Evening star., 1933-07-02

staff and al the plans laid for the smooth
running Of the show" The hour and minute
Of the broadcast Is arranged and everything
is set to revolve around this schedule. For
instance. President Roosevelt is to go on the
air at 1:47. At las series of bells ring
through the presidential Office announcing the
coming Of the President. Everybody connected
with the broadcast is on his toes. The control
man IS at his station. Provenson ready to
announce. Is lowering over his mike The
President comes In. Il Is now 1:46. Another
30 seconds and he IS taking his chair at the
mike. spreading his papers out before him On
which are the notes or prepared speech for the
cue has gone out-"Ladies and 0entlemer-
the President Of the United States" President
Roosevelt Is now talking.
But plachng the President On the air does not
always run as smoothly As this despite every
precaution taken to see that it does.
II recall q day 1t Yorktown. Va. IN Octo-
ber, 1884," says Mr. Prosenson. President
Hoover had made . speech before 100, 900 and
had left the sesquicentennial stadium for
lunch. / happened to attend the same lunch
con- While Il was in progress overheard
some one mention the fact that the President
was to make . speech. Just As was about to
make inquiry. one Of the Presidents seze-
be possible to arrange to broadcast the PreA-
dents TAN. I asked when would 1t start. In
a minute or two came the reply.
without batting an eye asked for min-
utes. Granted, I contacted Immediately VIM
cent p. Callahan, who was In charge Of the
National Broadcasting Co.'S Sesquicentennial
broadcast and We made immediate effort to
get the network. Fortunately, engineers and
broadcastfng equipment were only stones
throw away Mr.. Callahan teleph0ned New
York and the engineers set up the equipment.
In the record time of five minutes every
thing was in readiness. The broadcast was on.
But imagine our CONSERVATION when, . few
moments Later New York informed Us that
we can hardly hear the President In our
haste We had turned our mike the wrong
wsy!''
"A /HILE Governor of New York President
w Roosevelt used the radio quite frequently
to carry to the people of the State questions
of vital importance to the electorate. Since
coming to Washington it has been rumored
that Mr.. Roosevelt, as President, would take
occasion to address the people Of the Nation on
questions Of national importance. That he
has done 50 already IS wen known. but to what
extent he viii indulge in monthly or semi
monthly broadcasts. has not as yet been
divulged.
Cabinet officers Of the present administration
are already lined up on . series Of talks ON
The Stars forum hour, as were those Of Mr..
Hoover's. Which brings up the question Of
famous radio personalities.
There was one man in President Hoover's
cabinet who may be called IDEAL from the radio
STANDPOINT" declares Mr. ProvinSon. He Il
DR.. Ray Lyman wilbur, then Secretary Of the
Interior Dr. Wilbur has . good radio voice,
can read from manuscript or speak extempo-
raneously. and do both very wen. In fact. II
you told Dr. Wilbur that he had IS seconds
eft and he was speaking extemporaneously. his
last word would be uttered at the end Of the
IS seconds. He is less trouble than any man
with whom have ever had any contact In
bxoadcastfng