Evening star., 1927-10-18
P|CKARD TOPUSH
RADIO FOR ARM
New Member of Federal
Council Is Well Suited
to the Post.

The problem Of radio reception on
@he farm will receive renewed at
tention with the appointment OF sam
Pickard. a Kansan, to succeed henry
A Bellows as a member or the ted
eraI Radio Commission. Presldent
Coolidge has indicated that the seiec-
ton of a successor to the late Com
missioner Dillon of California is I'M
minent, so that the disturbed radio
Situation of the far Western States
also will soon be in a fair way to
solution.
Financial reasons alone dictated
the resignation of Mr.. Bellows, who
will return November ! to Minne-
apolis to resume directorship or sta
ton WCCO. 1t was comparatively
easy to find a successor for his post
as representative of the fourth radio
zone in Mr.. Pickard, who has been
acting as secretary of the commits
sion since it's inception and who
knows the Middle Western radio sit
uation thoroughly. But 1t has been
considerably more difficult to get a
man to handle the task in the fifth
zone, which embraces the States west
Of the Rockies.
Work Is Satisfactory.
President Coolidge made it plain
eminently satisfactory, and those
who have watched the workings of
the commission since it was created
last March. attest to his industry,
vigor and clear comprehension of the
radio problem sectionally and in the
whole Nation. But, Mr.. Bellows, un =
confirmed by the Senate because or
the closing hour filibuster last session.
has been unable to draw any part
of his salary of $4,000 for the hrst
year from the Government.
That was his reason for resigning
his post-that and the fact that the
commission next March draws Its sal
ary only on a per diem basis, which
will hardly be sufficient for man
without independent means. 1t was
fully anticipated that Mr.. Bellows
would be confirmed by the next SEN
ate, particularly in view of the splen-
did record and reputation he has
achieved since coming to Washington.
His confirmation now will be a mat
ter of routine, enabling him to draw
his salary for the eight months he has
served on the commission.
Herbert Hoover, a Californian, Will
be consulted in the selection Of the
representative of the West Mr..
Hoover has long been interested in
radio, and Col. Dillon was an ap-
pointee from the ranks Of his Depart
ment Of Commerce. 1t has been in.
dicated that probably a business man
will get the Western job instead of
another technical man. The radio act
directs that no member of the COM
mission may in any way be financially
affiliated with the radio industry.
Politics Secuted.
That politics has played small part
in the appointments has been indi-
Gated both by the original selections
for the commission and by the fact
that Mr.. Pickard has been chosen.
Mr.. Pickard, who is in his early 3Os,
came to Washington several years
ago to institute the farm radio service
of the Department of Agriculture. He
was brought from the Kansas State
Agricultural College by Secretary Jar
casting field, having managed Station
KASC. During the war he was an
aviator, and was wounded in combat.
Francis Wilson, the noted actor, will
be the guest star in the Eveready
hour, the salient feature Of the pro.
gram tonight of WRC.
The chief contribution Of Mr.. VIII.
son to this entertainment will be a
repetition Of an excerpt from rip
Van Wrinkle" which he presented so
successfully in an Eyeready hour last
Fall. In addition, he will enact a por.
ton Of his characterization Of the
equally reIoubtable Bob Acres from
Sheridan's ''The Rivals" and excerpts
from his own play, "The Bachelors
Baby" which ran for three years on
the road.
Aside from the Eveready hour,
WRC has scheduled a number of other
outstanding attractions. which include
the Sealy Air Weavers, the Radio Cav
alcade, Jimmie Rodgers, the popular
Southern singer, and the National
Players. who will give another Of their
tory" episodes. The historical Incl.
dent of this latter feature will be the
ride Of Phil" Sheridan, as immortaliz-
ed in the poem "Winchester-Twenty
Miles Away"
The weekly radio movie club and an
array Of other attractions, including
vocal and instrumental recitals and
talks. make UP the program tonight Of
WMAL. The movie club will feature
the De Marcos String Orchestra and
several vocal and instrumental artists.
The Villa Roma Club Entertainers,
the Washington Male Quartet, Bell
and Christie and Nation Boyce, con.
cert pianist, will provide some Of the
other attractions. The talks will be
given by K. A. Clark of the University
OF Maryland extension service, and
Capt. Harvey L. Miller, u. s. NJ. c.,
editor Of Our Navy Magazine.
Vocal, orchestra and instrumental
music, interspersed with a talk, will
be broadcast tonight by WTFF. The
station will be on the air from 8 to
about 10 o'clock.