Evening star., 1935-01-20
K|NCF|SH'S RADIO
PROJECT SERIOUS
Senator at Home Before the
mike" and Is After Big
Results.
ny MARTIN CODEL.

INV Him IL ScTlOuS Uuolllcoo, tllAo
radio broadcasting campaign
Of Huey p. Longs to gain con-
i verts to his Notwithstanding
program, which is being in
terpreted as his bid for eventual ele-
vation to the presidency Of the United
States.
Indeed, so serious is the Louisiana
Kingfish about radio that Louisiana
State UniverSity's purchase of WDSU,
New Orleans, for price said to be
$l00, 900. Is regarded as a move to Sc
cure personal mouthpiece for Huey
for the bigger things he has in mind.
Long before President Roosevelt start
ed his famous flreside chats, Huey
was radio-wise: for many years he
has used the radio regularly in his
home State.
Oficial announcement Of the pur-
chase Of the New Orleans station by
Huey's pet institution, as authorized
recently by his controlled Legislature.
had not been made as this was writ
ten, but It is learned from reliable
sources that the deal has been con-
summated. It is planned not only to
establish elaborate studios In the State
house and on the campus at Baton
Rouge, but to maintain the New Or
leans studios and ask the Federal
Communications Commission for more
power and q better wave length for
WDSU so that 1t can be heard more
widely.
Long Has Own Style.
Since Senator Huey seems destined
to be heard quite frequently hence
forth on the national as well as local
ether lanes-as often, indeed, as he
can get time allotted to hint may
be apropos to describe him as he ap-
pears in the broadcast studios. He
has microphone style all his own,
and his effectiveness as q radio speak
er cannot be gainsaid even by his
severest critics.
Inside the studios, the radio i'm
presarios will tell you, he presents
anything but the picture Of ranting,
gesticulating, fiery demagogue. He is
confidence itself, knows all the tricks
Of the microphone and is as easy man
nered as he chooses to be. He is COM
plete master Of the situation, stands
or sits as the mood moves him, never
strays or turns away from the micro
phone, and knows every proper shade.
emphasis and infection.
The Kingfish came to Washington
for this Congress primed to be heard
quite regularly on the national wave
lengths. No sooner did he arrive
than he sought out the network rep
resentatives for time on the air. He
readily obtained time on N. B. c. for
two speeches, one late evening period
last week and one early evening period
Saturday night (January 19) and on
G. 3. s. for another speech earlier
this week, each Of q half-hour dura-
ton. Whether he will secure more
time on the national chains remains
to be seen, for there are others on
Capitol Hill who want to be heard,
too. It Is the policy Of the networks
to permit any member Of Congress to
speak who asks for time and who has
q pertinent and timely message
within reasonable limits and fire.
quency. Of course.
- That Senator Long isn't missing
any opportunities to radio his views
Is manifest by the fact that soon after
he delivered his first network speech
from Washington he betook himself
to New York, ostensibly to seek a
publisher for his new campaign song.
Actually, it developed, he also went
to that metropolis to speak over O.
local radio station there and deliver
another scorching criticism Of Presi-
tion and another exposition of his
share-the.wealth movement. Nor
would he be limited while speaking
over WIN, as he Is on the networks,
for when his scheduled 80 minutes
were up he simply went on talking
for another IS.
Usually Accompanied.
When Huey enters the radio studios
he Is usually accompanied by a half
dozen persons. All or none of them
may be his bodyguards. A few look
Ike they might be members of his
secretarial staff. When he entered the
elevator in New York none but he and
his party was permitted to ride in the
case. When he broadcasts several
OF his entourage remain in the studio
with him.
During his first network broadcast
of this year he began speaking rather
casually. remaining standing. This
u United States Senator Huey P.
Long" he introduced himself. Then
he told his auditors to call up their
friends and tell them to tune him in.
TITS late here in the East" he said,
It being 1850 pm, but earlier in the
other time zones covered by the net
work, so 60 call up your friends be-
cause I'm not going to say anything
important for few minutes any
way"
AS he proceeded, he read some
verse from manuscript of several
pages. But it was evident he was ad
libhing mostly. as the radio folk say,
or extemporizing. Finally, he dis
carded the manuscript entirely and
launched into his extempore talk. He
waved his arms now and then to help
himself emphasize point, but his
gestures were nothing like those he
uses on the Senate floor.
His grammar is precisely as ac-
curate as he wants to make it, for
Huey is not an uneducated man. His
earthly lapses manifestly have a
studied purpose, for isn't he leveling
his remarks at the common folks
whose spokesman he purports to be?
Auey knows what he wants to say.
every word of it-that is patent. He
will bring book-marked Bible into
the studios with him, or a sheaf of
foolscap containing verses or quota
tions or summaries of his accom-
plishments in Louisiana. He will use
them as occasion warrants.
Down in New Orleans his radio
mouthpiece has usually been the same
WDSU that his State university is
about to take over. He has used it
for speeches as long as three hours.
When he takes the air he will do his
own announcing and, as in the case of
his network speeches, he will break
into his discourses every now and
then to remind those who may have
tuned In late that "this Is Huey p.
Long speaking" mentioning the name
Of the station or network and place
from which he Is talking. During