Sensational and Prejudiced the Eaitor of the "Nomma-Cunca Day News"
Sm—So long as possessors of wireless receiving sets pay no licences it must be assumed that we take what given us in the way of programmes thankful that We get any thing at all.
Recent letters to you, Mr. Ealtor, fon the subject of the ' manner and style employed in broadcast announe-{ng encourage me to trespass on your valuable space.
For some weeks past T have been the habit of listening in' to a regular weekly summary "at world happenings and local war news, an Tadmit that for the first few weeks I came to look forward to these jbroadeasts, enjoyed their freshness and novelty "of presentation and commended the item to my friends.
Latterly, however, these broadcasts have rapidly deteriorated, "and the limit was reached (for myself) in the last given. "Henceforth T shall neither Misten in' to that broadcast nor pur-ichaso the "journal responsible "for these fulminations.
'A. contrast between a B. B. C. broadcast of news and this local stuff would be invidious, for the tivo are simply not in the' same class." But {in times like these, when people's minds require steadying so that judgment may be quiet and balanced, the obvious efforts at alarming. the [apprehensive and exciting. the. tem-yPeramental is something altogether to be condemned.
In the very last broadcast of this journal, for instance, the commentary fon European and China news was crashed into by four "'Mashes'—a flash being, I take it, a piece of stop-press news that has been handed to the announcer while actually. announcing. These ashes were almas! spat out, as if the listener were simply hungry for a bit of sen-nationalism, The fist dash was actually stale news, being that of a bomb-throwing incident which had taken place nearly three hours previously. Another flash was to the effect that Mr, Chamberlain's return to Germany had been, advanced from early next week to this week end.—a statement that was simply not true, as. proved {in the B. B.C. later the same evening.
Beyond these, certain very caustic remarks about "England were. made this commentator which betrayed bad taste, n lack of reading of modern history and violent racial rejudle, were told that "England never anything Peated and emphasized with delibertion and scorn, Many " Englishmen today feel that England gave far too much away when she scrapped her armaments, under the Ramsay Macdonald regime, in the hope that she might lead the world in the paths of Peace. To that sacrifice maybe due {he loss of Manchuria to China Proper, the conquest and seizure of 'Abyssinia and, most probably, the Present tmpdsse in central "Europe. Possibly the British Domintons—more especially the Union of South Africa 'Could also furnish @ reply, to the commentator's charges that "Britain never' gave anything away!"
The announcer also spoke of the colossal "game of bluff that was being played by all the great powers ith the exception of France," and part of that great game of blugt—he said—was Mr. Chamberlain's visit to Herr Hitler.
The writer could not have thought vas possible that there could be anywhere a shadow of doubt as to the sincerity of Mr. Chamberlain and his cabinet and the country behind them. Were there ever greater proofs lof a. sincere search for peace. than the intent and effort of the Runciman Mission or the amazing courage and resourcefulness which have won unt-versal approval of Mr. Chamberlain hhimselt and of his country?
The commentator referred to has every. right to. speak this mind: that fs one of the great liberties enjoyed in England-—who "never gave anything away." But let him consider the dignity of his calling as a journal Hist and contribute something of a steadying. constructive character, and eschew alt cheap theatrical effects and ea-obvious efforts to inflame public opinion. Then his racy commentaries may be worth listening to once more. Till then—no more listening to this particular broadcast for Shanghai, Sept. 17.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.