by American Marconi Co., controlled by British Marconi Co. Mr. Swope pointed out that to establish radio communication for the United States free from domination of foreign interest, the General Electric Company was induced to take the lead in reorganizing reorganiz-ing the American Marconi Company which eventuated in the formation forma-tion of the Radio Corporation of America. Mr. Swope said: "To make Radio Corporation the most efficient instrument for transoceanic communication, General Electric made a contract with Radio Corporation giving the latter the benefit and advangtage of all inventions it had made and would make in the future. To further strengthen the position of Radio Corporation in this art, similar contracts were made with other companies, the idea being to put Radio Corporation in possession of those patents necessary to make it an efficient organization for radio transmission and enable en-able it to best serve public interests. "This was all known to the government, and a representative designated by the government sat on the board of Radio Corporation for some time after its organization. Officials of Radio Coporation appeared before a congressional committee, where all these relations relating to formation of Radio Corporation were told in detail. Several Sev-eral months ago the Federal Trade Commission published their statement state-ment as result of investigation of Radio Corporation of America and its relation to tih various' companies interested in it. This report was widely published. There was no indication in this report of any adverse opinion on part of the Federal Trade Commission. "All that has been done has been with the idea of making Radio Corporation an efficient instrument of radio communication in interest in-terest of the government and the American public." Is a national policy which seems to question the honesty or sincerity of every lafrge business organization or a group of business interests that atternpts to render a highly efficient public service, going go-ing to encourage either the inventor, the investor or the organizer of progressive business undertakings? If every man, group of men, or company which attempts to render a nation-wide service is to continually be accused of carrying on activities in restraint of trade, what incentive do we offer for real development? Radio communication has been the greatest experiment of the age. It has required courage and perseverance to put capital into an industry as new and untried as this. |