Radio: From London

“There you have my life in a nutshell—crossing the perilous seas at the age of 55, carrying a box of chocolates for Lady Astor.”

This was Woollcott speaking from London last week on CBS’s evening news roundup. In what sense Alexander Woollcott’s life had hitherto been cast amid perils was not explained; but there was no doubt that the Town Crier was in character. Besides candy for a Lady, his presents (carried over with his person on a British warship) included 45 pairs of silk stockings, three dozen lipsticks, “yes, and bobby pins.”

Alexander Woollcott’s broadcast offered an illuminating glimpse of the oldtime Hotel Algonquin intellect at grips with the new world war. Puffed up with self-deprecation, mellow Mr. Woollcott could not deflate himself as a hero without triumphing once more as a raconteur. He told how he had “pricked up these old ears” in a London police station at the accent of the boy ahead of him, found he was 21-year-old Steve Traski from Jersey City, who had shipped three times out of Halifax, been torpedoed twice before he finally got to London to enlist with the Free French. His parents were Czechs.

This tale of humble guts was related with the familiar Woollcott graces, the cheerfully dry eye, the careful throb. In Jersey City, Mayor Frank Hague, listening, sent a police car around to tell the boy’s mother that he was safe. Woollcott had landed and the human interest situation was well in hand.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan CBS’s Paul White, who has built up the most efficient and adult news service in radio, made one of his most important shuffles of foreign-news correspondents since the war began.

Back to the U.S. for vacation will come Edward R. Murrow, London commentator and European news chief. To succeed him CBS’s star special events broadcaster, Bob Trout left the U.S. for London by Clipper this week.