A ?1 Kl HI Lf J I W w # m*
Rediscovers America
Under New Sponsors
Co-Operative Backing of Programs Affords
Wider National Contacts; Brings Radio
Close to Local Communities.
I
By BAUKHAGE
Netct Analyst and Commentator.
WNC Service, 16X6 Eye Street, N. W.
Washington, D. C.
In these days when there is so
much talk about co-operatives, I
would like to take this opportunity
to say something about co-operative
sponsorship of radio. It is a differ
ent kind of co-op, of course, but it
has done a lot for broadcasting. It
simply means that instead of hav
ing one big company sponsor a
program over a whole network, a
local concern in each town "hires"
us. That is why I say the name of
my boss is legion.
There are many advantages In
this plan from a purely material
standpoint. But to me, the greatest,
from the broadcaster's point of view
is the fact that co-op sponsorship
provides a tremendous psychologi
cal tonic. It gives me what I call
an e-pluribus-unum boost, because
I have a feeling that a lot of peo
ple have elected me to my
job instead of one man hiring: me.
I feel that I have become a citizen
in a sort of new-found economic
democracy.
Now from the listener's stand
point: When a program is sponsored
locally, the townsfolk are bound to
look on it with a lot more intimacy.
We are all proud of the fact that
radio has brought the world right
into the listener's home. We can be
equally proud of the fact that the
co-operative sponsorship system
has brought thousands of American
communities into the broadcaster's
heart and mind. The co-operative
sponsorship system exemplifies the
good, democratic principles of de
centralization.
I think it's a great invention.
? ? ?
Chosen by Station WNAX, Yank
ton, S. D., as "typical mid-west
farmers," Mr. and Mrs. John Oeser
won a trip to Washington, a new
tractor and money for a new ward
robe. Immediately after being re
ceived by the President, they were
interviewed on our program.
They were chosen by WNAX be
cause, while running up a remark
able production record on their farm
in Westside, Iowa, they also played
a leading part in the war activities
of the community.
Mr. Oeser is 58 years old and is
still cultivating the land his father
pioneered. He and Mrs. Oeser have
eight children?the one of military
age is a marine?two daughters are
Bankhafe (center) interviews the Oeaers in Washington, D. C.
The people of X-ville, listening to
me as they have for the last three
years, feel, I am sure, that they
know me better because they know
my sponsor, Joe Doe?a lot of them
personally, a lot more because they
have almost daily personal contact
with the clerks in his big depart
ment store. And that goes for the
flour mill, the bank, the bakery, the
dairy, the hotel, the electric power
company, the finance company, the
flour and feed store, and what have
you (and what haven't you in the
co-op dish?).
Like writing for a weekly news
paper, there is a hometown intimacy
about this arrangement This inti
macy, vicarious though it may be,
goes a long way toward breaking
down the barrier of invisibility be
tween the unseen broadcaster and
his audience.
Highly important too, is the total
goodtwiU engendered by the co-oper
ative sponsorship system. It means
a lot to the sponsor to have the lis
tener realize that a hometown
supported institution is paying for
the program he listens to.
Before I accept a sponsor I have
to know something about him. When
we get together I have a chance to
learn a lot more about him and he
about me. Thus, my 130 bosses have
helped me, in a sense, to re-discover
America, and it doesn't do a bit of
harm to those of us who spend so
much time on Pennsylvania avenue
to have a daily reminder of Main
street which is the real America.
So much for direct benefits to sta
tion ? sponsor - listener - broadcaster.
But there is something which is
even more important to radio as a
whole. I believe the co-op system
will go a long way toward dissolv
> ing an unfounded suspicion held by
some of the general public: name
ly that a commentator reflects his
sponsor's opinions. Personally, I
have never known such a case, but
the myth la widespread. Well, it is
obvious that even 30 sponsors
couldn't agree to disagree with
their commentator on any one thing
and when the number passes the
hundred mark, a neutralizing effect
results which produces a cross-sec
tion view that could reflect only an
average of American tolerances.
graduate nurses. Since the eldest
boy joined the marines, Mr. Oeser
has been doing all the work on his
160-acre farm with the help of his
wife and the 10 and 14-year-olds.
They have a lot of livestock and
raise enough grain on their farm
to feed the cattle.
Mr. and Mrs. Oeser were widely
entertained while in Washington and
enjoyed every minute of it. How
ever, Mrs. Oeser was shocked at
the prices of food and didn't "see
how a family the size of hers could
possibly afford to live in a city."
? ? ?
While congress recently rewrote
the tax law to St peacetime govern
ment expenditures?and the people's
earnings?they had in their posses
sion the suggestion for a new type
of tax program. I say "new type"
because it is sponsored by small
businesses employing approximate
ly 6,900,000 workers.
The sponsors are convinced that
their comprehensive program will
do a number of worthy things in ad
dition to speeding reconversion and
giving tax relief to individuals and
business. They say it will also pro
vide a favorable tax climate for
small business, encourage venture
capital, provide high employment at
well-paid jobs, stimulate consump
tion, increase the national income,
balance the budget at high employ
ment levels, reduce federal expen
ditures and retire the national debt.
Aside from immediate reductions
for individuals and corporations, the
long-range program calls for the fol
lowing: For the individual, an ini
tial tax of 16 per cent and reduction
of surtaxes, the rates on long-term
capital gains, estate and gift taxes.
Existing exemptions and credits
would be retained, deductions of
capital losses would be allowed on
the same basis as capital gains
are taxed, double taxation of divi
dends would be alleviated. The state
chambers of commerce would con
tinue the principle of the withhold
ing tax while at the same time try
ing to improve it.
In the long term picture for busi
ness, the group would have corpora
tion taxes reduced and the continu
ation of a favorable tax climate
for small business.
BARBS . . . by B aukhag?
I?
Before the war, aaya the 20th Cen
tury Fund, around tour million 1
Americana paid an income tax. i
After the war becan, the number <
roee to above 40 million, or over 10 i
timet aa many headache* on March
15.
? ? ? ]
The clerka and aaleapeople are
now demanding "Doocher know i
there'a a peace on?"
Rubble plua rabble makea a revo
utioo?but a bowl of American roup
joe* a long way to convince even
i hungry communiat democracy
isn't ac bad.
? ? ?
What doer the American aoldier
In Europe (and officer) want inoatT
Sorry, cynics, it's (1) to get home
and if not (2) the wile and kiddies
over there.
FIRST POSTWAR REGATTA . . . The National Midwinter regatta,
held recently on the shores of Los Angeles, drew more than 75 crack
sailing crafts from Pacific coast points, in a three-day meet. Many
classes of the trim boats were represented in the colorful sailing
event, the first since the start of the war. The event was sponsored by
the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce and Southern California
Yachting association.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT?IT RUNS . . . Edward C. Hammond, Newton,
Mass., did not let auto shortages stand in his way. With a bit of Yankee
ingenuity be concocted his own auto which Hammond calls the "Weep."
It has ail accessories, including a wicker basket for golf clubs and ?
series of horns, sirens, bells and light. The builder says that it can go
54 miles on a gallon of gasoline. Hammond is at the wheel of his creation.
COMES THE ELECTRONIC HOT DOG ... The "Radio Chef," promised
for several months, arriyed at New York to make life more complicated.
The gadget for dispensing the electronically cooked frankfurter is being
demonstrated by Sammy Kaye. The frankfurters are wrapped in cello
phane and enclosed In an oven-fresh roll, ready for the consumer, who
deposits a dime in the inevitable slot.
ARGENTINA HOLDS ELECTION . . . Strong man Col. Joan Penm. dic
tator of Argentina, right, who appeared hp early returns to have been
defeated for the presidency hy Dr. Jose P. Tamborini, left, democratic
onion candidate. Antiquated system of vote-coon ting resulted in several
weeks' delay in the dual count. The election of Dr. Tamborini was fa
vored by the U. 8. state department aa an aid In the "frfcrtU neigh
bor" policy In Latin America. . \
KRUG SUCCEEDS ICKES . . . Jul
ius A. Krug, 38, Madison, Wis., who
has been appointed by President
Truman as the new secretary of the
interior. He was formerly chair
man of WPB and chief power en
gineer of TVA. Since leaving gov
ernment service he has headed an
engineering company. Krug ex
pressed his satisfaction in the way
the interior department has been
administered in the past by Secre
tary Ickes.
MAY RULE ITALY . . . Prince
Vittorio Di Savoia, son of the regent
of Italy and grandson of the last
king of Italy, whose abdication has
opened the way to the throne for the
boy prince. His father is Prince
Umberto.
Churchill, former prime minister of
Great Britain, as he received the
degree of doctor of laws from the
University of Miami, at the Orange
Bowl, before thousands in a public
ceremony.
HUNT WILD BOAR . . . Shown is
James Lynn, left, and Benny War
ren, Chicago Cab players who are
training on Catalina island, Calif.
They took time off to look for wild
boar in the hills on Catalina island.
AID ON FOOD PROBLEM . . .
Herbert C. Hoover, former Presi
dent and foremost food expert
after World War I, has been Invited
by President Truman to aid in post
war, world food problems. He has
been active in foreifn relief work.
WASHINGTON. ? Some people
are wondering whether the fact
finding board for the meat packing
industry took the trouble to read the
newspapers. If so, they might not
have recommended that the house
wife bear the main burden of the
cost of increased wages in the meat
packing industry.
The fact-finding board, which In
cluded Dr. Edwin E. Witte of Wis
consin university. Chief Justice
Raymond W. Starr of.the Michigan
Supreme court, and Clark Kerr,
former chairman of the meat pack
ing branch of the war labor board
?three able men?decided that a
16-cent pay increase was fair and
equitable for meat packing work
ers. But they added that only five
cents of this was "absorbable by
the meat industry without price or
subsidy relief."
In other words, the fact finders
recommended that the big meat
packers could pay only 5 cents of
the 16-cent wage increase out of
their own pockets. The rest would
have to be passed on to the consum
er or the government. Their repor^
was filed February 7.
However, early In December,
long before the fact-finding
board was appointed, a number
of smaller meat packing plants
had already signed contracts
with the CIO and AFL for 15
cents an hoar pay increase with
out any strings attached re
garding increased meat prices.
The small packers who signed
such agreements included Hygrade
Food Products of New York,
George A. Hormel of Austin, Minn.,
and others in the Chicago area.
Apparently, the fact finders
did not take this into considera
tion. Apparently also, they ig
nored the fact that Swift and
company previously had agreed
to a pay boost of 10 cents an
hour without any strings at
tached regarding increased
meat prices to the housewife.
For, despite Swift's offer of 10
cents an hour and the smaller com
panies' increase of 15 cents, the fact
finders recommended that only
5 cents of the 16-cent increase could
be paid for by meat packers. The
remaining 11 cents will be passed
on to the housewife?unless the gov
ernment votes a subsidy.
BREAD WASTE SCANDAL.
Department of agriculture sleuths
have been doing some quiet check
ing of unscrupulous bakeries which
violate bread sales regulations in
order to kill off competition. '
Despite the fact that the nation
has been forced on a "dark bread"
diet to help feed war-starved peo
ples of the world, thousands of
loaves of good bread are still go
ing to waste, or being fed to hogs
and chickens.
It works like this:
If a big bakery is trying to grab
business away from a competing
bakery, it will begin supplying gro
cery stores on a "consignment
basis," which means that grocers'
shelves are loaded up with supplies '
of bread in excess of what they can
sell.
The following day?sometimes the
same day?drivers pick up the un
I sold loaves and replace them with
! fresh stock, charging the grocer
I only for the bread actually sold.
I Idea is to promote sales of a particu
lar brand of bread because of its
"freshness."
This is a violation of war food
order No. 1, but it hasn't stopped
certain bakeries in Houston, Texas,
Richmond, Va., San Francisco,
Cleveland, Kansas City and St.
Louis from carrying on the prac
tice on a huge scale.
Instead of making their re
turned stocks of one-day-old
bread available at a reduced
price to poor families, the
loaves frequently wind up in
garbage bins. One Texas farm
er who tipped off the depart
ment of agriculture about condi
tions in Houston said he had
been buying wagon-loads of
bread "fresh enough to eat" to
- feed his bogs and chickens.
ATOM VS. BATTLESHIP
Unless President Truman does
something drastic about it very
soon, the forthcoming atomic tests
in the Pacific, scientists say, may
turn out to be a study in water
spouts instead of atomic energy.
On-the-surfaee atomic-bomb
explosions, tbe scientists claim,
will add nothing to the knowl
edge already accumulated from
previous explosions at New
Mexico, Hiroshima and Naga
saki, except that we may learn
the sixe and damage of the
world's largest water spout.
Administration lobbying to con
firm Ed Pauley has reached white
hot pitch. Gov. Mon Wallgren of
Washington was brought east to put
: the heat on Senators Magnuson and
, Hugh Mitchell, the latter having
I been Wallgren's secretary. Both
| will now vote for Pauley. ... In
! some states, where the November
race will be close, a vote for Pauley
may mean defeat-for a Democrat
. . .. The Pauley-Allen-Vardaman
Merry-Go-Rounds have evolved the
; latest Washington wisecrack: "Tru
| man Is suffering from Pendergastric
1 ulcers!"
Classified Department
SEEPS. PLANTS, ETC.
Adapted Certified 448 Hybrid seed com.
grown on my farm. Eight years experi
ence growing hybrid seed. $4.90 to $8.0$
bushel del. Fraak Davis. Blaeksteae, Ts
Invest in Your Country?
Buy U. S. Savings Bonds!
______??
Recisniidtf
D0CT0RJ
If Helps tone up adult
ay stems ? h elp.
J IM children build sound
K teeth, strong bones.
r aOOD-TASTt/tfif
[Veronica ?
1 lake 1
1 ~-.7S?S?tS$ 1
1 SSfta*'-r I
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ARE YOU MU
WEAKJIRED
due to MONTHLY LOSSES?
7ou girls and women who lose so
much during monthly periods that
you're pale, weak, "dragged out"?
this may be due to lack of blood-Iron.
So try Lydla E. Plnkham's TABLETS
? one of the best home ways to
build up red blood?In such cases.
Plnkham's Tablets are one of the
best blood-Iron tonics you can buy!
A favorite household antiseptic dress
ing and liniment for 98 yeara?Hanfard'a
BALSAM OF MYRRH1 It contains
toothing gums to relieve the aoreneaa and
ache of over-used and strained muscles.
Takes the sting and itch out of burns,
scalds, insect bites, oak and ivy poison
ing, wind and sun burn, chafing and
chapped skin. Its antiseptic action less
ens the danger of infection whenever the
akin is cut or broken.
Keep a bottle handy for the minor
casualties of kitchen and nursery. At
your druggist?trial sise bottle 35*;
household sise 65*; economy sise $1.25.
a C. HAHFORD MFG. CO* Syracuse, N.Y.
) Sols maker* ot
Hfll
""6 6 6
COLD PREPARATIONS
LIQUID, TA1LET5, SALVE, NOSE DROPS
CAUTIOH-USE ONLY AS DWECTED
WNU?4 11-40
And Your Strength and
Energy la Below Par
It may ba emuasd by disorder of kld
nay (unction that permits poisonous
vasts to accumulate. For truly many
people (eel tired, weak and miserable
when the kidneys (ail to remove excess
acids and other waste matter from the
blood.
You may suffer nagging backache,
rheumatic palaa, headaches, riinliism
Hon with smarting and burning is an
other rign that somethiag is wrung with
the kidneys or bladder.
There should be no doubt that prompt
treatment is wiser than neglect. Gas
Doha's Fina. It Is better to rely on a
medietas that has won countrywide ap
proval than on something Ipsa favorably
known. Doaa's have bean tried and test
&rsz.rzijru
1111 f 1 M 11