Broth Spoiled

For its first decade (1924-34), Manhattan's municipal WNYC existed largely as a sort of rehearsal hall for singing firemen, whitewing bands, etc., a public address system for Tammany functions. But in 1934, when Fusion, LaGuardia & Reform took over, WNYC got a thorough house cleaning. It went in for more symphonic music, civics, education programs that now reach some 350 public-school classes, a daily market guide compiled by a staff that tours the markets from 2 to 7 a.m.

Until 1938, serious, civic-minded WNYC had no time for comedy. But that January, New York City's new City Council replaced its old Board of Aldermen, and WNYC moved in to broadcast the sessions. In no time this unique program had an estimated 750,000 listeners. East Side stores, bars, cabbies, business executives, housewives tuned it in regularly. There were arguments fit to kill, rare old Fourth-Ward oratory, Tweedledums-&-dees all over the house. One week listeners might be treated to an afternoon of old Roman allegory, in re the city's garbage policy. Democrat Hugh Quinn and the late Laborite B. Charney Vladeck once had it hot & heavy over their respective forefathers. Said Vladeck to Quinn: "Were your forefathers never in jail?" "Never!" boasted Quinn. "Well then," pronounced old Charney, "they weren't much Irish."

This sort of thing breathed o'er Manhattan for two years. A proposal to put a comfort station in the Central Park elephant house brought a politico to his feet to inquire why, in the name of Big Tim, did elephants need comfort stations? Councilman Sharkey regularly aired his heartfelt campaign to insure full measure in beer glasses. Once towering, revolutionary-stocky Fusionist A. Newbold Morris, Council president, started down from the chair, gavel in hand, after cocky little Democrat Charley Keegan from The Bronx. "Come down here," yelled Councilman Keegan, dancing joyously, "I'll cut you down to my size!"

For high-binding comedy, the WNYC program was peerless. But to the Council's newly elected 1940 Democratic majority of 14, it was a pain in the caucus. One ancient City Father summed it up: if it took the aldermen over 100 years to make fools of themselves, the Council accomplished it in two. So last fortnight New York City's City Council voted, 13-to-7, to keep WNYC's and the public's nose out of the Council's business.

Last week Manhattan's labor station, WEVD (named for Eugene V. Debs), offered free air to councilmen after meetings. A Fusionist, a Republican and a Laborite showed up, talked about yardstick milk plants, home rule, unfinished business. But with no Democrat on hand to make a go of it, this after-innings broadcast was weak & watery. Tammany cooks had spoiled the broth.

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