Evening star., 1926-06-06
Radio and Oratory.

Tn his remarks AT the National Ora
torical Contest in this city on Friday
night Vice President Dawes stressed
a point with regard to the relationship
between oratory and radio that de-
serves thoughtful consideration In
these times of universal use of wire
less" communication. The radio, he
torical style. In former times the
speaker addressed his hearers direct.
ly. and his personality and manner
nf delivery wrought their effect upon
them. Crowds of people assembled to
hear an orator We're affected by intona-
tjons, infections, gestures and the psy-
Geological influence of the speaker.
lFe appealed to their emotions rather
than 10 their reason and judgment.
1te swayed them rather than per-
Suaded them. Now, with the audi
epce in the greater part separated
from him and the members of it sep
arated from one another, the orator
using the radio loses the effect of di-
son to reach and influence the judg-
ment of his hearers.
so widespread is the use of the radio
today that. for every one who hears a
speaker directly there are hundreds,
thousands perhaps. who hear him
through 'the air." His audience has
been multiplied many times by this
wonderful device. Last night, for eX-
ample, i'm addition to the thousands
who sat in the Audit orium in this city
and heard the seven young speakers
discuss the Constitution in various as
poets. there were probably millions
who heard them by radio.
Yet. in all probability oratorical
STYLES will not change materially.
Whether speaker talks directly 70
All audience or through a microphone
to a multitude of unseen hearers he
Will remain true to type, he will use
his voice to its best effect, will phrase
has sentences for climaNes. will dwell
upon harmonious combinations of syl-
iables. Nor will plane matter-of fact
utterances, the most profound truth,
be as effective over the radio as the
eloquent form of statement. Figura-
tive language, classical allusion, sug-
eestion of familiarity with history and
poetry will remain the stock in trade
of the speaker, whatever his medium
of communication.
There is one advantage. however.
which the radio offers. The person
who has a message to deliver. but who
has no oratorical qualifications. who
cannot make a Speech" can read
his words before a microphone and
reach the understanding and perhaps
evoke the sympathies of his hearers
There are some who cannot talk on
their feet" before an audience, to
whom the array of faces in front is
paralyzing. whose tongues cleave to
a few remarks" They have sound
thoughts, they have perhaps vitality
important things to say, but they sim.
ptN cannot express themselves before
those visible hearers. They cannot
establish sympathetic connections with
their auditors. Before the microphone
they are not embarrassed by the
Argus eyes focused upon them, and
their facts and their logic so forth to
their unseen listeners without impedi.
ment or imrairment by nervous inhibi.
tions.
-Oratory is not lost art. II will
never die. 1t will be always with us.
always potent and whether supple.
mented by radio or not it will remain
a powerful influence in the affairs of
men. The radio may cause some
change of style, but will not still the
silver tongues of those who are bv
nature blessed with this rare gift.