QST, №2, January, 1916, p. 5
It seems to be the fashion to announce a new Amateur Wireless Association every few days. It reminds one of the automobile association boom. It was the style a short time ago to get up a new automobile association every time somebody thought of a new thing to sell. It became so acute that the American Automobile Association, the original organization of automobile users of America, were compelled to come to the rescue, and take steps to protect the users of automobiles. The uninformed man who had a car was unable to tell what he should join and what he should avoid. Some of them offered very superior buttons to wear in the coat while others beat this all out by offering a highly colored pennant. Some promised to protect him if he got into trouble for running his car contrary to good taste and the interests of his fellow countrymen. All of them required some cash payment for something or other.
The wireless world is apparently to be invaded in the same manner. Amateurs should consider carefully what these different associations offer. If it is a subscription to some magazine, and he wants the magazine it is all right if he wants to pay the price asked, which is usually much in excess of the straight subscription price. But, do not confuse this with our own Relay League, which is the property of all of us together, not intended in any way as a money making scheme, but entirely for our mutual assistance in telegraphing to each other, whether we are separated by a distance of ten miles or by the entire continent.