Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-02

which comes pouring from the scores
Of broadcasting stations every night.
Take Me Back to Old Virginny''
goes roaring through the ether to stir
the innards or millions Of loudspeakers
into activity with enough vigor left to
slap itself against the faces of the
big mountains where there are no radio
sets to absorb it.
ME and the Man in the Moon" an
ungrammatical but catchy tune,
bounds into space from the vigorous
arms and lungs of vigorous young men,
and is instantly magnified by science
and electricity into startling proper
tons.
"All Of this is going on constantly
for my benefit" says the American
radio set owner. with awe in his voice.
Il must not miss a single note. I want
to get my moneys worth"
The joke of the matter Is that ex-
actly the opposite procedure must be
inoulged In. II the set owner Is actually
to get his moneys worth.
Every man of experience knows that
quality, not quantity. is what counts
in art. When 1t comes to money, and
base ball scores. and ringside receipts,
numbers score high, containing as they
do the essence Of the thing but in mat
ters OF art numbers give place to ar
rangement and a multitude of qualities
which have little If anything to do
with quantities.
1t is because radio broadcasts, as a
general thing. are composed of variety
OF musical programs, each in its kind
artistic. that no one can get the most
out of his radio by simply listening to
1t quantitatively.
The new way of listening to radio in
wolves. first of all. willingness to
cease being a pig with the cars. The
new type of listener realizes that, Just
as all work and no play made Jack a
dull boy. unlimited radio is too much OF
good thing.
BroadcaSts are on the air for almost
"a hours day. not so that every re-
ceiving set may be kept going for the
same length of time, but in order that
there will be something to listen to
whenever any one cares to tune in.
In typical American fashion the con-
sumner is left free to make his own
choice. If he wishes to make an aural
hog of himself, the broadcasting sta
tons are willing to permit him to go
the whole way.
If, on the other ear, he chooses to be
discriminating. and to turn on simply
what he really likes, this is his privi-
lege. Upon this latter listener, one
may we'll think. much depends. If radio
Is to avoid becoming the nuisance which
1t sometimes threatens to become.
To listen to radio the new way means
to respect it enough to leave it alone
entirely at times. and to listen to it
with discretion the remainder of the
time. BY such usage of the home radio
set the enthusiast kills two birds with
one stone, he neither gluts his neigh
bors with sounds nor surfeits himself
What booklover could stand to read
books 18 hours day, without ceasing,
day after day, month after month, year
after year? Even the most ardent golfer
would rebel at endless rounds Of his
favorite course.
Try listening to your radio Just as
you would go to favorite movie thea
ter, maybe three nights week, and see
if you don't enjoy the old set more
Try listening only to your favorite or
chestras, and letting the rest roll by.
The boys at the other end won't mind
they can't see you when you turn off
the set.