Radio Digest (Nov 1930-Apr 1931)

22 years before we get so aged and wobbly we won't be able to enjoy Paris or climb the Alps. You'll find that of those artists in Radio today that were on the stage yesterday, many will continue their lax, easy come, easy go ways, but then they never could realize that there might be a rainy day in their lives." Cryptically replying to my questions, the clever author and actor of Sunday at Seth Parker's and Uncle Abe and David — Phillips H. Lord — showed the exact average of sixty per cent going into savings. Of this, buying a home takes 20 per cent of Lord's income, stocks take ten per cent, insurance ten per cent, and other savings total twenty per cent. "I believe," Lord said, "that the preparation for a 'rainy day' is all important, because — __ if it is not prepared for, it always hangs over one like a gloomy fog." Here's what another comedian — or perhaps I should say philosopher — believes about saving. You know him — Tony Cabooch of AnheuserBusch, whose right name is Chester Gruber. "You ask me, what I do with my money? Well, I've provided my family with a nice cozy bungalow furnished to a king's taste, bought ample insurance, and expect to offer my daughter Florence (recently graduated from high school) a college education. "By applying the gifts that God has so kindly blessed me with, I am receiving a princely compensation for my Radio work, and, you bet, I am getting a real kick out of life by helping my less fortunate brothers and sisters. Charity has always been my middle name, for I had many a hard knock in boyhood and know just how it is. "After all, I would rather help someone else than amass more material things than I really need. One of the most enjoyable pieces of work I ever did was broadcasting for the St. Louis Star Clothing Relief Fund last Christmas to get clothing, shoes, food and fuel for the poor. "Retire? Why I never expect to quit. When a man retires he doesn't live any more! The inspiration and cheer that I get from my fan mail keeps me in condition physically and mentally, and you can tell the world that 'Tony Cabooch' will keep 'pooshing 'em up' as long as they make Radios — and when a fellow receives over 3,000 letters in one day, well, would you quit?" No sir, Mr. Gruber, I certainly would not quit, especially if I was paid $1,500 a week, no sir! If your set pulls in the 50,000-watters, especially WENR, you know Mike and Herman, the Irish-German giggle squad represented out of the studio as Arthur Wellington and Jimmie Murray. One of the few budget reports I didn't tabulate was theirs. Upon adding up Mike's I found he was spending 265 per cent of his income and that Herman was doing Mike Mr. and Mrs. — Jo and Vi of Graybar fame, — are friends although (or maybe because) they're not married to each other. Here they are — Jack Smart and Jane Houston — counting their chickens. Sometimes they count 'em before they're hatched, too. about one hundred per cent better. Not being so good at higher mathematics, I couldn't reach those figures. However, Mike replied seriously, "When a man has reached my age, the thought uppermost in his mind is 'What is to become of me in my old age?'. The answer is to save your money, and you won't have to depend on charity or relatives — so little Arthur is saving, but, at the same time, giving a little." And his partner, Herman, said, "Every now and then Herman buys an umbrella for the 'rainy day', and he already has quite a jardiniere full of them — if his friends haven't borrowed them and forgot to return them." Enough of the comedians, philosophers and males. What about the lovely ladies? Let's ask Jessica Dragonette, prima donna of the NBC Cities Service Concert, and reported to be the highest paid in the business. How about it Jessica? "I don't own a home and am not contemplating buying one soon. My present circumstances are more conducive to 'chasing rainbows'. I think I am not exaggerating when I tell you that fifty per cent of my salary goes into study, which I consider excellent investment toward better work and fresh performances constantly. "Stocks? That's a painful subject at the present, but I'm an optimist and am spending more money now than ever before. "Clothes for studio and personal appearances are a big item. I dress for my Radio audience always, just as if they could see me, and I always take extreme care to look my best. I believe in insurance — especially for women, for they never have a man's point of view about money. "But the best investment is health and hard work. Everything else takes care of itself— with, of course, slight exceptions." Which statement proves that the ladies, bless them, have a lot of expenses we males don't have to worry about. Here's Mary Charles, of CBS. Let's ask her what she does with her money. "I save mine," Mary answered. "I even have a small coin bank at home and keep it near my telephone so that I can drop in an occasional nickel. It helps to pay the telephone bill. I also have a checking and savings account, that works this way. I save my pennies, but am inclined to spend large sums without thinking. You know — pennywise and dollar foolish." A, .FTER looking over Jessica Dragonette's and Mary Charles' budget schemes, I decided to keep them out of the "averaging". It would look bad for the thrift of the airshots. But Mary Hopple has a plan. Here it is, in her own words : — "For a year or more I've been saving dimes. I don't know how much I have saved in that time, but it has come to this: If I ever let a dime go out of my hand, I'm sure I'd have to be unconscious. If ten cents have to be