The Washington times., 1924-04-21
|ROmping Around
the
Radio Dial
BY Listner.In-

There seems to be no sphere Of
human endeavor out of reach of
the tyranny CT circumstance.
Last night we listened, a little
regrettully, a little unhappily. to
the greatest imbressario of the sir
as he strove to blot out an incident
that had ruffled his temperament@l
being.
Circumstance had let it's bIudgeon
fall on Roxy, md a bruise was left.
Roxy applied the salve of exoner-
alton dramatically and easily. 1t
took only a sweeping denial that
the incident ever occurred-a denial
that was well staged and well
executed.
We 1.-THE young man on The
Washington Times" who accept the
cruelties of circumstance DIS in.
evitable and refuse 10 give much
concern to them-are now inclined
to wonder why Roxy, whom we
greatly admire. did not take up the
incident and ehdeaVor to smile il
Off rather than to deny it away.
After all, 1t was a trivial affair
at hest. A few harsh words that
somehow or ether got on the air
and which. from their nature, We
took az coming from the little
genius Of brOadcasting.
We put it down to the tempera-
mentality Of the artist, character
istic we had always recognized in
Roxy. The Roxy of the mocrophone
suffered not enc whit in our esti-
nation.
1t was an incident we had pre-
ferred not EeGring, but one we
realized might be expected.
The official denial as to the au-
thorship of the words now has been
broadcast. A former denial of Roxy
was published in this column Fri
day. 1t has been suggested that an
enemy of Roxy's down in the power
house perpetrated the calumny.
Thus let it be.
And let's so on with our work,
both Roxy and ourselves.
The air needs more of RoXy's
talents and less of his temperament.
Although we had expected Roxy
TO play Tor a bit last night on an
Easter theme, we were not disap-
pointed in his new studio-warming
program.
Betsy Ayres' 1.-THE Sweetest Story
Ever Told" was to us one of the
sweetest songs ever sung. We
thought we felt in it the diction of
Roxy, although the voice was that
Of Betsy.
A little unhappy, but still, at heart,
A Roxy full of the spring;
He entrusted the words he wanted
To Betsy, for her to sing.
Peter Narrower, Peter the
Great" returned in a solo part after
an absence all too long.
A magnificent voice for the re-
cital or opera stage and, if pos
sible, more magnificent for the
broadcasting studio, we often have
wondered why Roxy, so quick to
appreciate what others like, allowed
1t to remain so much in the shadow
of his Capitol quartets.
Another real attraction was added
to the gang in the introduction Of
the Freeman Sisters, Marjorie and
Mildred, who sing together nightly
like the Duncan Sisters and that
other pair, the TriX Sisters, a team
that started on American vaudeville
boards and suddenly found its place
IL London.
We also hailed the return of Vic
Arden and Phil Gilman after an
absence OF a week.
We are puzzling over a title for
their new piece that will win
ltoxy's prize. So far, Roxy, all wa
can suggest Is, 1.-THE Name Makes
No Difference; It's Good"
A Droadcasting Triumph.
The broadcast of the Madriaal
ChoiF's Easter choruBes Saturday
night was an achievement not only
in the selection Of voices but in the
mechanical transmission OF blended
harmony.
Let the genius that placed the
nicrophonss inform the country'r
broadcasters how II was done.
! There have been many brillia nj