Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-23
Pope's Broadcast Suggests
Need of Universal Language

Med of some universal language for
worldwide radio broadcasting is recog-
nized by many who listened to the
message of peace and good will, spoken
by Pope Plus XII at the Vatican and
carried by radio to all parts of the
world. While the Latin employed could
be understood in part, greater need
of the general public is suggested. In
terest in the spoken words, however, is
shown to have been very great, because
of the unprecedented circumstances and
the fact that all the world listened.
There was also historic Importance, 1t
is declared, in message of that char
acter from the Vatican.
Returns which came from the most
remote countries says the Rochester
Times-Union, speak of the Well-nigh
perfect reception of the first broadcast
South Africa, Australia and New
Zealand, it is reported the words of
the Pope came distinctly and clearly"
The Boston Transcript calls it "a most
impressive event." and holds that "such
message of benediction, astonishingly
transmitted by a miracle of science,
can do no othar than exemplary good
to troubled world"
Pope Plus justified the comment that
TIC ID IIIe IlOSI IIlOuSII1 Ol Lie HOuLlI1S,
in the opinion of the Pittsburgh Post
Gazette, which feels that the message
brought him forth from a cloistsred
position into active touch with the
world" The Hartford Times declares:
ITO all 1t SignaliZes in a remarkable
way a stage in the worlds progress
which has placed in the hands of reli-
gious leadership a new, immensely
potential means of assistance. the gift
of secular achievement. Many look upon
1t as of prophetic meaning. For long
it was believed that religion and science
were antagonistic Conviction has
grown that they shall be more and
more mutually supporting and revealing
as time proceeds"
This was q landmark in worldwide
broadcasting. 1t may be expected that
radio development will go ON and on,
with new wonders years after year."
predicts the Pasadena Star-NewS, while
the Port Huron Times Herald feels that
this unusual event emphasized the in
creasing new solidarity of the people
of this rapidly shrinking world, who
can now thus talk together SO easily"
The indianapolis Star remarks that the
event was "accentuated by the fact
that the head of the Catholic Church
leads a sequeStered life whiting the con-
fines of the Vatican" and that "his
initial appearance before the micro
phone was an event of international
Importance"
"The broadcast emphasized once
more the need of a universal language
which can be understood by all ma
tions," says the Albany Evening News,
and similarly the New York World re-
marks that doubtless the radio will
prove a valuable agent in smoothing
out dialectic differences; that cit may
in time help us to set up the parlia-
ment of man-in long time" That
the radio will affect language is the be-
lief of the Schenectady Gazette, which.
however, estimtes 1t as "a matter of
decades rather than of months or
years" That paper continues, "There
slowly will be developed in the various
nations a really common tongue, one
alike in all places and understood with
out the slightest effort by ALL"
THAT such an utterance from so
august source should have been con-
veyed instantaneously to dwellers even
in the uttermost parts of the sea may
be regarded as the GROWING miracle,
thus far, of mans transmission of hui
man speech through the air by RADIO"