Radio Broadcast (Nov 1923-Apr 1924)

276 Radio Broadcast AN INSULATOR S VIEW OF ANN APOLI Taken from the top of one of the towers of the ment transatlantic radio telegraph station precise work. The Bureau of Standards will soon publish results on the frequency of other stations, as soon as sufficient observations have been made to justify their estimate of probable error. Once You Hear Them Speak . . . ON SEVERAL occasions lately we have had demonstrations of the great possibilities of radio broadcasting in forming and influencing public opinion. Just before Lloyd George sailed for England after his circuit of the United States and Canada he was tendered a farewell dinner by the Lotus Club, in New York, where many of America's leaders were present to do honor to Great Britain's best known citizen. In responding to the welcome given him, Lloyd George expressed again, as he had done repeatedly in his many talks in various parts of the country, the importance of unity of ideas and ideals of the two great English speaking peoples. He regarded, so he said, the intertwining of the two flags in the banquet hall as the most helpful sign on the horizon for the future of the world, there being in his mind, of course, the tremendously complex and discouraging situation in Europe with its conflicting and antagonistic interests. The master of our steel industry, Charles M. Schwab, in commenting upon Lloyd George's idea of the intertwined flags, acknowledged the importance of the idea they symbolized, but said he regarded as much more important the S, MD. Govern (NSS) presence in America of Lloyd George himself. For the message he could bring to our people and deliver by word of mouth was a far more potent agency in cementing the friendship of America and Great Britain than the mere intertwining of flags. And surely all those who heard Lloyd George would agree with Mr. Schwab; the dynamic force behind the argument and exposition of the War Premier stirred everyone. It is evident that some means must be provided to let such messages be heard by as many Americans as possible; the spoken word is so much more appealing than the next morning's press version of what the speaker said, absorbed between sips of breakfast coffee. The press now is more mighty in spreading information, but it is written on the wall that the spoken word will soon supplant it as the primary agent in forming public opinion. This spoken word will be carried by radio waves. On the eve of Armistice Day, thousands of Americans heard their ex-Chief Executive deliver that stinging rebuke, meant to arouse the indignation of those who might influence our government to give more thought to Europe's problems. So faithfully was the radio transmission that one could not help picture, behind that trembling and hesitant voice, the broken man who had but a short time before been the world's leading figure. His voice was passionate with appeal and condemnation. Those who listened to him were impressed by the tremendous earnestness with which this man had pursued his ideals. Whether or not we believe in his arraignment of our government's inaction and aloofness, we must acknowledge radio as the medium for conveying messages of this sort to the people. The appeal of type is as nothing compared to that of the spoken word when delivered in the manner used by Mr. Wilson on the evening of Armistice Day. By the help of radio, the mere whisper as it comes from the lips of the speaker covers vast spaces of our country . Each of us feel then more directly in touch with those we have elected to guide our country's policies.