o,
Radio Fills Economic,
Social Needs of Farm
Programs Keep Listeners Up on Latest
Doings and Aid Work, Marketing;
Music, Plays Welcome Diversion.
By BAUKHAGE
Npus Analyst and Commentator.
WNL’ Service, 1G16 Eye Street, N.W.,
Washington, l>. C.
When farm folk want to cut a
rug- via the radio, they U do it to
the strain of “Turkey in the
Straw,” not "Chickery Chick.”
Farmers turn a cold shoulder on hot
jive. However, both the musical
gobbler and the syncopated hen
play second fiddle as farm radio fa
vorites to the good old-fashioned
hymns, like “Rock of Ages,” and
“Onward, Christian Soldiers.” But,
down on the farm, the all-time top
favorite on the radio hit parade is
NEWS. The farmer and his wife
prefer the news broadcast to any
\ other type of radio program.
These interesting preferences
were brought to light recently by a
survey published by the department
of agriculture—a survey undertak
en at the request of the Federal
Communications commission to find
out if radio was important to rural
people, and why; and what pro
grains rural people tuned in in hope,
and tuned out in despair.
Rural people are convinced radio
is here to stay. When asked if he
would miss his radio set, should
something happen to it, nearly ev
ery rural radio owner said some
/ thing like this:
"It would mane an awiui uu
ference. It would be just like
going back to old - fashioned
lights.”
"We need the radio very
much—we have a mile of bad
road between the house and the
mailbox, and sometimes get the
mail only once a week.”
“That would be terrible! It'd
be just like having a corpse in
the house!”
Of course there were dissenters.
There always are. And the dissent
ers weren’t backward about ex
pressing their unflattering opinions
of radio.
For example:
"If it weren’t for my family, I’d
throw the radio out. It wouldn't
bother me a bit.”'
"Makes no difference whatsoev
er. All you hear is junk and com
mercials and murder mystery.”
3 to 1
, For Radio!
But the radio enthusiasts among
farmers vastly outnumber the grip
ers. It’s radio three to one as they
say in a certain radio commercial.
Three out of every four rural radio
owners attach a great deal of im
portance to their radios . . . and
only one in eight wouldn’t care if
Junior took the thing apart and
never got it together again.
It appears, from this survey, that
radio performs a special service for
rural people who may live some
distance from town and amuse
ments, or even from the nearest
neighbor, and who may often be
without access to daily newspapers
or telephones.
Rural people have four very def
inite reasons to explain why radio
is important to them: 1. it’s a
source of news; 2. a source of in
formation, other than news; 3. it
provides entertainment; and 4. it’s
become a habit to listen to the darn
thing.
xneir comments are illustrative:
“YVe would feel terribly isolat
ed without the news.”
“YY'ouldn't know how the oc
cupation in Germany is coming.
1 have a son over there, and I
want to know what’s happen
ing."
“You get the news quicker on
the radio.”
“I don’t have much time to
read the papers or magazines.”
Commentators, it appears, are
the apple of the farmer’s eye. Farm
audiences are proved by this survey
to be faithful to and enthusiastic
about news broadcasts and news
broadcasters. As we mentioned
earlier, the radio announcement,
^“We now bring you the news”
makes farmers sit up and take no
tice. Rural radio listeners rate
news tops as their favorite program,
and also say it’s the type of pro
gram they’d miss most.
, Next comes religious music. Ru
ral listeners, especially in the
South, could use more of it, and
more radio sermons, too. The rea
son may be that religious broad
casts provide a substitute for at
tending church for some inconveni
ently located farmers, ' '
r '
Old-lime musical programs
are the farmer’s favorite kind
of radio entertainment. He
eschews “long-hair” music. . . .
opera and classical, saying
frankly in many cases that he
doesn't understand it. And he
turns thumbs down on swing
and-sway dance music, and the
current juke box favorites. In
the South where this dislike of
dance music is most pro
nounced, it doesn’t matter
whether the person questioned
is a portly Kentucky colonel, or
a teen - age southern belle.
They’ll take the old-time tunes
any day of the week.
The weather once again proves its
durability as a conversational topic
—even on the radio. Naturally,
weather reports are “must” listen
ing on the farm.
It’s the same way with farm
talks and market reports. Com
modity reports are about as fasci
nating to city folk as a lecture on
relativity, but the farmer says he
finds them a definite and practical
help in selling his products. In this
respect—by giving him weather re
ports, farm talks, and market data,
radio becomes a sort of junior part
ner, advisory capacity, in the farm
er’s business.
There s Room
For Improvement
Having read this far in the sur
vey. radio executives might be in
clined to paf themselves on the back
and figure they've done a good day’s
work. They've "sold” the farm
er, haven’t they? He likes what
they’ve got to offer, doesn’t he? '
Seems to them the farmer has giv- j
en radio an A-plus, or in radio par- |
lance, “a Fibber McGee Hooper rat
ing.”
We-ell, not exactly. There are
some radio programs some farm
ers don’t like, and serial stories are
one of them. It is surprising what
a hearty dislike 25 per cent of the
farmers (AND their wives) express
for some of the so-called “soap op
eras.” which city folk seem to
adore.
There is no other type of program
toward which there is such divided
feeling among rural radio owners
as the serial program or soap op
era. While one-fourth of the rural
listeners say they dislike serials,
calling them “foolish” or “silly,”
many of these same people (par
ticularly the women listeners) say
they’d miss the hero and his matri
monial mishaps or the heroine and
her troubles. It seems that although,
in many instances, the listeners don't
enjoy or aren't entertained by these
programs, they’ve become used to
listening to ope or another, and they
feel they just have to find out what’s
going to happen next.
It’s interesting to note, too, that
the people who dislike serials value
radio more for the specific informa
tion they get from it, and depend
less on it for "company” ... or to
"keep from getting lonely.” Also,
the critical ones who turn up their
noses at the serial story tend to be
somewhat older and to have had
more education than those who like
soap opera.
Most farmers shy away from
the up-and-coming radio mys
tery meller-drammer. They dis
like finding corpses in their own
living rooms, so to speak, and
being forced to sit through har
rowing screams, creaking doors,
hooting owls, and the spooky
collection of sound effects which
is apt to accompany micro
phonic mayhem. Some farmers,
explaining why they dislike
such programs, say it’s because
of moral, not morale, reasons.
As is usually the case, the survey
revealed more likes and dislike*
than suggestions. Not even the ones
who don’t care much for radio at
all had any ideas on how to im
prove the programs. More than half
the rural people who have radios
cannot think of any type pf pro
gram they’d like to hear more of
than the ones they listen to . . . and
when suggestions are offered, they
are scattered over such a wide
field, it’s hard to put a finger on any
one type of program which is be
ing neglected. In ether words, there
don’t seem to be any Important
specific discrepancies between what
the rural listener wants and needs
... and what he’s getting.
BARBS . . . by B aukha ge
Is Germany really changing
heart? I don’t know but I know
they have had to change one thing,
their daily beer. There is no beer
for Germans today.
• • •
The Twentieth Century Fund says
it costs as much to raise a child and
him through college as it does
a house—but children nre
’ these days._
|
The plight of many Americans
today is that they can’t get a car
for their spare parts.
• * •
Congress seems ready to send
the homes-for-veterans bill to the
floor with no ceilings on the homes.
The administration thinks this will
mean veterans may have roofs to
stop precipitation, but not infla
tion.
Sandall Writes Public Officials
Lincoln—Charles E. Sandall, in
a letter to all Nebraska mayors
and councilmen, urges careful
scrutiny in beer retailer’s past
records in considering their app
lications for license renewals. As
state director of the Nebraska
Committee, United States Brew
ers Foundation, Mr. Sandall heads
the brewing industry’s self regu
lation program in the state.
The license year begins May 1
and most hearings and other
council actions occur during the
month of March. Mr. Sandall’s
fetter ti local officials is one ur
ging strict adherence to the pro
visions of the Nebraska Liquor
Control Act. He calls attention to
that section of the law defining
a license as a ‘privilege, not a
property right’ and interprets it
to mean that no applicant has a
right to demanu a license. You
are sole judge as to whether or
not an applicant is worthy”.
Mr. Sandall suggests that in
measuring the fitne ss of the ap
plicant, two questions that might
be asked are these: “Has the
retailer operated his place of bus
iness within the law and rules cf
good conduct? Has he been coop
erative and has he recognized his
responsibilities to the community
in which he lives and conducts
'ais business?”
Commenting on his letter, and
particularly on the two questions,
Mr. Sandall said, “A denial of
licenses to alia pplicants who arc
unable to measure up affirmativ
ely to both questions would serve
the best interests of those chiefly
concerned—first, the public; se
cond, the great majority of beer
retailers who have proved them
selves willing and able to operate
tavrens in the right way”.
TO THE MAYOR AND
MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCILS
Gentlemen:
You will soon again have the
duty and responsibility of pass
ing upon the applications for the
licenses for the retailing of beer
and alcoholic honors other
beer for the period May 1, 1946
to May 1, 1947.
In most cases the applicant i:
already a license. In such cases
the right to a renewal license
should depend upon the past re
cord of the applicant. Has he
operated his place of business
within the law and within the
rules of good conduct? Has he
been cooperative and has he been
cooperative and has he recogni
zed his social responsibilities to
the community in which he lives
and conductg his business? Re
member that you, the licensing
authorities, are the sole judges as
to whether or not the applicant is
worthy of your continued confi
dence and respect. No applicant,
whether he be a present of a new
applicant, has a right to demand
a license, for a license is a pri
vilege and not a property right.
May I call attention to some of
the salient features of the Ne
braska Liquor Control Act:
1. No license shall be issued to
a non resident of the community
where the business is to be con
ducted.
I
2. No license shall be issued to
one who is not of good character
and reputation in the community
I in which he resides or to one who
| shall have been convicted or plead
j guilty to the violation of certain
designated laws.
3. Before local licensing author
ities shall recommend to the Li
quor Control Commission the is
suance of a license, they shall
satisfy themselves and shall cer
tify to the Commission as to the
moral character and financial re
sponsibility of the applicant, the
appropriatness of the location,
taking into consideration the
number of beer licenses already
issued, and generally as to the
applicant’s fitness for the trust
to be reposed.
I am sure that a strict adher
ence to the foregoing and many
Other provisions of the Liquor
Control Act and a strict enforce
ment of its provisions after the
issuance of licenses will give to
i the people of this state the soun
dest and b«st possible method of
handling the manufacture, dis
tribution and sale of alcoholic be
verages and will aid in the pro
motion of the health, safety and
welfare of the citizens of this
state.
To this end the Nebraska Com
mittee stands pledge^ to render
support and assistance.
Very sincerely yours,
Signed—Charles E. Sandall
State Director
Phone us your
SOCIAL NOTES
JA-3215
RUBBER MAGNATE RECEIVES USO AWARD
^ntiltfieyv© b
New York—Harvey S. Firestone
Jr., (left), a tire company execu
tive in Akron and Ohio State
Chairman for USO is shown re
ceiving an award for distingui
shed service to the nation through
United Service Organization. Dr.
Lindsley F. Kimball (right j,
President of the USO, made the
presentation.
| DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST SPANISH GOVERNMENT
■ .J. ... ■ ' . ii i ... ■ i. ■
I 1 hit..... min—""im
Paris, France, Sounphoto—De
monstrations against the Spanish
government—this French delega
tion is shown parading through
Paris streets with banners of sa
lute to the Spanish Republicans.
Last week an angry French gov
ernment invoked economic sanc
tions against Generalissimo Fran
co by ordering closure of the 260
-, . mi
mile frontier with Spain. The clo
sing order became effective mid
nite last Thursday. TTie quaran
tine agaisst Spain was decided
after the ministers failed to agree
•on a diplomatic break- A majority
favored the course but foreign
Minister Bidault urged that Fra
nce again try to obtain American
and British action.
ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON FOR FOOD TALKS
Washington, i_>. c—Sounapnom
—Called to Washington by Pres '
Truman for a world food confer
ence, former President Herbert
! Hoover (center) is shown as he
' arrived at Washington Nat onal
Yfflii * •■'■■WfljgttMg....
airport from Florida where he in
terrupted a fishing trip to fly
here. He was met at the plane by
Julius Klein, his former secretary
(left) and Washington newsmen
(right).
SUCCEEDS HARQUD ICKES
New York, NY, Soundphoto—
Julius A. Krug, of Madison, Wis.,
38 yr. old former War Production
Board Chairman, who was named
by President Truman as the new
Secretary of the Interior, is shown
at the telephone in his Waldorf
Astoria suite after learning of
his appointment to the President’s
Cabinet. Krug succeeds Harold
L. Ickes, who recently resigned.
" KZSv —
HONORED BY DAV
New York City—Wow V. Walk
er (right), national commander of
the Disabled American Veterans,
presents citation to Perry Como,
radio singer. DAV commends
Como for his entertainment ef
forts in behalf of disabled veter
sms
Phone Us Your
Social’ Local News
• JA-3215
JIM CROW TRAVEL CASE
TO BE ARGUED MaR. 6-7
(Continued from p. 1)
March 7, according to the move
ment of the calendar.
The case arose from the arrest
of Miss Morgan on July 16, 1941
on a Greyhound bus traveling
from Gloucester County, Va., to
Baltimore, Md- She was ordered
to move to the rear of the bus an^
refused to do so. She lost in Vir
ginia courts but InAACP lawyers
finally secured the consent of the
US supreme court to review by
direct appeal.
In brief, the argument of Att
orneys William H. Hastie, Leon
A. Ransom, Spottswood W. Rob
inson, III, and Thurgood Marsh
all is:
“For 70 years the decisions and
pronouncements oft his Court
have consistently condemned the
state statutes attempting to con
trol or rekuire the segregation of
Negro passengers moving in in
terstate commerce on public car
riers as unconstitutional invasions
of an area where national power
under the commerce clause is ex
clusive. Unless the reasoning of
thos cases or is unsound, they
should be followed.
“The nature of the subject ma
tter, the direct impact of segre
gation statutes on the intrestate
movemnt of persons in commerce
and the burdensome movement of
persons in conflicting local enact
ments in this field all indicate the
correctness of the doctrine which
places this aspect of interstate
commerce beyond state control.
The transitory status of the in
terstate passenger and the lack
of any uniform or consistent co
verage of Negro travelers in the
segregation laws of ','ie sevral
states including Virginia, show
the unsubstantial character of
the state’s claim of legitimate
concern with this matter. Such
capricioug application of provin
cial notions beyond substantial
local needs affords no valid basis
for the regulation of interstate
commerce which Virginia is at
tempting.”
in conclusion me brief refers
-o the case of Hall Vs. DeCuir
and declares:
“Hall Vs. DeCuir was decided
70 years ago, and many of the
cases following it are also pre
cedents of past generations. To
day, commerce is vets—y increa
sed. It has far greater need than
ever before for treeciom irom ob
stacles bred of provincialism.
Moreover, Hall vs. DeCuir was
decided when the Civil War and.
me racial antagonisms attendant
to it were fresh in the minds and,
emotions of men. Even then this
court was quite sure mat the na
tion to the exclusion of the States
must have control of this aspect
of interstate travel. Today we are
just emerging from a war in
which all of the people of the US
were united in a death struggle
against the apostles of racism
We have already recogrdzeu by
solemn subscription to the Char
ter of the United Nations, and
particularly Articles one and 55
thereof, our duty, along with out
neighbors, to eschew racism in our
national life, and to promote uni
versal respect for, and observance
of, human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all without distinc
tion as to race, sex, language, or
religion. How much clearer, must
it be today, than it was in 1.877,
that the national business of in
terstate commerce is not to be
disfigured by disruptive local
practices bred of racial notions
alien to our national ideals, and
to the solemn undertakings of
the community of civilized na
tions as well-’’
This is the first instance which
the US supreme court has been
called upon to rule directly on
the segrgation of interstate pas
sengers on public carriers.
• Deaths—Funerals
MRS. THEUIA GILKIE SYKES
Mrs. Thelma Gilkie Sykes age 40
years, 3727 Ohio Street, died Thurs
day, February 28th at a local hos
pital. She- is survived by her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Kail Gilkie, two
brothers, Mr. Earl Gilkie, Mr Wil
liam Gilkie, two aunts Mrs. Luc
india Davis, Mrs. Eva Smith all of
Omaha, uncle Rev. G. R. Wheeler,
Toledo, Ohio, and other relatives.
Funeral services were held Monday
afternoon from The Thomas Mort
uary with Rev. F. C. iWlliams. of
ficiating. Burial was at Forest
Lawn Cemetery.
MR. CALDWELL McKIWEY
Mr. Caldwell McKinney, age 65,
years, 2312 North 28th avenue, died
Sunday March 3rd at a local hos
pital. Mr. McKinney had lived in
Omaha 23 year3 and was a member
of Zion Baptist Church. He Is sur
vived by one daughter Mrs. Thel
ma Barry, Moorehead. Mississippi,
son, Mr. Clifton McKinney, Omaha,
stepson, Mr. Leroy Boykins, Saint
Louis, Missouri, 6 grand children,
Miss Martha June McKinney, Oma
la, Clarence Barry, Chicago. 111.,
Annette and Cora Ann Barry, Wil
iam Cooper Jr., of Moorehead,
Mississippi. Funeral services were
leld Friday afternoon from Zion
"" sr • -7
ROSS
on! _
Margaret Neel of Searey, Ark., the Red Cross hospital
I worker whose likeness appears on the official poster of the
i 1946 American Red Cross Fund Campaign, will be in Om
aha, Thursday, March 14„ it has been announced by Ford
Bates, general chairman of the fund drive.
Miss Neel will he honored at a special luncheon to be;
held at 12:15 at the Fontenelle Hotel on that date. All
members of the Red Cross are invited to attenC. Tickets
anti reservations can be obtained by calling the Campaign
headquarters at 414 So. 17th St., AT-2723. Reservations
have been limited to 175, first come, first served.
The picture appearing on the 1946 Campaign poster,
and shown above, was taken in New Caledonia.
Baptist Church with Rev. F. C.
Williams officiating. Burial was
at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
AMOS T. THOMAS
Funeral services for Amos T.
Thomas, 65, of 2211 Miami who died
Sunday, March 3, were held Thurs
day at the Myers Funeral Home in
charge of the Elks Lodge. Burial
was at St. Josepn Mo. Survivors:
brothers, James, Rock Springs,
Wyo.. Joseph, St. Joseph, Mo., John
and Earl, of Omaha
ARTHl'R DIGGS
Funeral services for Arthur
Diggs,' who died Friday at a local
hospital, were held Friday at 2:30
pm, at the Myers Funeral Home.
Burial was at Forest Lawn Cem
etery. Survivors Sister, Mrs. Anna
Simm, and brother Homer, both of
Kansas City.
ARTHl’R BARNES
Funeral services for Arthur
Barnes, 47 of 4S13 1-2 South 26th
street, who died Friday, March J,
at a local hospital, were held
Thursday at 2 pm. from the Myers
Funeral Home. Burial at Grace
land Park Cemetery.
COPY O LETTER TO THE
AMERICAN AIRLINES SYSTEM
Mr. Ralph S, Damon, President
American Airlines System
100 E. 42nd Street
New York City
I
My Dear Mr. Damon:
The National Urban League, an
organization to equal economic
opportunity for our Negro popu
lation, deeply resents the printed
announcement of the opening of
the opening of the new Down
town American Airlines Ticket
office.
The folder cartoonizes a Negro
messenger in a fashion of ideas,
your prospective customers are
apt to consider this portrayal
of the NegTo worker as typical of
the estimate which the American
Airlines System places upon the
qualifications of the Negro wor
ker.
It has been a long time since
any important business or indu
stry has had the effontery to por
tray Negroes in this manner.
Coming at a time when intelligent
American leadership is doing its 1
—
best to eliminate disharmosy and
misunderstanding among groups
of American citizens, your com
pany’s advertisement is particu
larly unintelligent, and tragic.
Negro veterans of the recent
war who gained experience in
the Army Air Forces are now
looking to the air lises systems
for piloting and technical jobs
for which their Army learned
skills have qualified them. Your
company’s caricature places an
additional burden on this group,
and handicaps the efforts of such
organizations as the National
Urban League.
For these reasons we have the
right to demand, and do demand
that your folder of announcement
be withdrawn in the interets of
American decency.
Sincerely yours,
Lester B. Granger,
Exelutive Secretary
LOANS
$10 TO $1,000
You can obtain a loan from us
for almost any purpose and
repay in small monthly pay
ments.
Salary loans on your signature
only. We also make auto and
furniture loans.
We will gladly make you a
small loan or a large one.
Phone AT-2300, tell us what
you need> then come in and
pick up the money. Prompt
Service
COMMERCE
LOAN COMPANY
1901 Farnam St. Ground Floor
Corner.
Larry Flinn Manager.
----,
^^%V,V/,VyW,r,V,V
j PLATNER |
^Lumber Co.f
£ Always Gives More than X
> the Mere Commodity for x
S which You Pay. i>
$ • |
;KE-5811 24th & Boyd£
W.V.W.W.'.V.V.V.V.W.'
Donovan
BROTHERS
—Authorized Dealers—
Coal-Gas and Oil Furnaces
AIR CONDITIONING— FURNACES— COPPER
AND SHEET METAL WORKS
GUTTERING, SPOUTING AND REPAIR
OUR WORK IS GUARANTEED
“WE APPRECIATE YOUR TRADE”
Office AT*^ 7 00
-Of f ice-W areliouse-Shop
1114 NORTH 24TH STREET
k