"Putting Up Straw Men and Knocking Them Down"

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 4 January 1935, Page 6

"Putting Up Straw Men and Knocking Them Down"

iQ the £caitor Sir,-Many thanks to J.-D. Parkin for yet another amusing epistle in’ this week’s "Radio Record." ‘Readers must be convulsed with his efforts and his judicrous use of extravagant language™% in his fiery denunciation of this "evil, " "unholy" jazz. Come; now, Mr. Parkin! Ponder for a moment, and. then realise that ‘upon _ your valiant shoulders you,have-placed _ far, too prodigious. a load ‘in .endeavouring to extirpate from broadcasting: that which has become one of the nrinor arts; much, I take it; to your jealousy... With your permission, Mr. Editor, may I turn briefly tu his remarks a3 they affect my argument?’ It is indeed news to me that that little item crooning is not. jazz and therefore, as he says, cannot be legitimately added-to the votes for dance music in your’ ballot as indicating that jazz ranks. most _ high in listeners’ estimation. I dm in--deed "squashed"! wAs for Mr. Parkin's _ refutal of my statement’ that modern fox-trots and waltzes are conspicuous by their absence from daily programmes until -a late hour, with the exception of. what_few come from the alternative stations at teatime; aad that, in fact, the said programmés are "filled with them ad* nauseum," weil, sir. I should like to vhallenge him tv enumerate a few. Just as‘a tip, in case he should attempt. .he impossible, I will refer him to one: fox-trot. which I did actually hear in 2YA’s: -breakfast session a week or two ago. All thisonly goes to show what profound ignorance your correspondent : possesses: of the subject he is belabouring.. He could not,.if his life was at stake, differentiate :between a fox-trot and a _turkey-trot or.a bunny-hug. Medleys ‘from films and such-jike are’ not foxtrots to anyone who knows what: constitutes rhythm.-: Mr. Parkin may assume, ag he: says, that I am "non compos mentis’ if he likes, and I can only plead guilty to the soft impeachment, if it is to be so when. for such ‘a "trifle’ as the-aboli-tion of jazz from bruadeasting’ which he seeks. I would dispense with the upkeep of my expensive set and ‘license fee, I am amused, further, with his challenge to me, as well as to "Healthy Minded," to my shed my nom de-plume. Just as if. sir, my defence of jazz was something: from a freak mind and. to. ‘be ashamed of, when I maintain that I am but a humble one of thousands | who hold similar views. only in-their case they do not for the most part take part in such a manifestly uncalled-for ‘discussion, I should like to see a reply "trom

"Healthy Minded" as to how he relishes his "appearing to be a very. useless citizen in‘ this country’; of his "suggestion that the King, and e.g., the, Duke of Gloucester, are. not worth listening to, thereby savouring of the lese-majeste, when in fact the subject of Royalty was not. broached at all; and finally of his being mentioned in the same breath as habitual druakards, wife-beaters and criminals! Verily, sir, as an exponent of the art of putting up straw men. and knocking them down, J. D. Parkin deserves supreme pride of place among all the correspondents on this eternal topic who have ever graced your paper. -I am, etc,

AMUSED

VW Cuinston,