1938-08-03 — Page 10

S

10

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

WEDNESDAY,

"I.T.T"

ATURDAY night- half-past

seven-street

noises-flower girls chat- tering a band playing Eric Coates* Knights- bridge march-then the announcer shouting: *** STOP ! **

The B.B.C. knows this pro- gramme as "LTAT." Listeners all over the Empire recognise it as In Town To-night."

Recently this very remarkable feature went into its 150th edition.

Only a hundred and fifty? surely.

But

Yes. an unpretentious, weekly half-hour feature has grown into

a national institution.

OR

first heard Since it was November 18, 1933, "In Town To- night has been burlesqued by comedians: the title has passed into the language; gossip writers their use it as a heading for columns: advertisers have taken it up to sell their products.

The volees you hear in "In Town To-night" are the voices of people you know the butcher, the baker, the man next door. And you stand just as much chance of appearing in "In Town To-night" as they do. That is the great secret of LT.T. It known no class distinctions. Duken, dustmen, flm stars and ali tragedians are out-of-work bundled into the anme programme, given two guineas and expenses for their trouble.

B

UTIn Town To-night " wasn't always like that. When Erle Maschwitz

first became Director of Variety and thought of the idea the sent It on a postcard from the South of France), the feature was in- tended to be a weekly Celebrity Corner. He gave the job of pro- ducing it to the late Bill Hanson.

Gradually 1 was found that

WHY

Story behind the

B.B.C.'s

biggest triumph

-by-

SPIKE HUGHES

celebrities had a tiresome habit of not being in Town on Saturday nights, so Hanson had to extend the idea to make it interesting.

Thus the first I.T.T. of all bore little resemblance to the present feature. Edition One consisted of one or two radio personalities and a band directed by Christopher Stone.

Certainly the band had that Twelve money-can't-buy quality. famous band-leaders got together and made such an appalling noise that the Estening public decided it was a band nobody would take as

But. for all that, it was a

Celebrity Corner, that Arst "Int Town To-night" had to it the germ of what is to-day the fea- ture's greatest asset: spontaneity.

When Bill Hanson first sensed a shortage of celebrities he looked around for people with "storles " odd occupations, strange adven- tures to tell,

At first these "turns" were pro- vided by B.B.C. colleagues. Some- body would hear of an unusual craftsman, bring him up to Broad- casting House, hear his story, have

a script made and put him on the air.

Nothing was fixed longer than a week ahead. No scripts were re- hearsed any earlier than the morn- ing of the broadcast.

That rule still holds. Otherwise "In Town To-night" would lose its topleality.

N

is In-town-To-night-day and ask to see the producer.

The producer sees them. Usually their turn consists of no moro than wanting to say "Can you hear me, Mother? "but they are never refused an interview.

а

The prospect of appearing in Η ΤΠ Town To-night · has curious psychological effect on people. High-and-mighty calcbri- tics who would never dream of broadcasting in the ordinary way Jump at the idea. And the higher- and-mightier they are the more they like meeting their follow broadcasters.

D

URING the whole career

of IT.T. these studio meetings have produced the atmosphere of comradeship that you And in Englisli rallway carriages. Or among passengers ou sinking ship. Perhaps Ordeal by Microphone makes the whole world kin.

одо There

was only

excep- tion. A famous British flm star complained of feeling uncomfort- able among "all these common people."

But then, as Mike Meehan, the 'In Town present producer of To-night" told me the other day: the only people who make bad pubile OWADAYS the

citizens

Saturday of London's helps as much as any-

nights are the near celebritica" body in providing items

who aren't all that good. People will for the programme.

To be the producer of "In Town write in or call with suggestions

To-night" you have to be some- and personal experiences.

thing of a nursemaid as well.

Those who are most nervous of broadcasting are usually men who have had the most hair-raising adventures.

rule, Women, no a take it all quito calmly.

The B.B.C. will always see any- body who comes up and wants to be" In Town To-night." Naturally -because something good might be missed if they weren't seen.

ព

Football fans are the most per- sistent visitors. Whenever Northern team plays in London there is regularly a handful of its supporters doing the sights of the clty on Saturday morning.

Broadcasting House is included in the tour. Suddenly half a dozen young men with coloured paper hats and rosettes realise that it

BLAME ENGLAND?

TN this article 1 propose to commit instinctively. To

אן

return

Edin- tainly does not tend to advance the

I propose to cri- burgh after a visit to London is like health or happiness of the nation. a deadly sin. ticise Scotland, and to make some going back thirty years in time. The One wonders how soon those who and capital of Scotland has recently been believe in national fitness are on Scots comparisons between

to as a "muscurn and a to notice that in Scotland, more than English, which will not be--as is the referred

Is certainly, in in any other country, decent healthy usual habit in Scotlond-all to the mousoleum." She

her refusal 10 progress, rapidly games are tabooed on the one day of the week when most workers aro advantage of the former.

qualifying as a museum.

The Minister of Transport recently free to enjoy them. referred, with mild sarcasm, to the fact that, while every up-to-date city The Way to Betterment

Before doing so, it is perhaps to me to explain the reason for such temerity. Admittedly it is ungracious

to

attack anyone without proven in the world is scrapping tramways, tion, and, also admittedly, it would be a pity to foster any bad feeling between sister mattons of the British Empire.

the

My provocation and excuse He in

fact that I

more

for

im-

these

TN

AUGUST

3

1988.

By Paul F

HOW IT BEGAN Berdanter

MAKE THE DIRT FLY

MOST IRISH IMMIGRANTS WHO FLOCKED TO THE U.S. BETWEEN 1850 AND 1880 WENT TO WORK ON RAILROAD OR BUILDING CON- STRUCTION. IT WAS THEIR CHAR- ACTERISTIC. FAST WORK WITH PICK AND SHOVEL, THAT LED TO THE ABOVE PHRASE, WHICH MEANS "TO DO THINGS WITH SPEED AND FINESSE."

SERVICES CONTRACTUELS DES

MESSAGERIES MARITIMES

all Mike Merhan's ex- CONSIGNEES' NOTICES. perience, however, the man who got mike-fright worst was a professional parachute-jumper. Then when it was all over the fellow turned round and asked when he could broadcast again, because he'd The Steamship enjoyed it so much.

Nearly fifteen hundred people have appeared in "In Town To- night." Their names, and the sub- Jects they talked about, are listed in a folder at Broadcasting House.

They are grouped alphabetically under headings from "Amateur Bingers" to "Unusual Occupa- tions."

The group called simply "Miscellaneous" makes the best reading.

Here, after the names, you find such gems as: inventor of clee- trical flycatcher, three Guy Fawkes urchins, office boy with big idens. modern Robinson Crusoe who lives on beach with his family, witty window cleanor, Mademoiselle from Armentieres, triplets, Queen of Hastings and eight attendants, boy with largest ears, traveller in steam-rollers, "clulms to have scen ghost."

A

* In Town LTHOUGHX To-night" hasn't been exactly a matrimonial bureau, it nevertheless has its Old friends have romantic side. been reunited as the result of A. hearing B. broadcast after all these year. This happens quite olten.

of

"PRESIDENT DOUMER” No. 19 A/38 Bringing Cargo from Marscitles vin Saigon, etc., arrived Hongkong. on Tuesday, 2nd August, 1938.

Consignees ure hereby informed that their goods with the exception of Oplum, Treasure and Valuables are being landed and stored into the Godowns

the Hongkong Kowloon Wharf and Godown Co., Ltd., Kow- be may delivery loon, whence obtained Immediately after landing. All claims must be sent in to me on or before 12th August, 1938, or they will not be recognized.

Damaged Packages will be examin- ed by

Company's Surveyor Messra:--Goddard and Douglas in the presence of the Consignees at 10.00 am. on Monday, 8th August, 1938.

Consignees must have a Revenue! Officer in attendance when any duti- examined by the able goods are Company's Surveyors.

No Fire Insurance will be effected by us in any case whatever.

I ORL Agent. Hongkong, 2nd August, 1928.

the

N. Y. K. LINE

(NIPPON YUSEN KAISYA.) From EUROPE und STRAITS. The Steamship

The pleasantness of life in Scat- there are two cities which appear to land would be much enhanced by the general prevalence of the consider themselves insulted if such mentioned. They

things: More possibility is

general and following and course, Edinburgh of ure,

and

consideration How much Inconvenience others;

courtesy Glasgow.

Icss smug self-satisfaction and discomfort is caused to motorists with things Scottish as they are;

this and the public generally by to more willingness to and un increasing

to alter and particular piece of unprogressiveness labit among Scottish people, when

to calculate. Prove; less grim austerity and sour- } would be difficult to

Puritanism. And they

do bring themselves to find

su-mouthed anything to criticise in their beloved Then, there are Edinburgh road sur things affect not only the pleasant- lund, to blame England for it. This faces-mast Londoners under forty ness of life. But

the prosperity of me a very weak and un- have never seen such roubled rusis. Scotland. If life in England is, in But the most characteristic in-

more genial and pleasant, and also-but this Then there is Edinburgh street light general, worthy habit.

cident of all was never broadcast. certainly chiefly in ignorant and un- ing, most of which reminds one more pervaded by courtesy and hap-

It was characteristic because it educated circles-a tendency to dis- Victorian London; and Edinburgh piness, and less shadowed by a sort of early Victorian dullness and

seems to me to express the feel-having arrived from the above poris, parage England, and to use the word housing and town-planning.

ings of nearly everybody who has "English" with a slightly contemptu-

I wonder what comparison can be gloom, you cannot wonder that the

been in "In Town To-night." and best brains of Scotland are templed ous Intonation which strikes me as

Miko the beauty made

After one broadcast the height of stupid impertinence.

amenity of many of the municipal southward.

Mechan accompanied one of his interviewees an old man-to the housing schemes around London and dismal tenements beloved

door. Mechan thanked him and the Edinburgh.

unid good-bye.

to

I think it is honestly true that life in Scotland is, in many ways, if one compares comparable things, poorer and inferior to life in England. And I think the Scols themselves are en- tirely to blume for the fact.

Here are some of the reasons.

The Value of Courtesy

One of the most important factors

between

Scottish patriotism, insteud

of

of weakly blaming England for Scot- lands troubles, should attack Scottish kill-joys, prudes, and haters of pro- gress. For these are the people who are harming Scotland.

Life is poorer and meaner in Scot- land than in England because of all these things-and you cannot blame England for any of thern. Why is it that, while Scots tend to lead the world when they are abroad, in their, own country they are so backward

in making life generally pleasant is and unprogressive? courtesy. It has been written that "Manners maketh man."

or

Briton

Thank you." replied the old man, and pressed sixpence into the producer's hand,

CANADIAN PACIFIC

STEAMSHIPS

HOTELS-

- RAILWAYS - EXPRESS

BERTHING PLANS FOR 1939 ARE OPEN

-- to secure accommodation desired BOOKINGS EARLY

1.

TO CANADA, UNITED STATES and EUROPE via Shanghal, Kobe & Yokohama

1.7.00 am, Fri, Aug. 5. EMPRESS OF ASLA EMPRESS OF CANADA via Honolulu....Noon, Thurs, Aug. 18. .7.00 a.m., Fri., Sept. 2. EMPRESS OF RUSSIA

Noon, Fri, Sept. 10.

EMPRESS OF JAPAN vin Honolulu

It is cer- A Stern Religion tainly true that general good man- ~

It is unpleasant to attack things ners make for pleasantness of life.

The manners of many Scols are which are revered by large numbers deplorable. Politeness netually seems of worthy people, but I cannot help to be considered "soft" in Scotland. thinking that life in Scotland is made Brusequeness and rudeness appear lens happy than it might be by the to. be mistaken for strength of char- influence of a stern and Puritanical "acter. One of the first things one religion. This form of religion has notices on visiting the South from deprived the Scottish nation of mast MAKE Scotland

is the generally superior of the happy and beautiful associa

great festivals of the courtesy of such people as shop as- tions of the sistants, bus conductors, and such- Christian Church.

Those people do not seem to

It is astonishing for English people it necessary to "stand up for think

to discover that Christmas and Eas- themselves" by being brusque ter are hardly observed at all in surly in manner; and life runs more Scotland. Apart altogether from smoothly accordingly.

the religious significance of Easter. purticularly consider what the working popula- iE The contrast

ilon of Sentland lose in happiness at noticeable in children. The average English small boy is a perfect gen- this time of the year.

Of the lack of the Christmas spirit tleman compared with the Scottish boy of a similar class, but no doubt it is even harder to speak in men- the latter would refer to the former cured terms, Christmas is, in Eng- as a "slasy" because he knows how land, the happiest time of the year, to be polite. It is certainly a pecu- and even the most irreligious per- Har national characteristic, and one son must be affected by the univer- wonders whether, even apart from sal spirit of kindliness it evokes.

to see the associations of the its unpleasantness, it is really com- fall monsense. For in many ways poli- Scottish New Year in any way take teness paya

Its place.

Scottish religion, while removing The cultivation of more general such happy festivals and holidays as habits of courtesy would do much these from the national life, provides to make lite run more smoothly in what it calls the "Scottish Sabbath." Scotland. You cannot blame Eng. And its chief object seems to make land for the fact that Scotland logs that day as dull and dismal as possi- In this matter. And you cannot ble. The astonishing thing is that blame England if English shop the very Church which objects most keepers, with their up-to-date ideas of courtesy and public service, tend to any Sabbath is the one which pro- vides the loost opportunities for re-

Dislike of Change

on

C.P.R. Trans-Continental Trains. Air-conditioned equipment Frequent Canadian Pacile Atlantic sailings to European Ports,

I

TO MANILA

EMPRESS OF CANADA

V to oust the old Scottish traders even ligious observance, Engilsh churches

In the capital of Scotland.

are open, and used, for worship both on Sundays and week-days far more than are Scottish churchies, so that The Brols at least those who stay it would hardly appear that the ous- "Scottish Sabbath." Scotland-must be one of the terity of the

of religion In unprogressive races in the advances the cause world Change scoms to be disliked Scotland. And such austerity cer

In

most

Union

Building

*

Thurs., Aug., 11.

Canadian Pacific

COUNT THE

TELEGRAPHS

EVERYWHERE

Telephone

20752

"HARUNA MARU,"

Consignees of Cargo are hereby informed that their Goods are being landed and placed at their risk in the Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company's Godowns at Kowloon, whence delivery may be obtained.

Goods not cleared by the 6th August, 1938. will be subject to rent. Damaged packages must be left in the Godowns for examination by the Consignee's and the Co.'s represen- tatives on any Tuesdays and Fridays at 2.30 p.m. within the free storage. period.

For the examination of damaged dutlable goods, the con- signees must arrange for a Revenue Officer to be present.

All

claims must be presented within ten days of the steamer's arrival here, after which date they cannot be recognized.

No claims will be admitted after the goods have left the Godowns.

No Bre insurance has been effected. NIPPON YUSEN KAISYA. Hongkong. August 2, 1938.

“TELEGRAPH”

WAR MAP

BERDANIE

RAILROAD SAFETY RULES

FIRST SAFETY RULES FOR RAIL- ROADS WERE ADOPTED BY THE UTICA AND SCHENECTADY LINE IN 1837. AMONG THE REGULATIONS WERE THOSE OF DISPLAYING A WHITE LIGHT FOR "FALL RIGHT” AND A RED LIGHT FOR "STOP- DANGER AHEAD.” MOST OF THESE RULES ARE STILL OBSERVED.

Swan Culbertson & Frith

Investment Bankers and Brokers in Securities and Commodities Daily New York and London Stock Exchange Service Commodity Futures on the principal American markets

Members of

New York Cotton Exchange

Chicago Board of Trade

Winniper Grain Exchange

Commodity Exchange, Inc., New York

Canadian Commodity Exchange, Inc., Montreal New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange Manila Stock Exchange.

Correspondents for

Hayden, Stone & Co., New York and Boston

J. E. Swan & Co., New York

Cable Address SWANSTOCK Telephone 30243

Hongkong & Shanghai Bank Building, Hongicong

Offices: Shanghai, Manila and Singapore

OUR

29

BRITISH

ACROSS

1 Obscured from fish gut, too

(three words--3, 2, 5).

6 Food for fishes or birds (4)..

10 The warrior should easily make

it clean (5).

11 No epithet for the dreamer (9).

12 The argumentative all want it

two words-4, 4).

13 A source of sound entertain-

ment (8).

15 This time is unknown to Big

Ben (7)

17 Sounding horsh (7).

10 Suitable garment for a slave- driving employer to wear (7).

A specially prepared 21 Put 1 across (7).

map of the Northern

War Zone in China.

152 by 11 inches,

printed on art paper.

Price 20 cents Postage extra.

22 Trophies with which many a

1088 has been won (5).

24 Part of a bicycle but not always

(0), 27 Hard-hearted, and fish-hearted

(9).

28 An elephant posibly (5).

20 Fed about this is fed in style

(4).

30 Ho has capital sport in Borneo

(10).

DOWN

1 Look like a bit of a dog lead

(4).

2 "Sail in ten" (unng.). (D).

3 Jack will tell you his will never

this curtailed (5),

4 Move in better direction (7).

If this mean follow loses noth-

ing he becomes harder (7):

7 After the Derby the winner has

this, of courso (5);*

CROSSWORDS

8 This may help a creditor to re- cover some of his money (three words--4, 2. 4).

0 Set off a vessel for the chilef

item (two words-4, 4).. 14 Wherein growing affoira ure

forced to yield (10).

10 Could one may the Australian cricketers were this before they

met England? (8).

18 This omisslon is open about a

sign of

regret (9).

music? (7).

20 The old-clothes man's Javourite

21 The gun, or the gunman may

be this (7).

23 One of the Williams (5).

25 Mediterranean feland⋅ (5).·

28 Lookt enough to upset the dance

(4).

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION ÞJÖ DIBA DEVONPORT RALLY LBAAN U CATHOLIC MADAME

■YUME________

EARN MANAGING DOLAW EI FORESEE ATISSUE "WASEYE INCREASE NIP.8

BNYE A AP VPRILE PECULIAR

GN8E11B1

THIGH BBITANNIA

空間