Mayor La Guardia and Dick Tracy

Most would identify La Guardia as a very busy airport

Knowledge of his 12 years as New York’s mayor would probably be a mystery

Except for those with a particular interest

In New York City history 

La Guardia was indeed an extraordinary person

He had learned several languages, including, Croatian, German Italian, and Yiddish

And often campaigned before ethnic groups

In a language with which they were familiar

A 10 year congressman, 12 years as New York’s Mayor

There were certainly many accomplishments along the way

But the most unique event in his public life occurred on July 1, 1945

When he read the comics on the radio on that day 

A little background is necessary here

On June 30, 1945 a strike was started by those who drove newspaper delivery vehicles

Since the comics then appeared only in newspapers

New York’s children seemed destined to face life without the comic serials 

New York City had a radio station, WNYC, which broadcast daily

At which the Mayor on Sunday gave his political views

On July 1, 1945, after completing his discussion of City matters

LaGuardia began reading Dick Tracy from the Sunday Daily News

This required both describing the drawings in the comics

And then voicing the dialogue

Not an easy task for anybody

But La Guardia handled it like a comic God 

He also promised he would read the Sunday comics every Sunday

As long as the strike continued on its way

And that someone from WNYC

Would read the dailies every day 

Having the comics read over WNYC

Avoided for children a potentially unpleasant situation

And grateful parents made LaGuardia

One of the most popular mayors in our nation

Modern day politicians would scoff at reading comics

Preferring their usual contentious speech

Which I think is often as realistic

As Orphan Annie and Little Bo Peep