Radio: Ickes in the Groove

When Harold Ickes aired his answer to Wendell Willkie’s acceptance speech last week, Detroit’s station WXYZ was so crowded with commercials that it decided to put on a transcription of his remarks an hour later. Baffling was the result to many a Detroit listener. After praising the New Deal for its war on chiselers in politics and out, the Ickes speech rolled around at last to Philadelphia Publisher Moses L. Annenberg, recently jailed for evading income taxes. Cried the recording:

“Moe Annenberg, one of the most corrupt—one of the most corrupt—one of the most corrupt—one of the most corrupt—one of the. . . .” Horrified, a studio employe grabbed the phonograph arm, moved it back a notch or two. Promptly into the same groove went the voice of Harold Ickes: “Moe Annenberg, one of the most corrupt—one of the most corrupt—one of the most corrupt—one of the most corrupt —one. . . .” Although WXYZ immediately aired an explanation, some people in Detroit were convinced that Secretary Ickes stuttered.