Radio Digest (Nov 1930-Apr 1931)

32 the Salvation Army committee a huge sum for the privilege of sponsoring this broadcast. "The roster of speakers who have been heard in these efforts to alleviate the lot of the unemployed includes the names of people who are nationally prominent. ExGovernor Alfred E. Smith, Owen D. Young, Seward Prosser, Arthur H. Lehman, Colonel Arthur Woods, Thomas W. Lamont, His Eminence Patrick Cardinal Hayes, Grantland Rice, George Gordon Battle, Lady Baldwin, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Gerard Swope and numerous others have spoken. * * * Similarly the Columbia Broadcasting System reports as follows: JJROADCASTING time worth approximately $100,000 has been contributed to the cause of unemployment relief by WABC and associated stations of the Columbia Broadcasting System during the last two months, it is revealed by a survey of this voluntary service just completed. "A total of nearly ten hours of Columbia's most valuable periods on the air, ranging in installments from the three and a half hours devoted to the coast-tocoast broadcast of the Army-Navy football game for the Citizens' Committee of the Salvation Army to five-minute periods used by local relief agencies, has been donated by the system to help the unemployed since the national drive to better conditions started. "Men and women of national prominence have been enabled to voice appeals for aid for the cause through the cooperation of Columbia, among them Secretary of War Hurley, Secretary of the Navy Adams, former Governor Alfred E. Smith, Mrs. August Belmont, Senator Dwight W. Morrow and many others." * * * In Chicago practically all stations contributed liberally with time and talent. One of the first reports received by Radio Digest was from WLS, the Prairie Farmer station. It reads as follows: J\. CHARITY Radio circus and barn dance for the relief of Chicago's unemployed was staged by WLS, the Prairie Farmer station to an overflow crowd, at the International Livestock Show amphitheater, in Chicago's stockyard district. "Because a Radio station like WLS serves not only the rural people, but the city folks as well, Prairie Farmer has launched this type of benefit show to relieve a metropolitan situation," stated Edgar L. Bill, director of WLS. "In past years with certain critical periods of suffering among the people of the midwest, WLS has turned its facilities entirely to the task of securing help from those individuals more fortunate. "A total of more than $365,000 has been raised by this station during such work. This has been turned to the relief not only of such national emergencies as the Mississippi flood, but also to local conditions." Seats for more than 15,000 spectators were available in the giant amphitheater. An admission charge of 25 cents was made, all the proceeds going to charity. Beginning at eight o'clock the parade of talent before the audience and the WLS microphones brought some twelve staff acts, a male octet, two quartets, two old-time dance bands, a girls' trio, and a brass band. Among the popular Radio stars appearing during the entertainment were Hiram and Henry, comedy songsters; the Maple City Four quartet, Rube Tronson and cowboy fiddlers, Arkansas Woodchopper, yodler; Renfro Valley Boys, instrumental duo; Doc Hopkins, old-time ballad singer; the Cumberland Ridge Runners, fiddle band; the Little German Band, Hal O'Halloran, barn dance announcer; Swift Rangers, Ralph Emerson, organist; John Brown, pianist; Steve Cisler, chief announcer; Marching Men, male octet; Charley Stookey, farm program announcer; the Chicagoettes, girls' trio; and Eddie Allan, harmonica player. In the center of the big arena a stand was erected for the broadcasting. Decorated with shocks of corn, bales of hay, and farm machinery it lent atmosphere to the barn dance setting. This stand was flanked on either side by two large wooden dance floors where eight picked couples performed the old square dances. A loud speaker system was hooked up to carry the music and talk to every spectator. Our Chicago correspondent investigated the leading stations in that city and found that all were on the firing line. Radio Station WENR contributed both cash and time. It delivered $7,000 in cash to the relief of unemployed and time equivalent to $5,400, making a total of $12,400. The Daily News station, WMAQ, in a series of 15 day and night programs contributed time rated at $12,000. Stations WIBO, WGN, WBBM, KYW with others have put the total well over $100,000. In Detroit Mr. B. G. Clare writes as follows : M< .ORE than $22,500 worth of broadcast time has been donated by the five Detroit Radio broadcast stations in the interests of aiding unemployment, it has been revealed by a close check. "Station WMBC, owned and operated by the Michigan Broadcasting Company, leads the field with approximately $15,000 worth of time donated during the past 18 months. Relief of unemployment was the aim and ideal of the late "Jerry" Buckley, whose nightly broadcasts and political comments are said to have caused his death at the hands of unknown gunmen. The WMBC fund is known as the Jerry Buckley memorial, presided over by Mayor Frank Murphy and two prominent Detroit business men. According to Reg Clark, station manager, approximately $10,000 in cash has been received up to the Christmas holidays, and more than $20,000 worth of food and clothing sent in to aid the cause. "WJR, the Goodwill station of Detroit, during the past few weeks has donated about eight hours of time on the air, at a value of $700 per hour. A midnight broadcast was given on Wednesday, December 17th, with an appeal for funds to be directed to the station. More than $2,100 was pledged by the listeners. Altogether, close to $2,500 has been contributed by followers of WJR." One of the most optimistic responses to the Radio Digest's line of inquiries came from E. H. Gammons, vice-president of the Northwestern Broadcasting Co., WCCO, Minneapolis. He writes: W E ARE very happy to say that as yet it has been unnecessary for WCCO to make any particular appeal for relief for the unemployed, for the conditions in Minneapolis are probably the best of any point in the country as far as unemployment and actual poverty are concerned. Our Community Fund drive, which takes care of all charities here, went over its mark this fall by more than $150,000. Business is good out here and we aren't crying." Reports fromWGAR, WJAY, WTAM and WHK, Cleveland, and WLW-WSAI, Cincinnati, indicate that this and other Ohio city broadcasting stations have been on the alert and actively engaged in fortressing that sector. The same may be said of the St. Louis area where Harry L. Ford says that all stations are contributing time and talent as well as cash. Tony Cabooch, who is heard nationally, from KMOX, has not only been broadcasting but driving around the city picking up bundles for the poor. One thousand KWK listeners were marshalled to provide assistance to one thousand needy persons — that was a real Radio army. On the Pacific Coast our Dr. Ralph L. Power says that broadcasting has raised about $100,000 for the unemployed. He reports that conditions are apparently not so severe as in the East. All stations from Seattle to San Diego, however, are either donating time or have offered their services. Thus the greatest weapon for peace or for war has gone through the first test of its power fulfilling all and more than the fondest expectations of its friends. Radio is "doing its bit".