'WASPS ONE MILE DEEP"

Chronicle (Levin), 2 April 1949, Page 5

'WASPS ONE MILE DEEP"

Assdctntion)

Stupid. Apf If Ffeal'i Joke By . Broadeast Nation

(Per,

. . A U GKL AN L),\ April 1. : An nnioiTUiniie raaio ^JoroaUcast intexiaeci ay aii A|/nf Fdifji's Da| joke catisea cousiiiei'aUie^ aiarih aua iueonv exjleriue ty . iisjeners 111 tiie . city aiia. siajiurBs tiiis niorBiiig. From .7.30, :td\ 8.30 d'eloek statidrt 1ZB broadcast. aii- , lidiilicfe'iiielitS tliat ri swairn \ cfi was|fs " a riiilri' iii depth '' arid 1^0 ffe'dt aOove' tiie gMihti wi&: iri ihe" riiriedtiyil df i5drii^iii|Mriri through -Bt. Heiiei* 'k Briy rind Greeri jLarie. \4 Tlife Statidii aiinfettrieed that a pdlice iiatrol Br in tlie afha Was fep'o'i'tiii^ tiie*. fiig'Ht 61- tlie ^asp's ; ahd. that resicieritg' lihd teidiihUhed the statiori saying they were ,bd- ' *■ ing attached tby wasps. , Lisieriers , were advised to oiose. doprs -ahti: \ ■} windows, to- sniea-r jam and honej'. ^ on jiieces of priper outsidfe thfe Wihdows- and if procfeeding - diitside tri tie Striiig rodnef tHe'ir .' trriusers ahd rihffs, Hhti tdf : Wear • gauritiet glhvfe^ dnd ho'iidk dri'er - their heads. . ^ > ^ . Althougfi no one vvas seeri cio.th- , ed in the attire suggested ,by thfe , radio. station, other direetions of the station were folloWedf lh sohife fease^ pfeoplfe were told of aririoiliieeriifeiitff afte't* thfe*^' had left their hdmea ahd retiirriUu th felosfe their dorii'S arid - Ivihdb'Ws. lh other cases pareiits , bedame cbh- » j cernecf aboiit riiieii* children 's safe- ' j ty in getting to school, arid alter- , native methods were devisedi . Wheri the broadcasts ceased at about 8.30 a.m; and there appeared 110 sigri bf the sWariri ehlldtferi . proceeded to school as norrrially: ' ( tiiiridreds of iistfenfers, howevef, decided to eriq'uire fiirth'er aboiit fhe swarm, and from, 7.^0 a.m. tb 10 a.m. many agitated parents and : 1 ciiiidren asked for instruetions from the central and other policfe . stations.- Their fears wjere sooh ; dlspfelied by a poliee denial of thfe hoax ancl a reminder that it was 1 April 1. . ... _ At 8.15 ri.rri. th'e pblicfe asked 1ZB to discohtiniie ihe bfonacasts ; as their 'pho'ne iines were being Jambell: It v^as arinouneed later the swrifm had sfettled on a house at 35 Argyle Strfee't, Hferrife Briy: AeCbrding to thfe Fb3t Offlce dirfeetory therfe ie no' houise at thi^ rittriiber. 1ZB Staiio'ri.'k maiiager (Mr. J. Griffiths) fves at 45 Argyle S'treet. the annouhriehtfrits'feas- . ed at 8.80 a.m. and ^#tet; iri |thfe . day an apology Was brba.(icai5ti;, . The Department of Agriculture alsb' re'ceived riumbers of erilfuirifes froiri listerier's. Mr. Grriffithk 1ZB staiibn mariager, said ihe h'roadcast was ftbt stopped by the police; As sbori as it was explained to ihe stafioh that the police telephones wpre be*ing jambed by enquiries being re ceived the arinbtlttcer tdok imraddiiife actio'h Hnd cld^ed ihe" brb'adcaSt by fexplaining that ihe wa£ps Iiad setiled ori a hoilSe". Asked if fhe brdadcasi was made with his authority, Mr. ' Griffiths said he was not answpring that qnestion.- Naturally, however, he. was responsible for all broadcasts made by the station.