LAGGING BEHIND

Evening Star, Issue 19789, 13 February 1928, Page 5

LAGGING BEHIND

Britain’s Wireless Indifference

America’s Rapid Strides

Mistress of World Communications

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

position is more humiliating because before the war she was pre-eminent, and London was the telegraphic centre of Europe. To-day, America is rapidly outdistancing the Empire, and Bans is the European nerve centre of the Empire’s services, which are disorganised and even conflicting. Despite great capital resources and wireless personnel, which are equivalent to America’s, she cannot compete with the powerful organisations under unified control supported by the American Government at Homo and abroad. The conference doubtless considered this matter. Presumably Britain will give a lend to the dominions, but British individualism may render impossible the combination of _ resources necessary to enable the Empire to obtain some share of the communications America now influences. Nevertheless, the solution is placing in commercial hands tho whole of Britain’s external telegraphs and telephones, and combining wireless and cables as a public utility company. An Imperial Communications Board, resembling the Communications Committee and including representatives of Britain, the dominions, and tho colonies, should be formed to protect tho public and regulate the rates, which should be the lowest possible to ensure a fair return, for capital, also to determine strategic questions by wireless and cable. Moreover, the Utility Company should have the active support of the Imperial Government in extending British influence in world communications.”

LONDON, February 1-’. (Received February 13, at 11 a.m.) The newspaper ‘ Observer,’ in a lengthy article, emphasises the necessity for a wireless conference, dealing with the position that has arisen owing to American activities in the last two years, whereby the Government, acting through financial and commercial organisations, and supported by diplomatic representatives, dominates international communications, and is still steadily consolidating in strength. “ The Americans control the Spanish telephones and support the SpanishArgentine companies in establishing transatlantic wireless; they, chiefly influence Japanese companies operating in the far East; they considerably influence the German companies controlling the telephones, and they possess the French-Thomson-Uoustqn Company. They arc thereby responsible for developing long distance telephony m Europe, ft is a bold and magnilicent policy, overshadowing Germany’s before the war. The British Government is indifferent towards America’s effort, influential circles believing that assistance to existing companies is contrary to the Government’s policy of securing control of communications. The Government fails to realise, as tlio American Government did, that there is the chance of influencing world communications outside its own borders. Britain’s