THE FARMER'S TELEPHONE

[Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] Well, John, I guess you'll never forget that tree. >> Hardly, mother. >> I Does that arm ever bother you? >> No, it's all right. All Doc Randle did a mighty good job. Well, I'll never forget that day. You on the ground over there just like you were dead and Frank up in the tree yelling his head off because he couldn't get down. >> I guess we're pretty wild kids. >> It's a wonder you both weren't killed. You spoiled my whole birthday, too. >> But we've tried to make up for it. And you've had a good many happy birthdays since then, Ma. Yes, but I had hoped that the two of you would be home together for this one. >> Well, that's what we planned. But Frank called just before I left and said he had to go away on a very important business trip. He'll probably telephone before long. >> I hope so. I know he'd come if he could. >> Mother? >> Yes, dear. >> Telephone. >> Frank is calling. >> Oh my goodness. >> Yes, this is mom. Oh, how good it is to hear your voice. Oh no, my boy. I don't have birthdays anymore. John. Oh yes, dear. He got here this morning. What? Is he all right? Oh my goodness. I wish you could have seen the breakfast he ate this morning and the lunch, too. Wh what did you say, dear? >> I said I just finished my dinner. >> No, mother. I'm not mixed up. >> But dear, I don't understand what you mean. Where are you? What? He's teleoning from London. You said London, didn't you, Frank? Uh, >> that's right, mother. I flew across. Sure, I can look out the hotel window and see Buckingham Palace. >> Well, what do you know about that? >> Yes, dear. Everyone is fine. Oh, speak to the rest of the folks, will you, Frank? >> Hello, Frank. >> Okay, Frank. Be good. Now, here's mother again. >> Yes, Frank. Yes. All right, son. Well, you take care of yourself. I will. Goodbye, son. >> Doesn't that beat everything? >> Oh, well, there you are. >> Say, Dad, we talked to Uncle Frank in London. >> Is that right? >> We certainly did, Bill. >> Think of it. Me on a farm talking to my son thousands of miles away in London. That's right, Mom. You'd be surprised at the number of overseas calls we handle. Plus the thousands of calls from all over the country. >> My, it's wonderful to be able to talk like that. >> It's warm in here. Let's go outside, >> right, Mom? Mhm. >> All right. Come on, Bill. You can't do much later. >> The truck gets back anyway. Oh, it's nice and cool out there. >> Yes, it is. Will >> sit down, John. Sit down. >> Come on, Bill. There's room here. >> Oh, I'll just sit down over here. >> Open your college and be comfortable. >> Yeah, I think I will. >> Uncle John, when I grow up, I'm going to be a telephone man like you. >> Well, that's Well, Tommy, there's always a place for a good man. You like telephone work. Seaman, >> do you uh think you could start work on Monday? >> Stop teasing him, John. You remember how mad it used to make you when your father did that to you? >> You're right, mother. >> Tommy, go over there and sit down. Stop bothering your uncle John. >> Well, you can be sure one thing, Tommy. When you're a grown man, there'll be new conditions and new ideas to keep telephone men busy. Well, I can see plenty to be done right out here in the country. >> Yes, there's still lots of farmers who want telephone. >> That's true, Mary. We're putting in rural telephones as fast as we can. The Bell system put in over 300,000 new rural telephones during the war years. >> I guess that wasn't easy with materials hard to get and the shortage of manpower. >> You said it. But what's been done is only the beginning. Now, we're planning to double the number of rural telephones to install at least a million more within the next few years. >> The Carters are dying to have one. >> Well, I'm afraid they'll have to wait a long while. >> They live way uh miles away from any telephone lines. >> Now, hold on. We've already built quite a lot of new lines. We're building more all the time. Our lines will be within easy reach of practically everybody out in the country before long. Well, just a couple days ago, I was talking to some people over beyond Willow Creek. They want a telephone service, and I was trying to figure out the best way of getting it for them. Now, let's see. Now, Mr. Wilson, you're all right. Your farm comes within our free construction allowance. This is your place here. Here's our line running along the highway. >> That's good. >> Mr. Roberts, your place is some distance up the road from here. Mr. Martin's place is just across the road from you. >> Roberts and I have to pay for this difference. Guess you'll have to forget about us. >> Let's figure a minute. I think we can bring you in under the wire. >> How do you mean? >> When we average out the free construction allowance for each of you, there'll be more than enough to run the line to your places. >> Well, well, that's certainly fair of him. >> Yes. >> Guess we could do business on those terms. >> How about the lines across the fields? Well, that depends on what you want. Depends on whether we can plow in the wire and how the poles are set on just how you want it done. >> I see. >> Well, that's an example of what's happening right along. >> You mean those people way over there beyond Willow Creek got telephone service without having to pay extra for it? >> That's right. All it cost them was the regular service connection charge that all telephone customers pay. Why, John, at that rate, anyone ought to be able to have a telephone. >> Well, mother, we're doing our best to see that all those who want telephones can get them. This will often require the construction of some new lines, but the various improved construction methods that we're now using and other improvements that'll come from new experience will help to speed up the job. We're already using a newly developed high strength steel wire for rural telephone lines. This wire can be strung on poles or as much as 450 ft apart instead of the 200 ft spaces used formerly. Now you can see that this reduction helps to save a lot of poles. The new wire also has greater resistance to ice and sleet and high winds. And of course, this means more dependable service year in and year out. Then there's another kind of wire that can be used without any poles at all. It's a rubber covered wire that can be plowed into the ground. A special plow opens up the ground and lays the wire at a safe distance below the surface all in one operation. Under proper soil conditions, this special kind of wire can be used for telephone lines along the main highway or as the connection from the main line across the farmer's property to his home. With other improved methods of construction, these things are simplifying the job of extending our lines. But would you believe it if I told you there are ways of providing service without the use of telephone lines? >> Are you kidding, Uncle John? >> No. Explain yourself, John, before the boy's eyes pop out of his head. >> Okay, I'll tell you one way it can be done. Stand up, Tommy. Look over there. You know what those wires are for? >> They're power wires. We get the electric current for our lights from those wires. >> Yes. Some power to run the feed grinder and the saw, >> the electric range, the washing machine, and lots of other things. >> That's right, Tommy. Well, telephone scientists have taught us how to harness power lines like those so they can be used for telephoneoning as well as for transmitting power. Gee, >> you mean you can talk over power wires at the same time your lights are turned on? >> That's right. >> Gosh, I never heard anything like that before. >> We call it a power line telephone system. >> How does it work? Well, as I understand it, >> an ordinary power line like those you see running through most rural areas to carry the electric current for lights and so on can be made to carry telephone conversations by the installation of some special equipment at the place where a telephone is to be connected to the power line. Some of this special apparatus protects the telephone to make it just as safe to use as any other telephone. We connect the telephone line here and install the telephone. The current to operate telephones is generated by the telephone apparatus itself. The character of this current is quite different from that of the power current. Nevertheless, the line carries both power current and telephone current at the same time. The two currents do not interfere with each other as they travel over the wire together during a telephone conversation. It's also important that when necessary, we have a way of separating the two currents so that the power current doesn't affect the telephone. In a way, the idea is something like separating milk into cream and skim milk. The device which separates the combined electric currents makes the power current go where it should and the telephone current where it should. We have been working on this project for some time along with the people from the Royal Electrification Administration and the electric power companies. Although the war interfered with its complete development, we can go ahead now and put in power line telephone service if that's the best way to serve a particular location. >> Boy, that's juicy. >> It's right. >> Juicy means it's good. >> That's a new one on me. >> Say, uh, we've all been reading about the radio telephones that were used in the war. Why can't you use something like that and do away with all your wires and poles? >> Radio telephones may be the answer in some places, Bill. For instance, out in the wide open spaces or where the farms are very big and the houses are miles apart or where there rivers or other conditions that make it impractical to build any kind of pole line, radio telephones can be installed. You'll be able to use them just as readily as any other telephone. No tuning in or no twisting of dials. You can put in your call and be connected with all the other telephones throughout the country just as you would from your telephone right here. >> Gee, Uncle John, I bet everyone would want a radio telephone when they know you've got them. >> I wouldn't say that. >> Tommy always wants something that's new or different. >> I know. Well, but from a practical point of view, it doesn't matter particularly which kind of telephone you have. Well, what I'm interested in most is that our telephone connects with all the other telephones. >> That's right. And it's important that you make your call pretty much the same way, no matter what telephone is used. >> I get it. >> Usually, people are willing to leave it up to us to decide the particular kind of telephone system to install. Well, John, I guess with all your new fangled ideas, it will still be a farm telephone. >> Now, mother, you ought to give us more credit than that. Didn't we take out your hand crank telephone a while back and put in the new kind for you? >> Sharks, that's not so much to do, is it? >> Well, if all you're talking about is switching the telephone sets. No, but you have to realize that in order to make the change here on the farm, it was necessary to install equipment in the central office. Equipment that's quite different from that which was previously used was also necessary to change all the other telephones that connect to the office. But that's all a part of the other side of our job. giving better service to people who already have farm telephones as well as new service for those who don't have it. In some sections where it works out best, we're putting in dial telephones on farm. And we're making other improvements, too. Rural lines that have been temporarily serving more than the usual number of customers are being changed to make possible a reduced number of telephones on each line. Another thing, we're changing ringing systems so that not everyone on the line hears your ring when someone's trying to call you. Improving service for all rural customers and putting in more farm telephones is one of our most important jobs right now. It's a job the whole Bell system is tackling. For instance, as soon as the belt telephone laboratories finished the important work they did in developing radar and other highly complicated things needed for the war effort, they went back to their regular job, finding ways to make telephone service for everybody better and more useful. They're doing a lot in farm service. They developed the power line telephone system equipment and farm radio telephone apparatus. They even plant a field of polls now and then so they can harvest a crop of facts that will lead to better polls for farm telephone lines. And the Western Electric Company has its part in the job. It has turned its big production facilities to the job of producing the tremendous quantities of communication equipment needed to improve and extend telephone service. In central offices serving rural areas, the telephone companies in all sections of the country are using great quantities of new equipment. Construction work on new lines in rural areas and the maintenance of old ones is being simplified and speeded by the use of the latest construction methods and equipment. Yes. In many ways, the telephone company is helping the farmer with telephone service, putting new telephones on our lines, or in some instances, helping the farmers with the problem of building and maintaining their own lines. >> You mean you're going to tie in there instead of up here? >> That's the idea. >> That's fine. That's right. >> Well, I guess that just about covers everything. The telephone company is prepared to go ahead with its part just as soon as you people are ready. >> Well, thanks Mr. Macy. You've helped us a lot. >> I'll say you have. We were afraid that getting our line in shape so we could get the kind of service we all want is going to be more than we could manage. >> That's right. But with the help you giving us, we can do the job pretty quick. >> Well, that's fine. Anything that improves telephone service or adds to the number of persons that can be reached by telephone makes your telephone and mine just that much more valuable. To make sure we provide the right kind of service for farm families wherever they may be, we have to know what the land is like in different parts of the country. whether it's thickly populated, what kinds of telephone and power lines are already there, and what may be needed to provide service. Telephone men in every state of the union are consulting with people living in rural areas to get the facts. They get suggestions and ask questions in typical sections of the country to find out what farmers need and want. Rural telephone service in this country is more highly developed than anywhere else in the world and it's still growing. >> Goodness, it'll cost a lot of money to build new lines and make all those improvements that you've been talking about. >> Yes, about $100 million in the next few years alone. >> Well, imagine that. My goodness. If anybody had talked about doing things like that when I was a girl, we'd have thought there was something wrong with them. >> Why, Grandma? >> Well, perhaps because we didn't know much about telephones then. I know I was 18 years old before I ever saw one. >> Is that right, Grandma? Mhm. >> After hearing mother talk to all her friends, it's rather hard for Tommy to imagine her without a telephone. >> Well, a little gossip is good for the soul. >> Yes, we'd be lost without our telephone. >> Hey, Mom. >> Seems to me I remember when you weren't so keen about having one. >> Well, experience is a great teacher, my boy. I know better now. >> You're right. Experience counts and printer are everything. The telephone has become an important institution in the rural life of America. >> You said it. >> You know, Grandma, >> I think the telephone is here to stay. >> What would you use for [Music]