Evening star., 1938-03-20

M Is no sooner achieved in the
troubled areas of the world
a before the conquerors and
their spokcsmen rush before the mi
crophone to tell the conquered popu-
lace and the world at large the story
OF their beneficences Like the press,
radio is Immediately Co -ordinated" to
serve the ends of the victors.
Thus report from King Carols
dictatorship in Rumania tells how all
Of his new ministers have been going
on the radio to tell about the work Of
their departments, with the ministry
of the interior taking over the direc-
torship of Bucharest's radio. Thus
from the Austrian anschluss comes
the news that the highly efficient
Ravag radio center in Vienna is being
implemented by 500o0-watt short
wave transmitter desjg ,ed to reach
Austrians all over the world. The sta
ton is expected to be reedy by Easter.
Thus also Italy's powerful short
wave station at Bari has begun
to aim broadcasts toward Abyssinia in
the Abyssinian dialects. with plans
also afoot to replace the temporary
station at Adds Abbaba by a high
powered transmitter over which Am
haric, Gala, Arabic and Italian will
be heard.
IRON China come reports that the
japanese. who also are planning
a superpower international short wave
station near Toxic, are setting up
broadcasting stations in the conquered
areas as they did In Msnchukuo. War;
torn Spain is covered by multiplicity
Of broadcasts, under both Loyalist
and Nationalist auspices. directed not
only to the civilian population and the
men in the trenches but also to the
outside world.
Somewhat less aggravated of late
has become the complaint of the Brit
ish against broadcasts by the Italiens
toward Arabia and Palestine which,
it was openly charged, were intended
to incite the natives. The British
eAAShAoSASSc, NAa lIlClI NdSG CllLpA SliO1 Y
wave system radiating from Daventry
and operating now in several Ian
guages around the clock. have begun
to Objectionable their broadcasts to-
ward the same areas and, like to Ital-
ians, to provide the natives with lis
tening-in posts.
Britain and Russia, oddly enough,
started the whole international radio
race with their respective empire and
multi-lingual broadcasts a half dozen
years ago. Nazi Germany's well-oiled
propaganda machine had no sooner
come into being than it outdid the
British and the Russians, the former
at first confining themselves to Eng
iish broadcasts directed toward their
colonies and dOminions, and the latter
aiming their outright propaganda not
only to the Russian-speaking popu-
lace. but to the many minority races
residing within Russia's vast spaces.
HERE in America this war in the
ether" is becoming irksome be-
cause most of the controlled broad
casting systems. including even little
Austria's projected sbort-wave station
make no bones about their desire to
win heed in North and South Amer
lea. They want North American SYM
pathy and in South America they seek
not only sympathy, but trade.
The world situation in radio being
what 1t Is, the American Government
has entertained the idea of going into
international broadcasting on its own
with particular emphasis on Latir
America as this country's logica,
sphere of trade and influence. so fal
| the Government-station idea has met
few supporters, but the authoritie,
have been encouraging private broad.
casters to expand into this field. The
Federal Communications Commission
only recently authorized the temporary
use. with advertising content banned
Of four so-called Pan-Americsn wav.
lengths, by the stations Of the World.
Wide Foundation in Boston and thu
General Electric Co. in Schenectady
for programs destined primarily TO-
ward our neighbors to the sout:..