National Affairs: Pocket Radio

In strike-worn Passaic, N. J. (TIME, Dec. 27), Chief-of-Police Richard Zober last week had a pleasant diversion. With the commissioner of public safety and a police judge he listened to a short speech by one Michael Rusch, 23, who moved to Passaic five years ago from Alsace-Lorraine. Michael Rusch explained that he was an inventor in a small way. The officials watched his demonstration. The small box, 6 in. x 4 in. x 1 in. which he drew from his pocket was, he explained, a radio receiving set. He snowed how the aerial, a tiny wire, could be fastened to the lapel, buttons or cuffs of one’s coat. He brought out collapsible earphones and an electric bulb to be attached to one’s person conveniently. The bulb would signal when one was being called. It would signal to policemen on their beats, for instance, if headquarters wanted to broadcast the description and license number of an automobileful of thugs fleeing town. Chief Zober and his aids were impressed by the device’s perfect functioning for a radius of 150 ft., waited only for a city wide demonstration to adopt the equipment for the Passaic force. Inventor Rusch claimed a 3.5-mi. radius on a wave length (15 metres) short enough to insure secrecy from the listening public.