◆ SpookStack

+ aoe ee a a-—SDBAR, MR. O'BRIAN,” writes Ben Rothstein, 4229 sheri- ; dan ave., Bronx 56, “Allow me to take exception to your recent reference to radio station WPAT as ‘that doll of a station.’ First, understand my criticiam is that of an ex-musician. I willingly admit the music played is of the highest quality although lacking in excitement. My principal objection to -WPAT's music policy ts that it doesn’t extend the courtesy of announcing the title of a selection nor the names of the performers. Lo 7 me . “Many years ago, and I believe it was Fred Waring, a bandleader lost a suit which claimed that. records ‘sre for home consumption and not the unpaid orchestras of radio stations. Thousands of musicians were denied employment as a result of the freedom to use other performers and other creative talents without paying musicians, = = “Tt is true now that only a handful of the top musicians in the country make royalties from recordings. However, I will bet you the price of the Journal-American that the top musicians earn less than the top group of any craftsmen of any kind. This of course is beside the point. ~ - * s e “FOR THE LITTLE MONEY WPAT spends for its en- ewe Lhe major trouble is the way ft presente ite utter fabrica- ‘tions as fact: Elliot Ness has Crennnmweee had ‘assumed for him credit . for aolving more TV crimes ‘than Peter’ Gunn, Martin - Kane, Richard Diamond and frank Hogan. = . oot 2 & 2 NOW COMES a letter from a Brooklyn widow of an FBI man whose posthumous repu- tation been muddied by ' \Beestsé this lady asks that “her identity not be divulged rior the precise contents of her ‘letter, which contains con- , siderable - documentation to “prove her regretful point, we «shall paraphrase her sed com- + "Tt seems her husband per- ‘Yormed the role in the famous + et neh cept ee nen ROBERT STACK * ‘Bremer, Hamm and Weyerhauser kidnapings, the raid on -FBI “Ma Barker” case which | “The Untouchables” attached ’ Solves Too Much — '* te Elliot Ness’ television ¢ast of fictional characters. _ q ’ > he lady mentions the “cold, cynical, careless attention -t@ truth which goes into “The Untouchables" TV. scripts.. _ She thinks it is doing a disservice to Elliot Ness to have at- tached to his name at this posthumous date so many ridicuious,} impossible feats of crime prevention and solution as to make ‘that great hero’s own estimable government service pale in -- The widow -doubts her husband and his FBI mates battled Ma and Fred Barker for the benefit of Desi Arnaz| and the show’s ratings at the expense of actual history. Among |. the impressively documented history of her husband’s wotk). was a full page in ‘the FBI publication “The Investigator,” | which relates his feats in the “Ma Barker” case, and the John Dillinger’s hideout and many others. - The lady seeks no aggrandizement, no recourse except ‘to point up the fact that the show, contrary to what is so]. widely accepted by the public by its pseudo-realistic dramati- gation of crimes involving real characters and actual news] -stories, is not at all what it seems. The widow concludes with Shakespeare’s: “But who filches from me my good name/ _robs me of. that which enriches not him, and makes me poor| - indeed.” , : ’ (And if the lady will send her present address, we will], -yeturn_ her treasured evidence forthwith.) tenet e wanes . « *« . .& , fe ne te tertainment the least it could do would be to give credit. on the air to the artists on the many fine recordings it plays. If I heard a@ strange vocalist on a fine recording, would I have to call WPAT and ask them who did what? Y am sure the artists deserve better than they get from WPAT. They de- serve at least this for what they give. ot “One other thing: WPAT uses a type of music which, though of the highest calibre,-is on the whole pretty bland. I get around quite a bit during the day and a lot of places are tuned to WPAT. However, since this is Mostly back- ground music, no one listens very closely. Do you think anyone starts listening when the commercial starts? = : “It is my feeling that the advertising also blends into ; the unidentifiable background, too, regardless of the. large , Budjence WPAT certainly enjoys. As an afterthought, what does WPAT offer in the way of time for public service dustity its imphasis on music? I'm afraid I only can offer tt e worst possible opini 5 ven if you think it’s a ‘dol OF 8 Baton j Whew! ss « woe Spee