Gathering of "Reds"

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 6, 23 August 1929, Page 2

Gathering of "Reds"

en HAT was first thought to be a | demonstration in connection with © the trouble between Russia and China turned out to be the progress of the "Red" congress which "was being broadeast by the Russian short wave station, Thursday night (N.Z. time), writes Mr. R. Leslie Jones (Lyall Bay). The extraordinary excitement both of the speakers and the audience was a. feature of the broadcast. In between the speeches the "Red Flag" was sung, and’ during each speech considerable excitement prevailed, there being a good deal of calling out by the crowd, and other noise. Speakers were introduced in English, and amongst them: was a representative from the Philippines who spike very rapidly, and Japanese or Chin telegrams were read in Hnglish, ineluding one from America which was sent: to "Our Comrades," with an apology for not being able to reach congress personally -in time for the opening. Never have I heard such an uproarious meeting broadcast.. The Proletariat was frequently mentioned ; and most of the speeches, although fairly short, were fired off in rapid succession; the whole being staged evidently with a view to making an impression abroad. From a radio point of view the signal strength was good, tle broadeast being received here in Wellington at exceptional volumé, but owing to the screaming voices, and the excessive shouting by the speakers, there was some slight blurring in the speech; bits. here and there were understandable, and the major portion of the American telegram could be pieced torether.

One could picture’ the audience rising as one man and cheering’ various remarks made by the differerit speakers; in fact, during the show, it almost appeared as if a riot was taking place. There appeared to be at least a goodsized hall full of screaming hysterical people with’ vehement words on their tongues, the word "comrade" being used frequently. One speaker was anhounced as being a general of the Red army of Germany, ' I’ listenéd to this for an hour and then gave it up as the noise and din was terrific, Sa ennasunusunstanyasmaemmemmmnetammmeeeen