The Washington times., 1927-12-27

sections. Interference was as
usual and fading just a bit
more so.
OF the several things that i'm.
pressed themselves indelibly on the
pages of radio history over the
happily spent holiday. none was
greater In its artistic achievement
than the presentation Sunday eve.
ming of 1.-THE Greatest Gift" a
very simple version of the season
of rejoicing, the Nativity. No mat
ter what ones religious state Of
mind or how seriously one may
take his drama as radio entertain.
ment, the production of this simple
story of the birth of the Christ was
an achievement that made the few
moments of its presentation n
time apart for all other periods the
loud speaker was in operation.
In "The Greatest Gift" the au-
thor, William Ford Manley, and
the producer, Gerald Stopp, reached
a climax in their work that is sci.
dom surpassed, no matter where
drama Is produced. 1t was a gem
of drama, of presentation and of
broadcasting, and by far the great
est thing that came to us in three
evenings of many excellent produc-
tions. The work of Emma Dunn.
the famous stage star, in the part
of the inn keepers wife, was the
best Of the three characters of the
perfectly developed. But the drama
ft.k
stars of the performance.
THREE NIGHTS
OF ENTERTAINMENT
One might devote many words
and columns of space to the Christ
mas Eve carol service, the excellent
way Jessica Dragonette recreated
the fine music of Babes in Toy
land" the great singing of the
Christmas mass by the choir of
Sacred Heart, the good concert of
the Weymouth Band with its most
unusual and satisfactory announce.
ments, the gaity of Golfers Review
and the fine singing of the quartet
in the Atwater Kent exercises. But
the list is too long-and most Of
us have our own favorite memories
Of the concerts and talks. How
ever
The outstanding thing we heard
last evening was the talk of Fran
els st. Austell, president of the
Iowa Radio Listeners League, and
his advice to listeners to utilize
their power to get better radio re-
ception and better radio programs
is a thing that might be given
most careful consideration. The
Same fingers that tune out poor
programs with disgust can grasp
a pen or punch the keys of a type.
writer for the purpose of telling
the broadcasters what Is thought
OF them and their efforts.
Like everybody else-when the
last Christmas package was open
and the last card scanned, we had
Just moment OF regret-regret
that we hadn't remembered the date
OF publication of a very striking
little essay by Bruce Barton. one
Of the best of our general syndi.
cate essayists, on the destructive
character of yessmen to the general
scheme of progress. We should have
sent a copy of that essay to the
NHOtOLc nea0S
Ito read along with the laudatorv
things they receive from their yess-
men.
Last nights prostitution Of good
music, a fine orchestra, an excellent
band and a singer with a very good
voice, under the General Motors
trademark, would offer us excellent
opportunity. We have seldom heard
better material so woefullv wasted
in a most uninspiring hodge-podge
OF a program than that which Gen
eral Motors sent to listeners last
evening.
Like Mr.. st. AustelI, of Iowa. we
are not in the least interested in how
much or how little a program costs,
but the accounting division Of Gen.
eral Motors will be interested some
OF these days and the waste of money
will probably appeal to it much more
than the waste Of talent and ma.
terial. 1t is this latter waste which
has so impressed itself On listeners
that now General Motors announce
ment is more or less OF a joke when
1t comes over the air--a joke to those
whose imagination In not so sensi-
tive that the humor is lost in the
genuine grief over the wreckage of
good music and the regulations of
the good musicians engaged to Jam
yair traffic with it.