"HISTORY BEHIND HEADLINES"

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 35, 10 February 1939, Page 24

"HISTORY BEHIND HEADLINES"

Opinions Differ About Mr. Savage’s Action... That Sideshow Incident . : A Bravo For Eric

AYBEE (Auckland): I was very glad to see the pubheity you gave to the ban on the ‘‘Behind the Headlines"? session recently conducted from 1ZB by Kenneth Melvin. I myself did not agree with everything Mr. Melvin put over the air-for instance, one statement he made about Stalin was obviously loose and ineorrect-but, after all he was the only person on the air giving us ‘‘the other side’’ of international affairs. I was surprised to see that the suggestion that the ban was imposed at the. instance of the German Consul in New Zealand, while definitely cireulated by some newspapers was contradicted by Mr. ‘Savage.’ But perhaps it is hardly to be expected that we will be given the full story behind the headlines. "Quite Justified" Listener (Wellington): I have never had the pleasure of listening in to Mr. Melvin, whose banning has caused such a rumpus, but from all I have read,-the Prime Minister was quite justified in putting him off the air. These are troubled and uncertain times, and people like Mr. Melvin do no good at all. They merely aggravate matters, It’s all very well to talk about too much censorship. This country. has too little. I sometimes think we are in need of a little Nazi discipline. Aunt Sally Ajax (Palmerston North): May I raise a small voice in support of the action recently taken regarding a certain Aunt Sally sideshow, and given very considerable publicity in your issue of January 20? IE hold no brief for the methods of either of the dictators, but the fact remains that each is head of a nation with which we are at present on friendly terms, in spite of the private opinions of individuals. Whether you or I (or for that matter, even Red) approve of Signor Mussolini as a statesman, is not really the point. What does matter is that he is representative of the Italian nation, and it, therefore, seems perfectly natural that Italian residents should take exception to the use of his effigy as a target. I do not think that British residents in Italy or Germany would be particularly amused at the use of British statesmen’s portraits for a similar purpose. You mention that "the whole incident was rather trivial." Well, sir, if a mountain has been made out of a mole-hill, surely you with your article must be responsible for much of the making. Let me add, for the benefit of Red, that I think an effigy of M. Stalin would have been equally tactless, Eric Griffiths Senex (Napier): My wife and rmyself were both very interested in your account of the adventures of Eric Griffiths, the young New Zealander who is flying in China. Many may condemy his.love of adventure, but, in our opinion, it stands out as a challenge to the youth of New Zealand. The youth of this country is not nearly as red-blooded as it was in my day. What has happened to it? There are just as many-in fact a good Many more-dragons to be slain, and high adventures to be found for the seeking, as there were 50 years ago, and yet youth is sitting down comfortably. Wake up, New Zealand! ‘If we

had a few more adventurers like Eric Griffiths we would be much better off. Congratulations Reader (Te Kuiti}: Our congratulations on the new style of the "Radio Record." It is bright, interesting, confiding and appeals, 1 am sure, to all sorts and conditions of folk. It is easy for a paper to be toc starchy and immaculate in its layout and policy, and, therefore, to count for comparatively little in the moulding of the political opinions of the masses. The more we like our instructors the more likely we are to profit by their instruc tion, Moreover, some of the dailies never allow a glint of humour to be detected in their editorials. Possibly the pulverising effect of

laughter would be too destructive to their portentous gravity and technique. But you evidently fully realise the widely beneficial effects of laughter, one of God’s gifts to man, At all events you seem te allow laughter to play like sunshine over the pages of the "Radio Record." And while you do, I-am certain that the popularity of the "Record" will continue to wax. Complaint Housewife (Hamilton): Being a weekly subscriber to the "Radio Record,’’. I see you ask readers to ‘write and tell you "what do you think about it." Well, here’s what I think of part of it. Being a very busy person and getting tired at times, I just switch on to 1ZA, On Yuesday morning, after getting everyone off to business,.and after

cleaning up, and plenty to do with ali the wet weather, I thought now tor a nice cup of tea and a little music from 1ZA. Over the air comes-vwell,I do not know whether the performer was crying, or singing, or trying to sing. Of course, I switched off, and I just thought I would like to tell the person responsible for the item. "When I Learnt French" ought to have to listen to items like that for the ‘rest of the day. Whoever is reSponusible for drawing up -prosrammes like that? N.Z. Tenor A. ©, Mudford (Wairoa): For the past few days we have had the very great pleasure of listening to the most enjoyable, and maybe the finest tenor voice in this country. I refer to Thomas E, West. In your paper I have noticed two references to the above gentleman, but in your’ correspondence columns none. Tis a strange thing, but if Mr. West had a foreignSounding name, or had appeared in a talkie, everybody would be "singing his praises," Mr. West, it is gathered, is Shortly intending to go to Australia. This letter is chiefly written,

not to try and prevent Mr. West from so doing, but rather to draw some listeners’ attention to the fact that New Zealand has a great tenor, and I hope that before he leaves our shores the broadcasting authorities will engage Mr. West for further recitals. Pro Classics Miss Melody (Tauranga): In defence of classics I say that jazz, hot rhythm and swing-vwell, they are just a jumble of notes, discordant, unmelodious and noisy. Swing, of Mataura, says that dinner music has got "no rhythm, no tune, no nothing,’ which shows he does not know the classics. Sparks, of Taihape, certainly seems a loyal Supporter of swing, but I am sure that if he took the trouble to find out the circumstances in which they were composed he would appreciate the classics far more, New Session Monica Joyce (Christchurch): The new dance session given from 2ZB on Thursday evenings has in terested me so much that I would like to draw the attention of listeners in other centres to this entertaining quarter-hour. Many of us belong to a class of dancers who find it easy to pick up a new dance in the ballroom, but take our dancing seriously enough to be fussy about details, and this session is evidently going to give us just those little hints we want. With this craze for new and newer dances, it is good to hear a discriminating instructor who knows all the finer points of dancing and can put them efficiently and entertainingly over the air.