Evening star., 1936-06-03
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET CERMOND.
THE FOURTH ESTATE AND RADIO.
BY George Henry Payne. Boston:
The Micrnnh0ne Press

0s
BY George Henry Payne. Boston:
The Microphone Press
It is seldom that one individual is
qualified to speak or write with un-
questioned authenticity upon two ele-
mentary institutions of modern civiliza-
ton that so intimately and directly in
fiuence the life and the thought of a
nation as the newspaper and the radio.
But in the present instance 1t would be
difficult to find person more ably quail
fed to analyze the perplexities which
both OF these sources OF public knowl-
edge now face than George Henry Payne,
whose duties as Federal communications
commissioner include the delicate task
OF seeking an intelligent solution of the
problem which q parallel of interests
has in the past few years been forced
into the foreground by the rapid develop
ment and expansion of radio broad
casting.
When the Federal Communications
Commission was organized less than two
years ago and Mr.. Payne was selected
TO serve as member, he brought to that
once wide and varied experience. He
Is newspaper man with q distinctive
record in that field, and Is the author
OF history Of American Journalism that
was proclaimed and is still regarded as
the most authoritative presentation of
the founding and growth OF the Amer
lcan newspaper against every conceivable
obstacle that was thrown in it's path
and against all Official and unofficial
efforts to prevent the dissemination Of
news and the Interpretation OF facts by
this means. He is also we'll known as a
playwright. historian, critic and author,
and as deep student and analyst of
public affairs. All of which adds to a
splendid equipment for the exacting
task OF studying ways and means OF
bringing into proper relationship the
many phases of the vast communica-
tions system Of the country.
Especially have the newspaper and
the radio demanded a large share of
his attention, for no other institutions
OF daily life play so vital a part in the
education. enlightenment and entertain
ment of the public. The overlapping
OF functions in both fields has created
problem which Mr.. Payne elected to
make the subject OF an address at
Columbia University on October 81, 1885.
So great has been the demand for copies
St tAAS SPNSNii tiloI ~ was UceIllcQ Qc-
sirable to print it. along with other
addresses OF important public interest,
In book form, and the volume is now
available for handy, comfortable read
ing and reference. A foreword by Robert
Emmet MacAlarney and an Introductory
note by John K. 0owen. jr. are included.
The collection includes Safeguarding
the Public Interest" delivered at Cornell
University in August of last year: Prog
reSS in Communications" delivered at
Harvard University in January OF this
year; The Federal Communications Act
OF 1884 delivered at Harvard in Nav,
1885; standards in Broadcasting. de-
llvered at Syracuse University in Decem-
Der. 1885; Grover Cleveland" broadcast
last March, and an address on Theodore
Roosevelt, delivered at the memorial
services in st. James Episcopal Church
in New York City on November Q. 1885.
There is also sketch OF Otto H. Kahn
which is in the nature of study of
the remarkable success Of a progressive
fnancier
There is surprise in store for the
layman who may assume that these sd-
dresses are dull expositions upon dry
subjects. They are, on the contrary,
exceptionally colorful as we'll as inter-
esting and informative in their appeal
for thoughtful consideration