"Much Love"

From the offices of the Federal Radio Commission there issued, last week, a dictum. The Commission exercised its right to allot the 639 short-wave channels which are available to commercial broadcasters in the U. S. ether. The Commission had to discriminate among 848 applicants, who asked a total of 2,204 channels.

The Commission's dictum was no routine order. It contained many a bombshell. It allotted no additional channels to Radio Corp. of America or to the Mackay Radio and Telegraph Corp. but directed those two most potent applicants to appear for further hearings. Even more surprising was the allocation of 40 channels to the comparatively obscure Universal Wireless Communication Co.

Incorporated last May, this company is backed by businessmen of Buffalo and Western New York. Among them: John W. Henry (hardware); William E. Shaddock (plumbing); Paul E. and William H. Fitzpatrick (contractors); Dan Roblin (housewrecking); Thomas J. Link (tobacco); Joseph E. Zent (furniture). From such divers trades was assembled a wireless company, capitalized at $25,000,000, now ready to fulfill the stern conditions laid down by the Commission. The company must establish communications between no cities. Fifteen transmitting stations (in 15 cities) must be ready by Dec. 31, 1929, and two each month thereafter until Dec. 31, 1931.

Not only as a competitor of Radio Corp. and Mackay Co. did Universal Wireless make its dramatic appearance. Such established systems as Western Union and Postal Telegraph must watch this rising communications company. Said Dr. John Nathonsohn, Manhattan representative of Universal Wireless, naively: "We are not proposing to undercut the wire companies. But we intend to offer a 12-word message instead of a 10-word one at the same rate now being charged for the shorter one by the telegraph companies."

Quick calculation showed this to be, in effect, a 20% undercut of telegraph rates. Seductive may be the lure of the added two words. Useful addenda to many a message: "much love;" "feeling fine;" "home soon;" "lovely weather;" "send check."

While wireless companies prepared to compete with land lines, the chief U. S. telegraph company made ready for a record-breaking year. Announced by Western Union Telegraph Co., last week, was an appropriation of $29,000,000 for improvements, replacements, new construction.

Ticker. Of the $29,000,000, about one-seventh will go to provide bankers, brokers, speculators, with the fastest stockmarket service in the world. Woefully laggard were the ticker reports of the late great "Hoover Market" (TIME, Nov. 29, et seq.). New tickers, now being installed, will print 500, instead of 300, characters per minute.

Cable. Most important of Western Union's undersea innovations is the newly laid, $2,000,000 link between Newfoundland and the Azores. Back and forth, last week, sped test messages. The service will be opened to the public this month.