Evening star., 1935-03-08

the conqueror- criminal. No longer is
it possible for them to find peace in
the bosom of ones family of an eve
ming. And no longer is it possible to
find peace outside, for wherever they
seek it-in church or cocktail room
they are met with the same blood
curdling ha-ha-ha-ha" of the onni-
present, all-knowing shadow or the
sinister threats of the space-ranging
Killer Kane.
Everybody Complaining.
1t is to this sad estate that the
radio-perhaps the most marvellous
product of human intelligence in the
twentieth century-has fallen in the
Winter of 1885. Everybody is COM
planning. All parents one meets have
lurid tales to tell Of incidents in their
own homes. Apparently 1t is q
Nationwide condition, since the Of
fensive programs are broadcast on
Nationwide chains But nobody
seems able to do anything about it.
In case anybody doesn't know what
this is all about it may be explained
that-starting at about 4:30 and last
ing until $50 or 9 every evening"
a continuous succession of episodes Of
serial stories intended for children
are broadcast. One follows another
without any breathing spells, except
for the interval devoted to extolling
the products Of the sponsors.
They are staged by excellent actors.
The serials have been written by
masters of the art of sustaining in
terest. They are exciting. lurid, and
highly emotional. They deal. for the
most part, with criminal activities
They have acquired powerful, and
perniciouS, hold on the interests of
the children. Little boys and girls
sit with their ears glued against the
radios, their eyes bulging with ex-
citement or filled with tears. their
faces flushed, their hearts humping.
Parents Suffer, Too.
They are oblivious to everything that
goes on about them. Mother calls
them to dinner. They do not hear.
They are far, far away-hurtling In
space ship between Neptune and
Pluto, fleeing from Northwest
mounted policeman over Arctic drifts,
opening wide the throttles of their
airplanes to escape the bandits who
are swooping upon them from the
clouds to steal the mine pay roll,
rushing to the poor widow with her
lost brothers fortune before the crafty
lawyer arrives with the sheriff to set
her furniture on the street.
Finally, after repeated calls go un-
answered, they are led away, pro-
testing, to the bathroom to wash their
hands. They come to the table. The
radio is turned on loud. The meat and
potatoes are cold. Father and mother
are discussing the events of the day.
They are implored not to talk. It
interferes with listening. They gulp
their food. Back to the radio again.
Leave 1t On, Mother"
Perhaps some station has program
the elders wish TO hear-some choice
musical broadcast, sports discussion,
the news of the day. The dial is
turned. There is a fearful protest.
How can folks be such morons as to
turn on such silly stuff when the
bandits have just cornered Dick Tracy
in the abandoned mine, or the leader
Of the cattle "rustlers" has a gun
leveled at the head of brave Tom Mix.
or Buck Rogers space ship has just
broken down and Is just ready to
crash on Jupiter with something
mysteriously wrong with the de-graWty
belts.
So it continues as the evening
passes. Bedtime comes. The chill
dren are told to undress. They beg,
In tears, to listen to just one more
program. If they are refused it is
gross injustice because their play
mates next door are allowed to listen
every night. Only after word fight,
and sometimes physical struggle, are
they gotten into their pajamas and
tucked between the sheets. There
they toss nervously before going to
sleep and going through it all again
In their dreams.
Home a Nightmare.
Home, in the early evening,
has become a nightmare. Fathers,
mothers. grandmothers, uncles and
aunts are being driven to distraction.
As for the children-they are becom-
ing nervous wrecks. Every nerve Is
tense as they listen.
Somebody might suggest that the
remedy is simply to turn of the radio
and refuse permission to listen at all.
It isn't quite 50 simple as oil that.
Like most other evils this one was
not born IN its full hideousness. IN.