Evening star., 1935-01-27


he is not only one of the countrys old
est radio announcers in point OF con-
tinuous service-and the first profess
sional broadcaSter to be elected to Con-
gress-but he is also a veteran wireless
technician. He introduced resolution
calling upon the architect of the Capt.
tol to investigate his proposal, the
need for which he outlined thus:
Il have talked to many congressman
and asked them why it is when an
important document is being read or
when a member is delivering an ad-
dress on a matter of vital importance,
there is so much confusion, so much
noise, so much talking-and why
members congregate in the alsles and
paSsageways to talk. The reply is
that they cannot hear anyway and
that they will be able to read what
is going on in the Congressional
Record or in the newspapers.
Could Control House.
"N is my belief that all this is un-
necessary. With new speaking equip
ment the Speaker could control the
House more easily. A microphone at
the Speakers desk, one at the clerk S
desk, one each at the reading tables,
with invisible loud speakers installed
at various places in the House, with
the wiring placed in conduitS around
the floor, would correct the condition
that exists today.
For instance, the President in per-
son delivered an important message
to us the other day. 1t was impos-
sible to hear all that the President
had to say. and we members of the
House had to wait for copies of the
address before we were able to under
stand what the President was saying
On the other hand. the three radio
chains had their equipment installed
in the House and enabled people
miles away from lines of communi-
cation to hear every word distinctly
while we, who sat here in the pres
ence Of the President, hearing his
voice and seeing him in person, were
unable to hear what he said
Stefan'S suggestion recalls the diff
Guilty the radio people had in intro
ducing microphones into the Senate
and House several years ago. 1t took
many months before the leaders
would capitulate to radios entreaties
and they have not yet agreed to for
mer Senator Dill's onetime proposal
that actual proceedings of Congress
be broadcast, except for occasionally
granting permission to broadcast
from committee rooms.
To Reduce Ear Strain"
The new Nebraska Representative
asserts his scheme would not in any
way mar the beauty or design of the
75-year- -old lower chamber, but would
simply help reduce "ear strain" which
in his first few weeks in Congress he
found quite irksome. For the last 13
years Stefan has been chief announcer
of WDAG, the Norfolk (Neb.) Daily
News broadcasting station. In fact
he installed the station himself, hav-
ing learned about radio while serving
as a telegrapher with the Philippine
constabulary force.
At the same time he has been an
editorial worker with that newspaper
and his writings as we'll as his voice
hAlOWA WIOCly IIlC
prairie countryside. Radio. he admits,
did much to elect him against the
veteran Democratic Edgar Howard,
former secretary to William Jennings
Bryan, though he used very little
radio time in his own political cam
paign. Indeed Howard bought time"
on WDAG quite regularly during the
campaign-and Stefan was the an
nouncer who introduced him to the
audience.
His knowledge of foreign languages,
gained by virtue of his travels
throughout the world, which he has
pursued as hobby since he was 10,
secured for Stefan a place on the
Insular Affairs Committee of the
House, but he is aiming to get on the
Merchant Marine, Radio and Fisheries
Committee because he wants to put
his practical knowledge of radio to
legislative use.
Stefan is 81 years old, a native of
Austria, a product of the Omaha
public schools and a former Asso-
ciated Press telegrapher who turned
writer. He has worked on all of