______ _______ ;_ _ L.T, SUHQCO - July 26 . 19?;?; Good Evening, Everybody:- the Various sections of/U. S. A. are having difficulty 1 ! with old man weather. While part of the Midwest still bakes under one of the worst droughts in history, northern Louisiana has been hit by the wettest flood and rain storm in sixty-two years. In Illinois, fields are baked as never before in the memory of the oldest resident. However, this drought has done one good thing. The weather has been so hot in Illinois that all mosquitos have died. That*s somethingi As for Louisiana, Sergeant Staniford of Police Head­ quarters in Shreveport telephones me that the damage from the storm will run into the millions. Northern Louisiana this afternoon is seeing blue sky for the first time since Saturday. Rising waters of the Red River and Cross Lake have flooded hundreds of Louisiana homes. The deluge lasted without cessation for four entire days. Monday night all police, firemen and sheriff's \\l LEAD - 2 ^mSSSsm deputies were ordered on twenty-four hour duty. Hundreds of families have been taken from their homes in boats. Washouts have stopped railroad communication in and out of Shreveport from the West. * v X came through a young cloudburst myself this after­ noon, on my way back to Pittsburgh from Wheeling, W. Va. The rain came in sheets and we passed a number of over-turned cars — the old story of slippery roads. In Wheeling X didn1t find the people doing any grumbling. The biggest Industrial concern down that way is the i Wheeling Steel Corporation. They are working at f2% capacity,. and so far as X know this is the top record for any steel concern in the country. They are so busy in Wheeling that they have been obliged to blow—in an old mill, I also heard of several concerns in Wheeling, W.Va., that have not reduced salaries during the entire depression. I am sure we will ail agree that any such company is entitled to a lot more credit than a concern that out salaries 30-40-50^ and is now raising them 10 or 15%. ■ LEAD - 5 . ___ Wheeling, by the way, is one of the older cities of this part of America. Like every old city, it has a person­ ality all its own, grand old homes, the magnificent sweep of the Ohio Hiver, great bluffs and forest-covered hills. A place where hospitality knows no bounds. WASHI.HGTOK ' - ■- - _ __ ______ ^ __ t « V>hile it has been raining water in Louisiana, it has been raining telegrams in Washington. Some fifteen thousand messages have poured in. This deluge is in response to President Boosevelt1s Monday night radio speech. Through these wires folks from coast to coast are promising the President support for NIF.A and the recovery program. Industries big and little are joining in the movement to cooperate. Meanwhile, Mr. Roosevelt is pushing his public works program. Already allotments amounting to almost one billion dollars have been made for Government pro­ jects — Federal, State and local. A telephone message from the Pacific Coast informs me that every business executive in San Francisco is present at a mass meeting this afternoon, called by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. The purpose is to secure unanimous acceptance of a blanket *lra Code, H.B.C WASHINGTON - HOTEL MEIN The Hotel Men of America are in session in Washington today. They are discussing a possible Code for the operation of hotels. Mr. Lucius Boomer, head of America*s most famous hotel, the Waldorf, is presiding. The meetings are being held in Washing ten at the Carlton and at the Willard. According to ^arwath and Harwath, statisticians and accountants, the hotel business ranks among the nine greatest industries of this country. That seems rather surprising. For instance, there are twenty-five thousand nine hundred and m fifty hotels in the U.S.A. In them are one million five hundred twenty-one thousand rooms. And as a veteran traveler, I can grouch for the fact that they are not all with bath or running water. But, some of them are the best in the world. In them are employed over one-half million people, and the turneover from rooms and meals amounts to way over a billion dollars. NAVY An Important development is reported from the Navy Department. Bids have just been opened for the construction of twenty-one new warships, for Uncle Sam. Five of these will be built out of regular Navy appropriations, but sixteen are to come under the new Public Works Program. l~ho <A j &C£ ■+& UU&fr • 'CC~2 L-j l<fj~s. It! iw itJzLAA/lsO C^£T&-£0L o . 7 fiyyun^£L^\ c £djUcd~blz»*P s>f&&'ZrZs-4-Jn'• S^UUj 2^ . INTRO - S mmmmmsL.. in New York* If they are, Mr. Booras, will you be so kind as to introduce Mr* Haralambos ^imopoulos to those who happen to be listening in? waamsm FOR MR. BOOHAS Mr* Lowell Thoma.s^ we a.i*e here in your studio in ^ew ¥ork, and since you have mentioned the American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association, which is celebrating its anniversary today, may I tell you and your radio friends a little about it? Ahepa was conceived for the purpose of making better and more useful American citizens of those of Greek origin in this country, beginning modestly, but with high ideals, the Order has grown with tremendous strides, until it now embraces tens of thousands of members in every principal city, in every state In the Jnion. The Ahepa today celebrates its 11th Anniversary. It is succeeding in its lofty endeavors and we are justly pHr proud of its achievements* Tig far-reaching scope, its patriotic ideals have attracted to its membership not only hundreds of high public officials and men of prominence, but also the President of the United States. But you have asked me to introduce the Minister from Greece to your radio audience, and here he is — Tt is mj* privilege to present His Excellency, Mr. Haralambos Simopoulos. i 1 FOR THE MINISTER FROM GRKTTO Good evening* Mr. Lowell Thomas. We are sorry that we cannot be in Pittsburgh with you. But it is extremely kind of* you bo allow us to hold this conversation across the continent with you. In case there are others listening In* may I take the liberty of conveying to the people of America the greetings and best wishes of the people of Greece. My countrymen sincerely appreciate the altruistic spirit of friend­ ship that the people of % eric a have always shown tov/ard Little Hellas. And, since this Is the anniversary of the great Greek Grder here In America, I would like to express my greetings to all the members, and to congratulate them for their patriotic work in the United States and Canada* Oh yes, and may I add just one thing more? The next time you set off on another of your journeys around the world, Mr. Lowell Thomas, we hope you will again visit Greece And X would like to include all the people of America in that invitation. L.T.'S REMARKS _FRQM PITTSBURGH TO FOLLOW GREEK MINISTEP Many thanks,Your Excellency. 1 am certainly t grateful to you and Mr. Booras. I am sure that if all Americans were as enthusiastic about the wonders of your country as I am, they would all include it in their itinerary when they go traveling. One of my favorite spots on earth is the hillside overlooking the ancient city of Delphi, and of course, the incomparable Acropolis at Athens, the Plain of Marathon, and glorious old Mount Olympus. ’ SPAIN _____ _ Here1s a wireless from ^adrid. says that more Fascist trouble has just broken out, late this afternoon, •<e had been led to believe yesterday that with twelve hundred conspirators in prison the Spanish Fascist Plot had been squelched. But today agents of Spain’s Secret Service dis­ covered that other conspirators had planned to attack the Gen eral Post Office in Madrid and seize it as a Fascist Political Headquarters* The Republican Civil Guards were called out in consequence and over a thousand more Fascists are in Spanish prisons tonight LOUDON The World Economic Conrerence in London comes to an end tomorrow. There will be no less than fifteen speeches in that farewell session. Count them, fifteen! Among the speakers will be our Secretary of State, Mr. Hull and Ex-Governor, James M. Cox of Ohio — and of course Prime Minister MacDonald. UBC I i.-atwi’. asns: CHIMA __________ % correspondent in the Far East, Mr. Ellery Walter, famous lecturer, writer, and traveler, cables me that he has just had an interview with the Chinese leader, Eugene Chen, Chen told him that General Chiang lias been putting one over on generous Uncle Sam, by selling American Relief cotton to Japanese mills in Shanghai* Chen also insists that the money loaned to China for relief purposes and so on has been diverted into military channels. Ellery Walter adds that Canton, which means Southern China, is all set for more civil war — to be fought againstOjiang. Walter also tells how on the waterfront at Canton, he found the Nanking government’s cruisers that have deserted from Nanking, So, from this we can see that all is far from quiet on the China Coast front. 1 ; Ellery Walter CHICAGO The International Convention of Police Chiefs assembled today in Chicago. Police headquarters of all the large cities in the U.S.A., Canada,and nearly all foreign lands are represented. The idea, as mentioned yesterday, is to come one step nearer to the goal of a world police force, NBC WASHIl^GTOM Attorney General Cummings after a White House conference today said the Government v»as ready to start its drive against Racketeering, and no one vdll be spared. He said he discussed with the President, the possible setting upof a Sc^ tland ¥ard in this country. NBC , • ■ mmm BALBO The perfection with which General Italo Balho planned his masterly flight continues to be very much in the evidence. The Italian fliers rose into/air at Shediac shortly before nine this morning. After flying five hundred odd miles in four hours, they reached Shoal Harbor, Newfound­ land, about one p.ra. Whether Balbo leads his Armada via Ireland, or the Azores, far to the South, depends on weather reports. The Italians will be held up about four days at Shoal ^arbor, Newfoundland, to allow for repairs to one of f the planes FLYING J-here seems to be no end to the summer craze for Trans—Atlantic flying. A wireless message that I have re­ ceived from London brings the news that Charles Ulm, the Australian Ace, will hope off, with two friends as passengers, tomorrow at dawn. The first leg will be to Baldonel, Ireland. They then plan to fly on to Harbor Grace, Newfoundland and on down to New York. After landing at New York, he hopes to return to Australia by way of San Francisco, thereby frying around the world, much as the other famous Australian flier, Kingsford-Smith did, a few years ago. NBC AIMEE Aimee Semple MacPherson Hutton is in our midst once more, and all aflutter. She arrived in Baltimore today irom Europe and apparently was sadly disappointed not to find a process server at the dock with a summons and complaint in the divorce suit brought by her husband, David Hutton, pop­ ularly known as Strongman Hutton. At least that’s what the Reverend Attorney ^Idred Andrews told me over the telephone. Strongman Hutton*s intention of suing for divorce and going into vaudeville surprised and shocked Aimee. Not so much the divorce as his going into vaudeville. She is shocked that the five-a day should lure Strongman away from Angelas Temple and Four Square Gospel. Attorney Andrews re­ vealed that Strongman has b^en getting a salary of ninety bucks a week, also living in Aimee’s home with the services of her cook and chauffeur and a twelve-cylinder motor car. Aimee says she received loving cables from her Strongman right up to the moment of her departure from Paris. ■ "I BRQMX The proprietor of a small grocery store in the Bronx in New York City was sweeping out at noon today. He has had a hard time during the last few years to support him­ self and family, usually getting up at six o’clock every morning, and on the job until ten at night. While he was wielding his broom a dapper youth walked in, flashed a gun and said, "Cot into the back room!” This was too much for the grocery man. He raised his hands but did not drop the broom. Instead he brought it down smack on the bandit’s head. The pistol went off, the bullet went wild and pierced the icebox. The would-be holdup took to his heels. When detectives arrived the grocer said sadly, ,TXtfs too bad I got so mad and excited. I should have hit him with the handle instead of the soft end." Just the same, the grocer was lucky that the stray bullet drilled a hole in his ice box and not in him. SWEARING GIRLS just I*ve/been reading a sprightly book entitled h N q Nice Girl Swears,” a book written by a young society girl advising other girls what to do and what not to do. And itfs quite a startling document. For instance, the author heads one chapter ”Our Plastered Friends.” Then she proceeds to tell a girl what to do with her goofy, weak-kneed, spineless escort if he becomes petrified, blotto and soused during the course of the evening*s revelry. After reading it the con­ clusion you come to is that young men these days are a pretty sad lot. I wonder if they really are? At any rate, you come to the conclusion that the young lady who wrote the book, Alice Leon Moats, knows her way around HOBBIES Some time ago I had an item about curious hobbies. E. H, Clucker of North Olmsted, Ohio, writes me about his hobby. It surely is a strange one. He collects horsd-shoes, that is, horse—shoes worn by famous horses* The walls of his home are covered v.'ith them. For instance, he has shoes worn by Lou Dillon, the famous record-breaking trotter. Also shoes worn by Man 0* War and many other race horses. And from General Pershing's war-horse, Jeff, and from Tom Mix's movie star, Tony, and now he is getting Uncle Sam to send him the shoes from one horse m± in each regiment in the United States Cavalry. His bedroom is full of horse-shoes, his drawing room is full of horse-shoes, his dining room is full of horse-shoes. And I wonder if during dinner he and his wife ever start pitching horse-shoes across the dinner table. Do you know of anyone with a kafcjc hobby stranger than that? Neither do I. At any rate, it is time for me to stop talking now S3”i“fS“f M ? •X'y" there - So ImgmtUteSerre.