Evening star., 1925-02-02
MORE USE Of RADIO
URGED ON COOLIDGE
President Should Make Reg
ular Talks to People Over
s Air, Proposal States.
BIZ FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


Nineteen hundred and twenty FIVE
destine dincomparably to be radios
banner year may witness the regular
use OF the air by the President of the
United States for communication with
the Nation. Concrete proposals 10
that end have been made in Washing
ton. They are tribute alike to
Calvin Coolidges acknowledged hit
as a hroadcaster and to radio as an
ideal means of contact between the
White House and the people.
The suggestions in question are to
the effect that the President should
take the air" at more or less fire.
quent and fixed intervals. Once a
month is proposed. The theory is
that Mr.. Coolidge should not wait for
intermittent programmed public ap-
pearance in Washington or elsewhere
but face the microphone in his study
At the White House to discuss "the
state of the Union" with the Nation
whenever occasion suggests itself.
Antipathy Is Conquered.
High Government officials declare
UnreServedly that the idea has merit
and. from the standpoints of both
President and public, immeasurable
advantages. Some officials believe
the idea appeals strongly to Mr.. Cool
idge. He a one time was bored b.
radio. His antipathy has been con-
cucred by his success as broad
caster. Despite his marked New
England drawI, the Presidents voice
has been found to possess rare radio
timbre. Experts say it cuts through
with amazing clearness. Men far
more noted for platform eloquence
and delivery do not begin to get
over" by radio as Mr. Coolidge does.
The Presidents avoidance of ora
torical tricks materially enhances his
hroadcasting effectiveness. So do his
short sentences. Radio is of little
value for ranting spellbinders. CAL
vim Coolidge neither rants nor spell
binds. Nor is he at all addicted to
swings around the circle. as other
Presidents have been. Radio makes
presidential speechmaking tours un-
necessary. 1t saves time and money.
That makes it more than ordinarily
attractive to Mr.. Coolidge
Biggest Hook-Up Planned.
On March the Presidents in
augural address will be broadcast
across the country on the most ex-
tenSive "hook-up" system radio has
Vet attempted On November 3. 1924
the night before election, Mr.. Cool
idge's final campaign speech was sent
: {
stations, to that date the greatest
number on record. Next month, when
he Is inducted into the presidency on
the steps of the Capitol, so or 81
stations will be hooked up. Such links
are unusual now. They are forged
only for extra ordinary occasions. But
it will not be long before the
American Telephone & Telegraph
Co. and the Radio Corporation
of America will have competing
cross-country broadcasting circuits
Then it will be possible for the Presi-
dent or for any public man or artist
to be heard by the Nation, not ex-
ceptionally, but regularly. 1t ts that
time which those authorities have in
view who want Mr.. Coolidge to take
the air" and commune with the peo-
pie as often as public affairs or his
convenience make it feasible.
The President and public men gen.
orally are finding the reaction to
radio addresses more immediate and
more extensive every day. Brass
tack speeches like the ones Mr.. Cool
idge and Gen. Lord, director of the
budget, made on the night of jan
uary 26 inundate them with letters
and kilograms of appreciation. The
White House mail bag always bulges
a day or two after Coolidge has
been ION the air" The talks sink in,
where ordinarily delivered speeches,
for some reason, don't seem to.
They create a demand to see the
speeches in type, too, in order that
they may be more thoroughly di-
gested. 4 member of the cabinet
made a campaign radio speech on
public ownership last Autumn. Lis
teners-in demanded copies of 1t SO