Evening star., 1936-03-07
By John FraSier.
chatting and political
- palavering may be the headline
acts on the Federal radio pro-
4 grams which climb into the

~ palavering may be the headline
acts on the Federal radio pro-
4 grams which climb into the
ether waves above Washington, but
they are far from the whole show.
Broadcasting is one Of Uncle Sans
specialties. Participating in it are
scores of administrative agencies.
Listening in on their regular programs
are hundreds of thousands Of Ameri-
cans-citizens who sit before loud
speakers to get official counsel on the
solution of the thousand and one
vicissitudes which beset daily living.
It is difficult to select one program
of the many which Uncle Sam stages
as point at which to begin the trek
with him around the dial.
The latest one, perhaps, makes as
good selection as another.
1t is the radio laboratory established
in the Federal Office of Education.
Just recently-so recently, in fact, the
agency hardly has had time to func-
tion-President Roosevelt allocated
$4,000 which this bureau might spend
In experimenting with radio programs.
This experiment will take the form
of radio laboratory" where pro-
grams of various kinds will be worked
up and submitted to practical test.
Afterward those interested in the pro-
grams and wishing q follow-up in
their own bailiWick can contact the
''lab" and get all the material neces-
sary to the undertaking. They can
find out If the type of program in
which they are interested takes well
with the country: whether speech, skit
or dialogue is the most popular with
the audience desired.
This whole experimental venture
into radio as an educational instru-
ment-possibly in the hands of the
Government at some future date-is
under the immediate direction of Will
liam Dow Boutwell,, editor of School
Life, official monthly journal of the
ONCE of Education. Talented workers
from the relief group and the P. w. A
professional projects staff the enter
prise. Stress will be laid on vocation
al guidance, commemorative and
American programs.
Turning from the youngest of the
radio ventures Of Uncle Sam. We drift
over to the Agriculture Department,
where the oldest child dwells.
THE radio division of the Agriculture
Department has been with us for
many years. Everybody has listened
in on the Agricultural radio broadcast
at some time or other. And he doesn't
have to be farmer, either. In fact,
the city dwellers follow these programs
just about as assiduously as Aunt Mary
, and Uncle John down on the farm. For
a check Of public reaction-they have
these now in the radio world just as
in the newspaper advertising world
did you ever have somebody call you
on the telephone in the midst of a
radio program and ask you if you are
listening in and, if so, to what pro-
gram? Well, that's the chap who is
checking up on the radio listening pub
lie, like the newspaper advertising au-
ditor. And these checkers have found
| out that, even in the cities, the Farm
and Home hour of the Agriculture
Department ranks perennially /. 2, 3
Think, then, how popular this "hour'
must be among the farmers. And
Uncle Sam covers the Nation with 1t,
indeed. He has the entire blue and
red network Of N. B. c. at his disposal
What does he broadcast?
Many things, but the chief item
is recommended practices to farmers
and homemakers." In other words,
Mr.. Farmer gets a practical talk on
how to save that litter of pigs which
is going to be born on this below
zero Winter night. And the house.
wife on the farm is told just how to
protect those delicate house plants
which set by her sunny south window
through the day and furnish the
room with continual fresh air by
drawing off the carbon dioxide gas.
But these recommended practices"
are not all by any means that the
Agriculture Department broadcasts to
the farmer. In addition, the depart
ment puts out facts regarding its
services to farmers, such as explain
ing in broad outline the newly passed
| agricultural act and how to take ad-
vantage of it; of such passing in
formation as price quotations on farm