NBS IMPORTS A BRAINS TRUST

New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 227, 29 October 1943, Page 12

NBS IMPORTS A BRAINS TRUST

Recordings of Famous BBC Feature to be Heard from 2YA

world when the Brains Trust of the British Broadcasting Corporation was recently stumped by the question from a 12-year-old schoolboy: "Why do the French divide words into masculine and feminine genders?" Though the Brains Trust on that occasion included Mdlle. Yvonne Arnaud, the French actress, and Professor Saurat of the French Institute, nobody could tell, and the incident was cabled to newspapers throughout the world, because the Brains Trust had become a radio feature of international interest. Shortwave listeners have enjoyed the privilege of hearing these discussions, and the National Broadcasting Service is now introdueing them to New Zealand on the broadcast band. The first discussion will be heard from 2YA on Friday evening, November 5, and the series will be continued weekly. The reason why the Brains Trust has won popularity with radio audiences were heard round the

will be understood after hearing the first recording. Its permanent members are acknowledged authorities on scientific questions and public affairs, but unlike the average erudite authority,

they handle their subjects not too seriously, though carefully enough to provide a complete answer-except when it comes to French genders! Another good feature of the Brains Trust is the capacity of the experts to disagree. They do this good-temperedly, but some caustic humour emerges from most of their disputes. For instance, Commander Campbell was invited to contribute his view on equality of opportunity for women, and starting by declaring "They can’t fight!" proceeded to develop the logical consequences of such a statement. "These may Well be ‘famous last words,’" dryly commented Questionmaster Donald McCullough, calling on a woman M.P., who effectively castigated & mere man, however eminent, for daring to hold such opinions about women. La Guardia Takes Part Dr. C. E. M. Joad, Professor of Philosophy and Psychology, London ‘University, Dr. Julian Huxley, brilliant descendant of a famous scientist; Professor Gilbert Murray,~eminent classical scholar; and Lieut.-Commander Gould, are permanent members of the. Brains Trust, and there are frequent guest members, evidently chosen not only for eminence in their own sphere, but a capacity to add knowledge to the Brain’s Trust’s deep pool in a popular way. The Brains Trust secured powerful reinforcement for two of its discussions by the unique expedient of linking up Mayor La Guardia of New York. by trans-Atlantic radio telephone. The experiment was a great success, Guest members at a discussion which will soon be heard from 2YA are Anna Neagle, famous for her part in Victoria the Great; Ian Hay, author of The First Hundred Thousand, a best-seller in its time; Jan Masaryk, deputy Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia; and Hannen Swaffer, to-day one of Fleet Street’s most celebrated figures, who is known there as the Pope of Fleet Street.