Evening star., 1933-04-02
|CALL ROOSEVE[TS
"A RADIO FAMILY"
Broadcasting Circles Refer
to "Perfect Style" of
the President.
BY MARTIN CODEI.

7 N radio broadcaSting circles they are
beginning to refer to the Nation S
Chief Executive and his family as
i "those Radio Roosevelts" Mrs.
Roosevelt. it is true, dropped her
regular broadcasting activities shortly
before her husbands Inauguration
March 4. But within the space of less
than a month three of her immediate
family have become well known broad
First, there is President Roosevelt
himself, whose lucid radio style has
made him, among radio people at least,
as "the perfect broadcaSter." He has
already used the radio widely for his
purposes and will certainly use it many
times more during his tenure in Office.
His plans to maintain intimate contact
with the people via the wave lengths has
led to considerable comment on the
growing psychological force of radio:
Others on Air.
Then there are James Roosevelt, eld-
est son of the President, and Mrs. Anna
Roosevelt Dali, the daughter of the
White House. Jimmy" Roosevelt, who
is in business in Boston, made his debut
as radio speaker last week when he
began a series of Thursday night talks
tracted for thirteen programs for Nsw
York department store, which are being
heard locally over WEAF until April %.
Mrs. Dali speaks on styles. She is
compensated for her work, as was her
mother. James Roosevelt's broadcasting
Is a labor of love. He has no CONNER
cial sponsor He talks on public affairs
as he views them during his weekly
visit to Washington. 1t is possible his
talks may occasionally be extended to
a Nationwide network.
The First Lady of the Land probably
will continue to be heard quite fire.
quently on the radio, as were Mrs. Hoo
yer and Mrs. Coolidge, but like her hus-
bands her radio talks will all be of a
public character hereafter. Consider
able criticism was aroused over her pre-
inaugural sponsored appearances on a
national network, but this was somewhat
mitigated when it was learned that she
devoted the proceeds wholly to charities
President Roosevelt's announced in
tention Of using radio frequently to
keep the public aware of his purposes
and policies has evoked considerable
comment on the influence of his spoken
words upon the popular mind. Com
mentators like Will Rogers, after the
Presidents March IL talk on the bank
ing situation, exclaimed: God bless
radio" Newspapers like the New York
Times expounded editorially on the new
influence the President can WELD on
democratic government through the use
of radio, pointing out how the White
House pouches bulged thereafter with
fan letters and kilograms. From Europe
where the radio Is controlled by gov
ernments and where leaders like Hitler
use it freely for their purposes, came
reports that Roosevelt's broadcasts are
being followed as attentively by many
people there as by most people here.
New Era Hailed.
Noted psychologists took occasion
after the banking speech to call the
Presidents direct communication with
the people by radio as the beginning OF
a new psychological era. DR.. John B
Watson, noted exponent of the be-
havioriSt theory Of psychology, called
radio a mental therapeutic for sick
minded republic" and referred to the
Presidents banking address as quiet
ing and soothing to turbulent American
emotions as mothers voice to an
angry child"
DR.. Arthur Frank Payne said: radio
has brought new influence into Con-
gress. 1t will destroy the power of
selfish interest and organized lobbies
and will do more to make Congress the
servant Of the people than any other
force"
DR.. A. A. Brill of New York remarked
as follows: President Roosevelt's radio
talks stand in direct opposition to the
accepted tenets of political diplomacy
His straightforward summary of the
present financial crisis was brief, simple
and clear He minced no words and
called spade spade. It is such can
did and heartfelt expressions which ap-
peal to the average citizens sense of
security and inspire confidence in great
Leaders,