Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-27
CHAINS COMPLETE
INAUGURAL PLANS.
Radio Audience Promised
Vivid Word Pictures of
Ceremonies Monday.
BY MARTIN CODEL.


Inauguration radio plans have about
been completed and the broadcasting
networks are promising the radio audi
cnce q vivid and full word picture of
the ceremonies here next Monday from
the start to finish The rival chains
have arranged for the most elaborate
spot" coverage of any event in his
tory not even barring the memorable
Lindbergh reception and the more re-
cent political convention broadcastS.
Both the National Broadcasting Co.
and Columbia Broadcasting System are
sending full forces of announcers. Their
plan is to tell the whole story from the
time the HooVerS pay their respects to
the CoolidgeS at the White House in the
morning until the time the announcerS
broadcast the inaugural charity ball,
with its five military and civilian bands
and orcheStras playing collectively and
separately we'll beyond midnight.
Everything ION the air" next Mon
day will appertain to the Inauguration.
FOR the two chains will link more than
100 member and nOn-member stations
throughout the United States and Can
nda. The outside world will pick up the
program through the magic medium of
the far-reachng short waves.
Weather and radio conditions per-
hitting. even the movements of the
magnificent fiotilla of Army, Navy and
civilian aircraft flying along the line Of
the Inauguration parade will be de-
scribed from the air. Both chains have
arranged to send aloft announcers,
whose voices will be transmitted on
short waves, picked up by ground moni-
tor stations and relayed through the
networks for rebroadcasting-the first
Nation wide broadcaSts on record Of
voices from the clouds.
Voices From Clouds.
Columbia's aeronautcal broadcaster
Till be Sam Packard, its newly named
vice president The former member of
the Federal Radio Commission from
Kansas is a wartime pilot who was
shot down in battle in France. and he
will describe the inaugural scene as he
sees it from Navy torpedo plane. The
National Broadcasting Co. will place
Paul DumOnt, announcer. aboard one of
the Army's non-rigid dirigibles to tell
what he sees below.
From points of vantage, anneuncers
and political experts will tell what is oc-
curing through the long program. The
N. B. c. will have a central control
panel, where lines can be switched to
bring in the voices from one point or
lumbia Broadcasting System will be
handled by Henry A. Bellows, former
radio commissioner and practical broad
caster in charge of Columbia's arrange
ments.
The program will probably begin
around IL am. Graham McNamee will
watch the morning callers at the White
House for the N B. c. probably Will
liam Hedges of Chicago will be stationed
in similar post for Columbia. When
the President-elect's party leaves the
White House for the Capitol. the scene
will be switched to the Senate chamber,
where David Lawrence will describe the
swearing in of Vice President Curtis
for the N. B. c. chain. while Frederic
William Vile, Washington correspond
ent, VIII narrate the events for the CO.
lumbia chain.
Taft to Give Oath.
Then the controls Will bring in the
ceremony before the Capitol plaza, where
vast throng will see Chief Justice Taft
read the oath Of Office to Herbert Hoo
yer, while an audience of millions will
hear these words and the words of the
new Presidents inaugural address via
radio. Norman Brokenshire, who de-
scribed the 1924 inaugural, the first
network broadcast of the historic quad
rennial occasion, will be at the micro
phone for the Columbia system and
Milton Cross will announce for the
n. B. c.
The Inauguration parade follows,
President Hoover and his party passing
the Peace Monument and swinging into
Pennsylvania avenue followed by a four
mile parade. All along the line the an
rouncers Of both chains will be at
mikes" to describe the colorful pageant.
Graham McNamee will be heard again
as the parade passes the Treasury
Building, with John Daniel taking turns
at the mike" Ralph Wentworth will
De at the mike" for Columbia.
1t is expected that the parade will
not end until about 4 pm, and relief
MI be furnished from the tedium that
may ensue through speeches by notables
in public life, either during or after the
pageant. The N. B. C. has not an
nounced those who will speak on its
program but Columbia announces SEN
ator James Watson, probably the next
Senate floor leader. Judge Ira E. Rob-
inson. chairman of the Federal Radio
Commission, and Miss Belle Sherwin.
president of the National League of
Women Voters. among others.
The social side of the inaugural will
be taken up over the two systems at
10 or IL pm. Phillips Carlin will be in
charge of the N. B. c., as announcer.
describing the arrival Of notables In the
Government and diplomatic corps at
the inaugural ball Columbia has Sc
cured as its chief announcer Mrs. Elsie
Mccormick, daughter of Mark Hanna
and newly elected Congresswoman from
Illinois. who will describe the gowns of
the women and the pageant Of the ball
CCopyriRht, 1929, hy North American News