Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-26

We hear that the famous scientist
Prof. j. L. PEBBLES, has invented q new
radio receiving set which shuts itself
off automatically at the sound of the
spoken human voice, but turns itself or
again at the impact Of a musical note
either instrumental or vocal.
This invention Of the noted English
man will be hailed by thousands who
have been waiting for such a revolu-
listeners Is divided broadly into two
huge classes-those who like speeches
and those who do not.
The members of the latter class
! hitherto have had the worst of it. Not
only have they been forced to listen
to radio announcers ad nauseum-at
least, so it was to them-but they have
been bored beyond expression by adver-
Users over the air and by speakers on
variety of topics.
In the past only a few abortivf
attempts have been made to mold con-
ditions nearer to the hearts desire OF
these listeners. There was one club, sc
we always have understood, which in
structed one of its boys to turn of the
set every time the announcer began and
to be sure and turn it on again when
he quit.
In the average home there could be
no hope of such a procedure. About
the only thing which could be done
was for some member of the family to
run over to the set and turn it off
then run back and turn it on. This
made radio almost as much of a
nuisance as the photograph with its
records.
The result was that the great body
of the American listening public ended
up by sitting quietly in its chairs and
permitting the huge flow of speeches,
addresses, announcements, boosts, music
and fun to go In one ear and out of the
other.
1t took its fun sandwiched in be-
tween what it had made up its mind
to tolerate for the sake of the remainder
But there was many a man and woman
who lamented although perhaps pri-
vately, that he had to listen to what
he was not interested in to get what
he was interested in.
y X
Now, no doubt this is like life itself
We have to put up with a great many
people we do not like in order to have
few friends; we must hear great
many popular songs before finding one
which really pleases us.
It is only fair to say for those who
do like the speaking voice over radio
that they like it very much. Some
listeners would much rather hear q
speech than eat, and the beauty of it.
from their standpoint, is that they can
do both at the same time. This is as
near to eating ones cake and having 1t
as a human being can get.
Yet to other radio listeners, many OF
whom might be classed as rabid fans, -
the human voice crates not only upon
the ears but especially upon their
nerves. The speech advocates are apt
to be uncharitable to this man, assert
ing that he does not know a good
thing when he hears 1t, etc.
The truth is that there may be any
number of good reasons why a radio
fan" does not care for speech. We
know Of one man who, at one period in
his life, attended so many banquets that
he was soured forever on the human
voice.
after-dinner speakers, so much horse
play (why does the poor horse have TO
be blamed for everything?) by toast
masters, that he has been utterly I'M
able to appreciate the sound of the HUI
man voice, especially male, since those
lamentable days.
This illustration Is enough to show
that there may be any number OF per-
fectly good reasons for one not liking
radio speaking. If any reasons or ex-
cuses were necessary: but the fact is
that in a thing so widespread as radio
broadcasting no one need present an
excuse, either for listening or not listen
ing, for liking one type of broadcasting
over another, for not liking certain
sort.
These are matters which are en-
tirely personal and private and there