Evening star., 1947-02-19

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the other day. The writer was one
Otto Neumeyer, an obscure resident of
our occupation zone in Germany. He
identified himself as frequent listener
to the Voice Of America, worldwide ra-
dio project of the departments interna-
tional broadcast division. He was
particularly interested in the science
programs.
Neumeyer, lis whether anybody in the
United States can fly with his own
muscular power. think it is possible"
Was Otto Neumeyer kidding the
United States Government? Was he
simply a nut? Neither. Within few
days, the Government mailed its answer
to Mr.. Neumeyer. He was told that
on December %, 1896, an American
named Ernea Bossi pedaled an "air-
ocycle" for five minutes, covering
mile-long course and attaining an al
titude of Is feet despite adverse wind
and weather conditions. And, he
learned, Belford D. Maule had con-
Quoted flying experiments at Jackson,
Mich, not too successfully, with wings
attached to his arms.
In IL months of last year, $4,000
people like Otto Neumeyer wrote letters
to the Voice of America, which offers
some evidence Of the response to the
State Departments programs. From
all sections of the globe, the average"
man has voiced, and continues to
voice, his appreciation, questions,
doubts, fears and objections. Virtually
all mail is answered, and most of. the
answers have been personal letters in
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Some questions received have little
to do with the broadcasts or with broad
problems of Americas relationship to
the world. A Frenchman wants to know
whether Miss Ravira Is still a nurse at
the French hospital in New York.
German has an idea how to find buried
treasure in a certain British park.
What should he do about it? An Italian
with a prisoner in Sing Sing. One of
his compatriots wonders whether any
Italian crossword puzzles are published
in the United States.
They All Want to Know Something.
A Chinese woman must know imme-
diately whether we have cure for
cancer. A Hungarian would like the
name of good book on the American
beaver. A girl in Chile seeks some de-
tails about Nelson Eddy; another in
Syria is equally anxious for the low
down on Tyrone Power.
People seek information about DIR.
Wassell, the construction and perform
ance of the Lightning fighter plane
and the best methods of breeding ami
mails. Somebody in Poland Is curious
as to the average age of Americans who
"are mostly interested in stamps
What is the population of Chile? How
can I buy jeep? Still the questions
come.
All these get their answer. So does
the German lady who wants to know
whether the Redskins are cultured. The
broadcast divisions listener service de-
cided she meant American Indians
rather than the Washington football
team and answered to the best of its
ability, with some coaching from the
Indian Bureau.
All correspondents, 1t is true, do not
get all they ask for. Such was the case
of the man who wanted President Tru-
man to write letter of recommended
tion which would get him into Palestine.
But he, too, got his answer, and some
sympathetic advice.
Letters like these, of course, are the,
exception rather than the rule. The
Voice of, Americas listener service gives
them the same attention accorded its
more important communications. 1t does
so out of a sound conviction that the
good will thus maintained is more than
worth the time and trouble.
think what this means to these little
people" says Miss Kay Bailly, boss Of
the listener service. $50 far as they are
concerned, these radio shows are the
only direct contact they have with the
United States-the most powerful, and
probably the most distant thing in the
world. They get the impression from
what we say on the air that we are
friendly and want to help them. So
they write us about their problems.
Think what it means" she says,
when they actually get an answer, an
answer right to them, from the United
States Government. Why, from then on
we're a personal friend of theirs! We
know what the effect is-we've had let
tiers back from some of those we've