Evening star., 1936-08-01

eualiiou David Lawrence.
graphs of the
Landon speech of acceptance.
Knox has a good radio voice and
seems to understand how to deliver
radio speech. He does not speak rap
idly nor slide over his words, but gives
the audience a chance to digest his
ideas. He talks, indeed, with almost
the same slow and deliberate pace so
successfully used by President Roose-
welt.
Radio technique is commented on
because it is important nowadays. In
Knox, the Republicans have cam
paigner who will no doubt have TO
bear the brunt of the speech making
on the air.
The speech itself sounded much
better than it read. just the reverse
of the experience with the Landon ao-
dress, which on paper made a much
better impression than when delivered.
Radio Requires Simplicity.
The difficulty of writing a speech
that will satisfy both the eye and the
ear arises from the fact that most
people can grasp written thought
more rapidly than they can catch with
their ears the rapidly spoken words
of a speaker. Simplicity is so much
more essential in radio addresses than
in printed exhortations. This means
that old-fashioned political state pa
pers" are not uSable on the air nova
days.
The political orator, of course, used
to have an advantage in that he could
launch his personality directly into
the audience by gestures and facial
expression.
But even in the old days, prepared
speeches were rarely any good when
delivered. Many a speaker found it
necessary to discard prepared speech
and indulge in the informalities OF
extemporaneous speech. Woodrow
Wilson, in his 1912 campaign, spoke
extemporaneously 9 times out OF 10.
The radio addresses of modern politi-
cal speakers would be much better if
eXtemporaneously delivered-at least,
they would have much more Of nat
uraI sound. The trouble is that few
nationally prominent men can make
good impromptu speeches on the air.
Dramatic Style Needed.
So the spokesmen of political COM
inittees are going to be challenged this
wear to phrase their speeches in dra-
matte style, for there Is great op-
portunity for the revelation OF per-
sonality by means of naturally ex-
pressed arguments. The commercial
sponsors on the air have long since
abandoned monotonous talks, and have
tried instead to put into their programs
q dialogue or the elocution-trained
single character with originality Of
radio style. These programs are writ
ten and edited by expert script writ
ers and rehearsed many times in ad-
vance-all for the purpose of achiev-
ing naturalness.
The political committees, however,
who are now spending hundreds OF
thousands of dollars for radio time,
seem not to have learned much from
their commercial brethren on the sub
ject of the use of the radio. Their
party rallies show about as much
sense Of dramatic knowledge or show
manship value as might be furnished
by the average amateur producer.
But judging by old standards, the
Knox speech was perhaps the best
that has been done thus far though
the opportunity for dramatic effects
was overlooked. AS for Knox's argu-
ment, there is no doubt that Repub-
licans of all factions will indorse 1t
and like it.
The Knox address will be helpful
to the local campaign orators because
1t states the Republican appeal in
such forceful and understandable
terms.
Vote Swaying Problematical.
Whether the speech won any inde-
pendent votes is too early to know.
The man on the fence politically is
not yet ready on the basis merely of
a severe indictment against party
In power to make up his mind def
nitely in July how he will vote in
November.
1t is an open question whether the
Landon and Knox addresses together
have made any substantial gains in
the independent ranks. While per-
haps not so intended, the addresses
have given an impression of negative
ness which while essential to some
extent in campaign combat cannot be
wholly relied upon to win.
The presidential and vice presiden-
tial nominees of the Republican party,
of course. yet have many opportuni-
ties ahead of them to take up specific
subjects and deal with them. 1t Is
on concrete issues that independent
voters would like to be better in
formed. For this is not a campaign
in which issues can be avoided by
being dealt with in generalities or
distractions. The candidates who are
on the offensive will be required by
public opinion to give a definite and
recognizable exposition Of future poll
icies which they would substitute for
those now In operation under the
New Deal