Monday, Dec. 26, 1927
Muzzled
Pushing back his chair at a banquet of the Maine Society of New York, Congressman Carroll L. Beedy of Maine rose and raged at the press through a microphone.
"Financial gain formulates the policy of the men who control the metropolitan papers," cried he. "The Times boasted that exploitation of Lindbergh had increased its circulation, and the World that its circulation had been increased by printing details about Dempsey and Tunney. These were proper subjects.
"The Scripps-Howard papers claimed to have won additional readers through their handling of the Snyder-Gray murder, and the Hearst papers by their treatment of the Peaches Browning case. Nine-tenths of the putrid detail and the revolting accounts of the Snyder-Gray murder and the overtures of the amorous Browning ought never to have been put in public print. . . ."
Banqueters looked at each other with amazement and terror. "Beedy is rash and foolish," said several. Others cried: "Beedy is right!" All agreed that his remarks, as transmitted through many a radio set into many a cozy sitting room, would rouse wide comment of approval or annoyance. Next morning they asked their friends who had been "listening in" what reaction Mr. Beedy's words had aroused. "What did he talk about?" said the friends. Banqueters soon learned that, considering his remarks too controversial for radio consumption, Christopher Bohnsack, director of WNYC, Manhattan municipal radio station, had turned a switch which had effectively prevented Mr. Beedy's controversial words from going through the air.