Behn's Progress

To Sosthenes & Hernand Behn, famed Behn Brothers who have brought International Telephone & Telegraph Co. to its present potent state (TIME, April 8), came last week new conquests in a familiar field.

The Behns already operate communication systems in Mexico, Cuba, Porto Rico, Spain, Argentine, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay. Last week they announced that I. T. & T. had secured rights for the operation of wireless telephone and telegraph in Peru and Colombia. With this acquisition, the entire west coast of South America and the east coast south of Sao Paulo, Brazil, found its wireless industry in U. S. hands.

The I. T. & T. concession was reported as won after prolonged struggles with "British interests." Chief such British interest is the British Radio-Cable merger, which owns the Marconi radio system and the most extensive cable system in the world. But with some 1,000,000 out of 1,500,000 South American telephones in U. S. control, and with the newest Behn victory in Peru and Colombia, it would appear that South American communications travel on the Eagle's wings rather than with the Lion's roar.