The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-11
RADIO BRIEFS

Unique among NEG musicians is Ellis McDiarmid, flutist, who de- scribes his instrument as a "coiumn Of hot air confined by silver cylin- der.' His Scotch wit is uneXcelled in broadcasting circles and he has brought many a rehearsal to tenn porary halt with his convulsing re- marks. Toured with Sousa for two years and played with Victor Her bert one season. Also played in sym phony orchestras but would rather be In hot siX-piece jazz band. His pet aversiOns is prohibition liquor. Gets big kick when playing Victor Herbert music under direction of Harold Sanford, who was with the Irish America composer for Is years. His mother was a profess sional pianist and McDiarmid start ed playing the flute at the age of nine. Finished the College of Music in Cincinnati when only sixteen and immediately procured a position with the Cincinnati Symphony orchestra. McDiarmid would stand good | chance of landing a commercial job as monologuist if he tried, but prob- ably would kid the client.
 One possible reason why they cracked the Liberty Bell was reveal ed in Philadelphia last Saturday night, one hundred and fifty-five years after the signing of the Dec laration of Independence.
 Floyd Gibbons just had finished telling an NEG audience about that event when, in the dark and hushed old cradle of liberty, he asked breathlessly for cab. He had few minutes to catch a train for New York.
 cab quick to Independence Hall" he told a girl at a taxi stand. 'Where?" she asked.
 Independence Hall" the guide repeated.
 Well, silly, where's that?" the young lady added.
 Gibbons missed his train.
 In the same place a year ago, ac- cording to the news files, mail carrier was shot and at first was re- ported to be a confederate soldier.
 The greatness of New York city still bewilders the Sisters of the Skillet, "female" purveyorS of uOHltotlC NiouoIll itdlu lOul week over NEG networks. We are just couple of small-town ln- diana boys who have come to the big city to make goods," they say.
 
 In a radiogram to NEG concern ing the recent trans Allan broad cast of the Schmelng- Stribling fight an official of the Reichs Rund- funk Gesellschaft sent the code mes sage "R-9." To the unintiated that may look like party-line telephone number, but to NEG engineers the message stated the reception in Ger many was exceptionally good.
 Amateur radio operators first be- gan the use of the "R code" so-call- ed because it refers to reception. The quality of reception was grad ed from one to nine, the lower num- bers meaning that the broadcast was unlnteligible. and the higher one meaning that it was perfect.
 The widest sight seen in Africa by Carveth Wells, author and ad- Venturor, heard over an NEG net work, was "a group of college boys and girls making midnight whoo- pee He said they drove 40 miles an hour across the veldt, singing Rudy Vallee tune.
 Charles Francis Coe, author and crimnologist, often heard over NEG network, was one of the principal instigators of the governments in come tax drove against gangsters. Chicagoans conferred with him on best means to fight the mobs. "The income tax law is the only statue under which man must prove his innocence" he said. "Any attem pt of gangster to prove his innocence there would reveal guilt in other U channels"