Evening Star Newspaper, March 29, 1931, Page 58

( ‘STORM IS BREWING INCIGAR CAMPAIGN Radio Commission to Be Asked to Rule on Protested “Spit” Ads. BY MARTIN CODEL. And now—"spit” goes on the alr. Around that distasteful word, re- peated nightly over a Nation-wide Columbia hookup as part of a radio advertising campaign of the American Tabacco Co., a storm of major roportions is brewing. Both the to- co company, for the implications carried in its announcements, and the _radio network, for allowing its facilities to be used for that type of advertising, il be involved. Not only are complaints being pre- rival cigar manufacturers for ing with the Federal Trade Com- ission, all unfair trade practices, t the Federal Radio Commission, it is learned trom reliable sources, will woon be asked to rule whether such ad- _¥ertising conforms with its official hall- =fnark of “public interes:, convenience and necessity.” At least one member of the Federal o Commission, after listening to the “announcements accompanying an other- “wise excellent program of band music, was outspoken in his disgust. Objectionable to Lafount. “It 18 just that sort of thing,” de- clared Commissioner H. A. Lafount, “that will kill interest in radio broad- . 1 firmly believe in the adver- tising support of radio rather than in the set-tax system of most foreign countries. But I think that radio ad- vertisers have to be particularly careful of what they say and claim. “To me those ‘spit’ announcements broadcasting announcements obviously offend our ordinary ities is going to a re- volt, on the part of the listening public. y it Government take over d operate it, as England does, vernment monopoly. I prefer nt system of private competi- it the b ters themselves, itting this ‘sort of thing, are g fuel to the fire of discontent that is already evident in many quar- ters against the outrageous practices of some advertisers.” All five of the radio commissioners were asked, in telegrams sent not to their offices, but to their homes, to comment on the tobacco company's widely heralded to “curtail com- mercialism” on radio by reducing its announcements to 20 words. The comments, of course, were intended to be used as testimonials. Not a single commissioner, it was found on inquiry, wfliu:dwmzthermuto(thewfl- vel g agency in charge of the program. Paley Was Cigar Man. the announcement itself words, _considerably ‘Though contains only 20 more verbiage is wasted in explaining | A the announcement and introducing the of those 20 words. Then, as to the hoax still further, the rawest and most distasteful commercial announcement ever heard in network radio goes on the air. It was, of course, too attractive a commercial contract for the radio net- work to turn down, even though the youthful head of the Columbia System, William 8. Paley, himself came to radio from the cigar business only & year or two mgm Mr. Paley should know ‘whes the announcer speaks and whether his implications against other cigar makers are justified. It was Mr. Paley who was quoted in recent inter- views as saying that he believed the radio was elevating the public taste. ‘The American Tobacco Co. is paying Columbia $1,611,000 for the six 15- minute pes it will use during the year in its provocative cigar advertis- ing campaign. It is one of the fattest contracts ever let to . ‘The an- nouncements, it is unds , are pre- pared under the guidance of * George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Co. Hill was the genius also behind the pro- cigarette-anti-sweet campaign which brought the ‘confectionery and restaurant people into fighting mood several years ago. At least one member of the Federal Radio Com- mission participated in the conference that led to an agreement between Hill and National Broadcasting Co. officials to desist from that type of advertis- ing. Though they may not have powers of censorship, the commissioners can exert tremendous moral force against the radio people. There are indica- tions that they will do so again in the “spit” campaign. W. C. T.U. News ‘The Cleveland Park Union met Mon- day afternoon at the home of the presi- dent, Mrs. William J. Peters, with Mrs. A. L. Talbott, Mrs. A. B. McManus and Mrs. H. N. Scruggs #ssisting. Devotion- als were conducted by Mrs. H. N. Bolt- wood. Mrs. H. P. Vining, with Mrs. J. D. Rudd as assistant, was elected chairman of the medal contest work. Mrs. Charles Bair gave readings. Mrs. J. A. Senton, Mrs. E. M. Stirewalt and Mrs. Harry B. Ogg were the new members welcomed into the union. Mrs, Charles A. Finney, Mrs. C. R. Ferguson and Mrs. E. J. Fox were ap- pointed on the committee for arrange- ments for the next meeting. Mrs. Hiram Green, Mrs. Henry N. Snyder and Mrs, Harvey Boltwood were appointed to as- sist with the program. Eckington Union met at the home of its vice president, Mrs. Alvin Day, on North Capitol street, who presided, Mrs David Lewis conducted the devotional services, Reports of officers were given by Mrs. W. C. Alden and Mrs. B, J. Wrightsman. Mrs. James Matthews re- ported on the last District executive mull% Mrs. Franklin Adams who has been visiting in Canada told of her ex- &grlencu while there. Mrs. Charles indle, District child welfare director, spoke of her work. Miss Maud Aldrich explained the error of the Pederal Mo- tion Plcture Industry. It was decided to accept the invitation of Mrs. D. E. Morgan and hold the next meeting at her home on 46 Rhode Island avenue northeast. Mrs. Edith Carlson and Mrs. Elizabeth Ward assisted Mrs. Day. Edna Taylor Y. P. B. cf the W. C. T. U. met recently at the home of Miss Julia Rouse in Silver Spring, Md.. The ;‘oung people spent most of the evening nishing the details for the banquet that was held last night in the Roose- velt Hotel. Henry Stanton, president, presided. Chaplin Rejects British Offers. British broadcasters were just as un- #uccessful as Americans have been in endeavoring to coax Charlie Chaplin before the microphone during his recent London visit. Chaplin has consistently refused to appear on the radio, even turning down an offer of well over a half million dollars to appear in a com- mercial series here. . Russia expects to increase its exports of , mow_ 46,000 tons & to £90.000 tons in 1985, (g - | themselves in & most orderly and silent THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 29, 1931—PART FOUR. District National Guard Officers and men of the National Guard of the District of Columbia have been informed in a general order issued by Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan, com- manding the organization, that they must report for drills promptly, and for those who are tardy there will not be any pay for the evening spent at the armory. “Under the existhhg procedure,” the order says, “Individuals arriving late at regularly scheduled weekly armory drills and instruction cannot be given their armory pay for that assembly. This provision has been necessary in the in- terest of discipline and in order that the spirit of instructions from the War Department may be fully met, and in addition in order that the certificate on pay rolls may be signed in good faith by those responsible officers whose sig- natures are required. “The commanding general realizes fully that the foregoing works a hard- ship in those relltlveli rare instances where an individual, through no fault of his own, is unable to arrive and at- tend the assembly in proper uniform at the prescribed time. However, after & careful consideration of all the factors involved, he has decided that the pres- ent procedure, while occasionally prov- ing & hardship to a deserving individual, is for the best interests of the com- mand as a whole and should not be modified. He trusts that individuals who have been so affected in the past, | and who may be so affected in the fu- ture, will continue to put forth their best efforts, in the knowledge that they are doing so for the paramount interest, whl(ih is that of the command as & whole.” For the first time since the issuance of memorandum on fire regulations in | the Sixth street armory of the local | Guard, Maj. Gen. Stephan ordered a | fire drill last Tuesday evening. The orders for the drill were confidential ex- | cept to those who had a definite part | to play in its execution, and was un- | known to the troops or their command- ers, Within a period of three or four minutes, it was said, the armory was emptied. ‘The fire alarm in the armory build- ing was set off soon after the units had returned to their quarters from drill, and the appearance of the men h‘fl:fi the bullding, partially dressed in civilian clothes and uniform, carry- ing in many instances other articles of clothing, thoroughly indicated that all were not advised that it was a drill. Gen. Stephan expressed himself as well pleased with the conduct of the organizations during the drill and with the rapidity with which they took up their various stations or left the build- ing, all being done in formation by the respective companies. The adjutant general, Ool. J. S. Upham, informed the general that the troops had conducted Ansarenty the ack of sl | ently of alarm amo: officials at headquarters and the .%f! sence of the sound coming from sirens on fire . ‘;pmntux ‘lt':giuud to the organizations soon the beginning of the alarm that the fire hazard was not great, because only a small group brought extinguishers to the place within the armory from which the alarm was sounded. However, reports | of those placed throughout the building | to observe the action and conduct of troops, indicated that all extinguishers and other fire-fighting equipment was " manned and that the men were merely awalting instructions before proceeding to the point of alarm. Pirst Sergt. Alfred D. McCurley, tery E, 260th Coast Artillery, will honorably discharged on account of removal from the city. Private Lorenzo D. Snyder has been | ordered transferred from the reserve to | the active list of Battery E, 260th Coast rtillery. Bat- 1 be Private Louis B. McKenzie has been ordered transferred fro: the reserve list of the 29th Military Police Company on account of business interference the per- formance of military duty. ‘The local guard officials have In-)| formed the National Board for the | Promotion of Rifle Practice that the | District of Columbia desires to send a civilan rifle team to the national matches this year. The team is to consist of one team | captain, 10 principals and two alter- nates, a total of 13. The matches will | be held at Camp Perry, Ohlo, from | August 23 to September 13. Sergt. George P. Chandler has been | ordered reduced to the grade of private in Company F, 121st Engineers, upon recommendation of the company com- mander. ‘The following promotions have been ordered in Company F, 121st Engineers: | Corp. Bolivar B. Bulla to be sergeant and Private (first class) Ernest N. Hat- | field to be corporal. Only two organizations of the local militia mustered sufficlent men at drill last week to obtain the classification of superior in attendance. They were the | 29th Division Military Police Company, with a percentage of 96.77, and the Headquarters Detachment and Combat | Train, 260th Coast Artillery, with a per- | centage of 90.32. ‘The other organizations, in their re- spective classifications, with percent- ages, follow: Excellent—Battery E, 260th Coast Artillery, 88.00; State Detachment, 87.50; Headquarters’ Detachment, 20th Division, 82.97; Headquarters and Serv- lce companf', 121st Engineers, 81.81. Very satisfactory—Medical Detach- ment, 121st Engineers, 78.94; Band Sec- tion, 121st Engineers, 77.41; Battery B, 260th Coast Artillery, 73.43; Company | C, 121st Engineers, 71.87; Headquarters | Detachment, Special Troops, 20th Divi- | slon, 71.42; Company A, i2lst Engi- neers, 70.14. Satisfactory—Company B, 121st En- | gineers, 67.74; Battery C, 260th Coast Artillery, 67.18; Company A, 372d In- fantry, 66.19; Medical Department De- tachment, 260th Coast Artillery, 64.70; Company F, 121st Engineers, 64.4( Company D, 121st Engineers, 62.29; Battery A, 260th Coast Artillery, 60.65. Unsatisfactory—Company E, 121st | Engineers, 57.81. | Capt. Sidney Morgan, Engineer Corps, attached to the 29th Division Staff as aide to Maj. Gen. Stephan, and Capt. | Clarence S. Shields, conmanding Com- pany E, 121st Engincers, have been | ordered to report before an examining board, of which Col. John W. Oehmann, | commanding the Engineer Regiment, is | president, for the purpose of being ex- amined for promotion to the rank of ma, Sor. The purpose of these examinations is to select an officer for the of fllling & vacancy which will be created ‘when one of the present battalion com- manders is promoted to lieutenant col- onel as executive officer of the regiment to fill the position formerly held by Lieut. Col. Harry E. Gladman. It is expected that Maj. Jullan S. Ol will be selected for this position. Pvt. Lynn Glover, jr, Battery C, | 260th Coast Artillery, has been ordered | honorably discharged on account of re- moval from the District. Pvt. Edgar M. Dickerson has been | ordered transferred from the active to the reserve list of Company F, 121st Engineers, on account of business in- terference with the performance of mili- tary duty. ‘The following of Battery C, 260th Coast Artillery, have been ordered dropped as deserters from the local militia as of the dates following their respective names, they_having failed to Authorized Distributors Winfield Carburetors CREEL BROTHERS . 1811 14th St. N.W, Decatur 4220 | Detachment, report for drill on or after those dates ?nllil dlll efforts to locate them having ailed: Pvt. Kenneth B. Warren, May 15, }350; Pvt. James L. Hall, October 16, 30. Pvt. Harlle B. Morse has been ordered transferred from the reserve to the active list of the Headquarters and Service Company, 121st Engineers. Officers of the Guard responsible for United States property have been in- formed of the necessity of making & physical inventory of all property held on memorandum’ receipt. The results of this inventory, the order says, will be considered as conclusive evidence of the actual existence of property on March 31, next, and will be used as a | basis for determining the responsibility for any future shortages which may be found to exist. It was added that sub- sequent to the submission of this report and surveys required consideration will not be given to reports of survey covering losses which may have occurred prior to March 31. Attention is called to the fact that a dropping allowance of 30 cents per man is allowed for property lost or destroyed through un- avoidable causes. The _following honorably discharged on account of removal from the District: Pvts. Nathan Brisker, John A. Eaton, Harry M. Groff and George E. Stegmann, all of Company A, 121st Engineers, and Pvt. Raymond E. Orcutt, Battery E, 250th Coast Artjllery. The following have been ordered transferred from the active to the re- serve lists of their respective companies for the reasons given: Sergt. Hugh S. Emmons, Headquarters Special Troops, 29th Division, temporary removal from the city; Pvt. Bernard J. Gates, Com- pany A, 121st Engineers, business inter- ference with the performance of mili- tary duty; Pvt. Pedro G. Villalon, Company A, 121st Engineers, educa- tional interference with the performance of military duty. Spanish War Veterans MEETINGS THIS WEEK. ‘Wednesday—National Lineal So- clety of the Spanish War, Pythian Temple. ‘Thursday—Harden Camp, Pythian ‘Temple. Department President Bertha R. Cook of the United Spanish War Veterans' Auxiliary of the District of Columbia an- nounced last week the following dates of department staff visitations to the | auxiliaries: April 7, Astor Auxiliary; April 24, Miles Auxiliary; April 28, Law- ton Auxiliary; May 11, Pettit Auxiliary. The department president also an- nounced that at the first meeting in April of each auxiliary delegates to the department convention will be elected. ‘The department convention of the U. S. W. V. Auxiliary of the District of Co- lumbia will be held at Pythian Temple June 12 and 13. At a meeting of all the camp com- manders of the United Spanish War Veterans March 14, and presided over by Charles A. Strobel, department in- spector, the following schedule of camp visitations was adopted: April 2, Astor Camp visits Harden; April 6, Urell to Lawton; April 10, Harden to Dewey; April 15, Miles to Urell; April 20, Pettit to Astor; April 24, Lawton to Miles; April 28, Dewey to Pettit; May 4, Astor to Lawton; May 7, Urell to Harden; May 8, Lawton to Dewey; May 12, Miles to Pettit; May 18, Dewey to Astor; May 20, Pettit to Urell; May 22, Harden to Miles; June 1, Harden to Lawton; June 4, Pettit to Harden; June 12, Astor to Dewey; June 15, Miles to Astor; June 17, Lawton to Urell; June 23, Urell to Pettit; June 26, Dewey to Miles; Sep- tember 3, Dewey to Harden; September 17, Miles to Lawton; September 11, Pet- tit to Dewey; September 16, Harden to Urell; September 21, Lawton to Astor; September 22, Astor to Pettit; Septem- ber 25, Urell to Miles; October 5, Pettit to Lawton; October 9, Miles to Dewey; October 15, Lawton to Harden; October 19, Urell to Astor; October 21, Dewey to Urell; October 23, Astor to Miles; Oc- tober 27, Harden to Pettit; November 2, Dewey to Lawton; November 13, Urell to Dewey; November 16, Harden to As- tor; November 17, Lawton to Pettit; No- vember 18, Astor to Urell; November 19, Miles to Harden; November 27, Pettit to Miles, Ricbard J. Harden Camp met March 19, with Comdr. V. E. Watkins presid- ing. The death of Col. D. L. Rice, ho! orary member of the camp, was an nounced. Quartermaster T. A. Hudlow delivered an eulogy of Col. Rice. Jacob Orken spoke. E. T. Fitzhugh presented a brief case to the adjutant of the camp. ‘The following were mustered into the camp: Charles Wolf, William 8. de Luca, Charles F. Russell, James E. Bra- niff and W. A. Hipkins. Dept. Comdr. Benjamin F. Motley an- nounced the death of Senior Vice Comdr. in Chief Robert C. Ellsworth of Oregon and suggested that the charters | of the different camps of the U. 5. W. V. in the District of Columbia be draped for a period of 30 days. Remarks were made by Q. M. Gen. Jan®s J. Murphy and by Past Comdr. Jobn A. Gallagher. Dewey Naval Auxiliary met March 16 with the president, Ida P. Kimmerling. It was voted to hold & bazaar at North- east Masonic Temple April 10. Depart- ment President Bertha R. Cook and her staff made an official visitation.. The department president made an addre: A one-act playlet, under the dire tion of Ella Ford, was presented by members of the auxiliary. The depart- ment president was presented with a corsage bouquet by Dewey Auxiliary. Chief Ruler Mrs. A. Newland will pre- side and Mrs. L. Werden will act as hostess at the next meeting of the Lineal Society April 1. The carnation committee of the society will meet at the home of Mrs. Kathryn Baum, 736 Rittenhouse street, tomorrow evening, 3 “WAVE WABBLING” HIT Tightening its restrictions on “wave wabbling,” or deviations by broadcast- ing stations from their assigned wave lengths, the Federal Radio Commission proposes shortly to narrow the so-called frequency tolerance of all broadcasting stations from 500 to 50 cycles. In other words, where stations now may deviate 500 cycles on either side of their assigned channels, or 1,000 cycles in all, they would be restricted to 50 cycles, or a total path of 100 cyles. This advance in transmission tech- nique, commission engineers say, has been made possible by recent devel ments. The commission will confer here with engineers from the broadcasting industry at large on the matter on April 20. Under State Supervision No Endorsers On our liberal 20 monthly repayment plan. No indors:rs required. A strictly dignified and confidential service, Maryland ’Penonl Bankers, - e i e been ordered ! RADIO AMATEURS INGLUDE 86 WOMEN D. C. Well Represented in List—Eight Qualified as Commercial Operators. BY ROBERT MACK. Radio operating may be a man's game, but there are plenty of women who know their dots and dashes. Listed among some 18,000 radio amateurs of the nation are exactly 86 women who figure in the research and experimentation that goes forward in the upper reaches of the ether, unknown to the general public. This was dis- closed last week by William D. Terrell, director of radio of the Commerce De- partment, which licenses all operators. And besides these lady radio “hams,” as the amateurs are known, there are eight women. who have qualified as commercial operators. They hold licenses to operate radio apparatus aboard ships on the high seas or in the great transoceanic stations, as well as to monitor broadcasting stations. Ac- cording to Mr. Terrell, the number of woman amateurs is increasing steadily | because of the popularity of radio “tinkering.” All Amateurs Licensed. Because of the potential use to be made of amateurs in times of military necessity or other national emergencies, all amateurs in the country are licensed, Mr. Terrell said. The initial requirement is knowledge of the inter- national wireless telegraphic code to the point where these amateurs talk among themselves in channels reserved for them in the high frequencies, primarily by code, but many amateurs have improvised radio telephone sets en- abling them to carry on voice conver- sations. The amateurs are the real pioneers in radio. The short waves, now consid- ered so fabulously valuable, were ac- tually discovered by that hardy band of experimenters who are in radio for the fun of it. The cardinal requirement of the amateur is to accept no pecuniary return from his radio work. ‘The radio amateur is a technical per- son, and radio operating is a rigorous pastime. Consequently, it is rather unique hobby or work for & woman. Many amateurs, for example, build their own apparatus, and a well grounded knowledge of technical radio is necessary for the amateur to keep abreast of the art. All amateurs, as a prerequisite, belong to the American Radio Relay League, the national ama- teur organization. D. C. Woman Is Pioneer. The woman amateurs are widely scattered. One, Lily Osterback, is at Wasnessenski Island, Unga, Alaska. Perhaps the best known of the group is Miss Elizabeth M. Zandonini of Washington, who has been a member of the league virtually since it was organ- ized and who was its first woman mem- ber. The elght women holding commercial radio_operators’ licenses are L. Louis Crawford, Boone, Iowa; June W. Gul- lett, Meridian, Miss.; Mary T. Loomis, Washington, who conducts one of the first radio schools ever established; Lena I. Michelsen, Brooklyn; Barbara Russell, Washington; Anna Mae Ull- man, Seattle; Verna Alvis Welsh, Dal- las, Tex., and Elizabeth F. White, New leans. (Copyright, 1931, by the Consolidated Press.) g FRENCH RULES TIGHTENED France’s radio regulations, hitherto so lax that French broadcasting has created a serious European interference problem, are being tightened up by the postmaster general, who mot only is granting no more licenses for new sta- tions but is authorizing no station changes unless absolutely necessary. One of the interesting developments in French broadcasting is the fact that British advertising sponsors have been buying time on French stations in order to reach the English audience, all Brit- ish broadcasting being government owned and operated and free of adver- tising announcements. BRITISH DIC:I'ION HAILED “Radio announcers are better in Eng- land_than here,” the Brooklyn Stand- ard-Union reports former Federal Ra- dio Commissioner Henry A. Bellows as saying. Bellows gave as his reason the fact that British radio announcers are all honor graduates of Oxford and Cam- bridge. “The general public opinion,” opines’ the Broklyn newspaper, “probably is that our announcers are pretty good. Some of them talk too much in their announcing, but supposedly they have to read what some one else writes down for them. . .. But as to our announc- ers’ diction, we probably understand them better than we would some Ox- ford or Cambridge graduates.” bt Masts to Mark Station. Atop the new “Broadcasting House,” which the British Broadcasting Corpo- ration will occupy next Autumn, two radio masts 25 feet high are being built. It is explained they will not be used for broadeasting or reception, but are designed simply to distinguish the building from “a hostelry or treacle factory.” Waves Asked for Experiments. Proposing to conduct experiments in news_transmission between Washington and Detroit, using the radio typewriter invented by Glen W. Watson of De- troit, the United States Daily, news- paper devoted to affairs of the Federal Government,, has applied to the Fed- eral Radio Commission for authority to use a group of experimental wave- lengths between 30 and 40 meters. Sound Film Excerpts Linked. Sound-on-films furnished a _novel broadcast feature from the British Broadcasting Corporation’s studios re- cently when excerpts from six British and American sound films were linked together by announcements and run off before the microphone. Songs and scenes from various talking pictures ished the Test this carburetor for any- thing youwant...power...pick-up .smoothness...econ- omy. When lyou complete your tests, you’ll know why thou- sands of motorists say: “nothing can equal the performance of the new Winfield.” CREEL BROTHERS 1811 14th N.W. DE. 4220 s A B e i 5 S B B A i . | | | Behind the Microphone BY THE RADIO EDITOR. OME talkies will soon be on the market in a big way, and in their wake will come a new wrinkle in home entertainment called “read- ing machines” or “talking books.” Regarded as the natural pre- cursor of television, which must very nearly equal film reproduc- tions to be generally accepted by the public, talking motion picture apparatus for the home will be sold largely through radio dealers. Cameras with sound synchroniz- ing accessories will also be mar- keted, and feature films with sound accompaniments will be offered on a rental basis. “Talking books” are not yet ready to emerge from the acousti- cal laboratories which are produc- ing radios and the talking picture equipment, but they are definitely on their way. Voices reading full- length books, magazine and news- paper articles and other textual features are to be recorded on films or disks to be heard through a ‘“reading machine” interruption. The ‘“reading robot” idea was| inspired by a long-felt necessity among the blind, though its tre- mendous possibilities for general | gary and Haiti, that it may lead to instructional and entertainment |the long-awaited revival in musi- purposes are not being overlooked. | cal Such a device is technically prac- | Howard Barlow, ticable at the moment, but copy- right problems and the fact that the radio makers are now con- centrated on home talkies and radio improvements are holding back its emergence. Though some television ap- paratus is already on the market, and a dozen or more visual broad- casting stations are now offering regular programs, television is still regarded officially as an ex- erimental field for those who are echnically minded or interested in tinkering with that all- important development. Fortu- nately for the television experi- mentors, there are tens of thou- sands thus inclined. ‘To bring more satisfactory eye appeal to the audible in home entertainment, and also because the demand for radios has been markedly on the decline of late, some of the radio makers already closely identified with the motion picture industry are turning to the | home talkies to stimulate 1931-32 interest and sales. Some of the talking picture projectors will be incorporated in radio and phono- graph combinations. Relatively low price ranges are promised both for the original equipment and the rented film and disk subjects. The appeal will be both to de- votees of amateur photography and among prospective buyers of radio sets. “Film the antics and record the first lispings of your baby” and “take your own voice and screen tests” will be employed as slogans when the cameras and projectors come on the market. Several companies have already placed their equipment among distributors, but the big public splurge will come next Fall after the radio trade has viewed the apparatus of the various manu- facturers at their annual trade show in Chicago this June. Not much is being said publicly about the “reading machines,” but the laboratories are known to be busy on this device, a relatively simple adaptation of phonograph and talking film principles. One system, devised by Allen Canton, New York inventor, is being spon- sored by Morris 8. Frank, man- aging director of “The Seeing Eye,” an institution at Nashville, Tenn., devoted to training dogs as guides for the blind. It is simply a small amplifying system that speaks out recording from strips of an exceedingly thin film sub- stance which is rolled like a mo- tion picture reel, and one winding of which carries thousands of words. Not only books and spoken articles, dut full-length operas and lectures can be recorded for reproduction through an ampli- fying system not unlike a radio receiver, that can be manufac- tured and sold at a fairly small cost. The Canton system is one of a number of such devices now occupying the attention of sclentists. e e ANOTHER step in the develop- ment of the National Press Building in Washington as the Nation’s radio center was disclosed with the announcement last week of plans to establish there a permanent exhibit of the latest types of radio transmitting and accessory equipment. The organization, to be known as the National Radio Equipment STEWART WARNER 1931 SCREEN-GRID RADIOS HIGHBOY or LOWBOY $94.75 COMPLETE Less Our Liberal Trade-in Allowance Extra large allowance on this set brings its price down to current Midget prices. ALTERNATING OR DIRECT CURRENT 'WN Yuare $10 privens OKAY RADIO CO. 417 11th St 1760 Pa. Ave. that will| intone them for hours without | Exhibitors, is headed by Carl H. Butman, former secretary of the Federal Radio Commission. Ar- rangements have been made for ample space on the floor just below the offices of the Federal Radio Commission and the radio division of the Department of Commerce. ‘The exhibit is to show not only radio transmitters, but also such accessories as tubes, power sup- plies, speech input and amplifica- | tion equipment, calibration instru- | ments, apparatus required in re- cording and reproducing electrical transcriptions and also public ad- dress equipment. It is planned to maintain the exhibit primarily for the benefit| of broadcasters and other users of radio. It will afford these interests an opportunity to view at a con- venient location a comprehensive display of the latest developments in radio art. It is also intended to offer the convenience of its rooms as headquarters for radio visitors. e RADIO uses the music of so many different nations, drawing upon the resources of countries as far apart geographically and cultur- ally as Sweden and Japan, Hun- composition, according to maestro of a Columbia symphony orchestra. “Musical composition in the Occidental style is stagnant to- day,” Barlow says. “In Europe all| the great names of the present century are now appearing on works of minor importance. Even those who did great things seem to have passed the zenith of their creative power. This is true of de Falla, Stravinsky, Bela Bartok, Alban Berg, Prokofieff, Malipiero, Resrighl, and in England, Vaughan ‘Williams, Holst and Delius. “History shows that every so often, generally at intervals of | about a hundred years, some ex-| otic influence is brought to bear | on music and gives new life to it. | That is now overdue. If we could | get the quarter-tone influence into our music it would be a wonderful addition to our resources, opening up vast new fields of color. In- stead of 13 keys, major and minor, | we would have 26, major and| minor. “The effect of one school of | music Impinging on another was seen in the case of the Russians of the last century. They brought an Oriental touch to our music, iwhlch then was stereotyped on | certain lines, mostly worked out by the Germans. Their style of writing was cdmpletely unknown | in Europe and America before then. “Today there are at least three schools of music that we ow nothing at all about. These are the Chinese, Burmese and Hindu. They are based on entirely dif- ferent principles and use methods of which we have no conception. ‘To us a drum is a drum, and may be one of three or four kinds. To the Burmese it is one of several families of drums, each contain- ing 20 individuals, all of them so made as to produce overtones un- known to us. And cymbals can be made to talk if they are of the elaborate kind used in some East- ern countries.” Examination of the programs {Jlayed in one week on the Co- umbia network showed that com- posers of 25 different nationalities DERPENDABLE NEW DODGE CARS were represented, the majority belonging to Western Europe. Notable exceptions were Cuban and Haitian, Hawallan and Hebrew. Exotic music is introduced for special programs in order to pro- vide local color. In one case there was a story of explorers who journeyed into the wilds of Venez- uela, and some of the tunes of the Orinoco Indians were adapted for orchestral rendering. FOUR C. B. S. STATIONS T0 USE SAME BAND Tests of Network Synchronization Will Be Conducted Within Two Months. Determined to keep abreast of the times in all departments of broadcast- ing, the Columbia Broadcasting System invades the fleld of “network synchro- nization” with four stations, to operate experimentally on the same channel at the same time. Armed with authority from the Fed- eral Radio Commission to conduct the tests, Columbia plans to begin its syn- chronized programs during regular operating hours within two months. National Broadcasting Co. began its practical synchronization tests a week ago, with two of its affiliated stations in the East synchronizing with its two key stations in New York on alternating nights. ‘With synchronization, it is hoped that Broadcasting’s worst problem—Ilack of room in the broadcast band—will be solved. The feat is to operate more than one station on the same channel at the same time with no objectionable interference and with the ultimate pos- sibilit, of great networks of stations operating on the same channel. In the Columbia tests four stations of moderate power will operate simul- taneously on the regional channel of 1430 kilowatts. No connecting land lines or control circuits will be em- ployed, the secret lying in a unique system of precise frequency control. N. B. C.’s experiments, to continue & month, are being watched closely by engineers of the Radio lon and thus far they have not been par- ticularly successful. The commission will monitor the Columbia tests also. ‘The stations to participate in the Co- lumbia _experiments are: WHP, Harris- burg, Pa.; WCAH, Columbus, Ohio; WHEC, Rochester, N. Y., and WOKO, Albany, all of which carry Columbia programs. Each station is licensed for 500 watts during evening hours, and special equipment for frequency adher- ence, costing $1,800 per station, will be installed. WHP and WCAH now are dividing time during evening hours on 1,430, while WHBC and WOCO divide evening time on 1440 kilocycles. All | four stations will operate on 1,430 at the same time in all experiments. — Dances for charity are being held in the court house at Rathfriland, Ireland. MOTOR OIL. "BEST OIL IN THE WORLD" The super quality in Autocrat Motor Oil as- sures you of supreme per- formance—more miles of safe lubrication per fill! To fully appreciate Autocrat quality, however, you should use straight —have your erank case drained and refilled with clean new Autocrat. AND Folks Behind BY THE RADIO EDITOR. The Microphone LAYING radio’s bad boy is grea$ fun for Alfred Corn, 14 years old, who is familiar to radio listeners as Sammy, mischievous “Smart Alec” in the “Rise of the Goldbergs,” an N. B. C. comedy fea- ture. Sammy fits easily into the role of the young son of a Jewish family, which jumps socially from the East Side of New York to the highbrow Park avenue section. He bosses his little sister, talks back to his parents and in general stirs up trouble. Alfred is the son of Dr. and Mrs. M. Corn of New York. His parents found interest in amateur theatricals and the boy felt this in- fluence. At the age of 10 he appeared in school plays. Later he found himself playing the role of “Curly” in Altoell Qors Eva La Gallienne's 1928 production of “Peter Pan.” He also played on the road with the show. In the Summer of 1929, Mrs. Corn sought an audition for Alfred at the N. B. C. studios. Madge Tucker of the production department, immediately placed him in various juvenile programs. Alfred has played his part in “The Rise of the Goldbergs” since that show's premiere in November, 1929. He also has played in the vaudeville presenta- tion of ‘the sketch. * x x x ELLMUT H. HELLMUT'S first broadcast to his German home- land via N. B. C. facilities was quite a success. It was sent out from the Statue of Liberty and was heard clearly throughout Germany. Hellmut seems to know how to put over his story of scenes in America to which he re- ferred as “noisy.” His style is some- thing like that of Graham McNamee. * x ox ok THE date for Helen Keller's radio ap- pearance on the Columbia net- T &Tkg:‘chLrgz at 11:30 am. e Columbia concert programs are be extended through April. Paul Du- mont, who is remembered as one of the end men in the former Saturday night minstrels on N. B. C, has been assigned to the announcer’s staff of that network. Since the minstrels left the air last year, Dumont has been de- voting his time to the production de- partment. Radio Popular in Florida. Of the 377,823 families in Florida, 58,446, or 155 per cent, have radios, according to the State radio census compiled on April 1, 1930, by the Cen- sus Bureau and made public this week. You will drive longer upon AUTOCRAT than you have ever dared to drive upon any other oil, and it drains from the crankcase with all the “look” and “feel” of an oil that has gone hardly 100 miles. AUTOCRAT—THE OIL THAT 1S DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS Beware of Substitutes Try Autocrat the next 1 you need oil, and judge advantages for yourself. At the Better Dealers earndifinl Six Sedan $845. Five wire wheels at no extra cost Safe Mono-Piece Steel Bodies . . . Safe Weatherproof Hydraulic Brakes . .. Longer Wheelbases . . . Heavy Double-Drop Frames . . . 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