1937-06-12 — Page 3

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 12, 1937.

THE ENT

H.K. AIR VOYAGERS

WORLD READ

GOES BY

LISTENING in to a broadcast

HEAVILY

What do modern travellers read when flying the Pacific Ocean be- tween Hong Kong and Alameda?

Informal research on this ques- programme from Z.B.W, the tion by Pan American Airways re- other night reminded me of the veals some interesting sidelights on time when I, too, used to launch my the reading habits of people while golden voice over the ether. 'Twas whizzing through the clouds from not so very long past, in a city not island to island. a million miles from Hong Kong, Escape literature holds small ap- that countless members of the fair peal. On a recent crossing of the sex, thrilled to the core of their China Clipper six persons carried love-hungry souls, hugged their popular novels, none during the radio sets in a fervor of passionate trip was finished. Non-fiction ap- exstasy when my deep, throbbing pears most popular. Air travellers

TO- tones were wafted to their ears by go in for heavy literature, it would that miracle, the wireless.

seem, showing a social preference MORROW This, however, is not to be a for histories of the Pacific and her dissertation on my Casanova-like | islands.

career. I merely wish to give you some inside dope, never before re-. vealed, on this broadcasting game.

Yawn At Magazines

Many come burdened with “Gone You have all heard the voice of Z.B.W.'s charming lady announcer With the Wind," but the number of pages of this popular, Pulitzer (I'm sure she must be charming, as her voice does things to me you price-winner which have been read know), and, of course, the mascu-on the air trails between San Fran- cisco and Hong Kong are extreme- line announcer as well.

You probably take it all forly low, observers report. granted. The announcers speak Dashing at nearly 200 miles an clearly in a level voice as if broad-hour toward the international date casting meant nothing in their line, that confusing creation of car- lives. There is no hint of nervous- tographers and chronologists where ness. An occasional cough, that is now suddenly becomes either yes- all. But have you ever thought of terday or to-morrow, but is never the agonizing hours they experience to-day, Clipper passengers yawn at before attaining the state of the those magazines which specialise ideal radio announcer? No, I in last week's news, but appear to thought not. It is no simple mat-deem the one-line captions of the ́ter, I assure you.

New Yorker's "black and whites," Not till I approached the "mike" or Esquire's pink-tinted "full- on my initial performance did I pagers,” as worthy of their un realise what a timid, shrinking divided, time-killing attention. bride can feel like, the emotions of

a man walking to the scaffold or of one signing the book at Government|| House for the first time.

OFFICER'S SUICIDE IN SHANGHAI

Shanghai, To-day.

An inoffensive looking thing, thes "mike," when viewed from a dis- tance and in a detached manner. This aspect changes suddenly when one is led towards the damn thing, A naval investigation board wilting with terror at every step. published a verdict that Lt. David ~The instrument takes on a fiend-W. Tolson, communications officer ish appearance. It looks as if it of the U. S. S. Pecos, who was might bite or at least hurl the well-found dead aboard his ship a few known raspberry at cne. The fact days ago, had taken his own life by that it does none of these things hanging himself, does not make one feel any braver. However, the motive for the One gulps rapidly several times, | suicide could not be ascertained. the veteran announcer the while Tolson was a native of Washing- standing by with a supercilious ton, D. C. He graduated from look on his face. One hates the Annapolis in 1927, and joined the man even more than one hates the the Asiatic fleet last year. ordeal to come..

Eventually one plucks up courage and, gripping, everything in reach, one starts. The result is a noise that comes out the other end like the croaking of so many frogs.

One perspires, stutters, swoons,

H.K. Travel Assoc. Subscriptions

swears and calls for brandy. In The Hong Kong Travel Associa- fact, the broadcast is a failure, tion acknowledges with thanks the wash-out, napoo.

receipt of the following subscrip- One goes about

tions:- with dejected mien for days after, imagining the

Messrs. Deacons finger of scorn pointed in one's Messrs. Jebsen and Co. direction. Death's sting would be Messrs. Noronha and Co. a. 50.00 preferable to thinks

this torture, one

$50.00

*50:00

But everything mellows with time precise pronounciation required of and eventually one plucks up con-an announcer and light-heartedly fidence. One begins to regard what said my say in accents gay and was once an ordeal with a mixture hearty. I have even introduced a

of scorn and bravado. Some an- Southern accent.

nouncers in this- stage have even “Anyway, next time you listen in, been known to sneer at the "mike" remember that your announcer may though this is frowned on by the sound blase but he or she has B.B.C. and, I believe, by Z.B.W. through. a trying time an One occasionally · has check should be listened to with re tendency to become frivolous while if not admiration. Many a V.C. ha "on the air.” Many is the time that been awarded for less. I have abandoned the somewhat

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