NATIONAL DEFENSE TEST DAY {INCOMPLETE COVERAGE} (RADIO)
Summary
A review of National Defense Test Day exercises, broadcast from the War Department Building in Washington, D.C., and carried coast-to-coast over long distance telephone wires to eighteen radio stations as a demonstration of U.S. military readiness and communications technology for defense purposes. Charles Saltzman introduces John W. Weeks, who notes the purposes of test day and answers pacifist criticisms, claiming the test is not a war effort but a contribution to efficiency. Weeks pays tribute to retiring Gen. John J. Pershing, who notes the need to profit from the lessons of World War I and comments on the National Defense Act of 1920. Pershing praises Secretary of War John Weeks, the American telephone and telegraph experts responsible for the demonstration, and then receives a report from the area commander in New York. Continues with reports from area commanders in Chicago, Omaha, and San Francisco. In New York City, announcer Graham McNamee signs-off for station WEAF. (The first twenty-seven minutes of the broadcast is incomplete.)
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: September 12, 1924 10:15 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:27:00
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R78:0020
- GENRE: Radio - Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: U S - Defenses; National Defense Act of 1920; Radio - Technology - Nation-wide hook-ups; U S - Officials - Talk/Interviews
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Graham McNamee … Announcer
- Charles Saltzman … Speaker
- John W. Weeks … Speaker
- John J. Pershing … Speaker