The American Radiator Delay League
April 1933 QST

Humor in 1933 was evidently very different than it is today. This is part of what was in the April edition of the ARRL's QST magazine from that year. Unlike the unannounced "April Fools" features that may or may not appear in a given year's April issue nowadays (the April 2022 issue of QST has a gag article on page 40 - the page 38 article is actually real though you might suspect otherwise), much ado was made over the gags back in the day. You might have noticed the humor in some of the older electronics-themed comics also sometimes invokes the "what am I missing?" response. Shown below on the left is the gag table of contents page and on the right is the "real" table of contents. I get the thumbing the nose by the little dude in the margin, and I get the play on American Radio Relay League,  but what the hey does  "Liberian Dog-Apple Growing" mean? Any ideas? Maybe you'll be able to appreciate the intended humor here.

The American Radiator Delay League

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(Pronounced "UGH") Published just this once, as its official mouth-organ, by the American Delayed Kick League, Ltd., Zrnp-Xaboflsky Vfplxice, Pffft.

april fool!

lovinglydevotedforthefirstandlasttimeexclusivelyto

Liberian Dog-Apple Growing

The American Radiator Delay League is a national non-professional association of radiator delayers, bonded for the more effective delaying of hot-water and steam radiators as may be found from time to time to be in the public interest, convenience or necessity; to advance the art of delaying radiators; for the maintenance of radiator fraternalism and a high standard of delaying amongst radiator delay-men; and to keep the public delayed-radiator conscious as may promote more and better delays to bigger and better radiators .

"Of, by and for" the delayer, it numbs within its ranks practically every worth-while amateur delayer who ever successfully delayed a radiator, and has a history of glorious achievement as the radiator-bearer amongst delayed amateurs.

Inquiries regarding membership are solicited. Ownership of one's own radiators is not a perquisite, but a bona-fide interest in delaying same is an exquisite qualification. Address all correspondence to the Chief Pipe-Bender at Omponpanoosuck.

The American Radiator Delay League

Hellion X-Ray Landslide, (Secretary, A.R.D.L.) Editor-in-Chief and Pipe-Bender-in-Chief; Big Chief Bender, chief bender; Frank Lee Nertz, Most Potent Delayer; I. M. Too, First Assistant Director of Delays; Hooie Loober , Director of Public Inconvenience and Stoppages; N. Whatinhell, Head Degilder; A. Punk Sigg, Vice-Strawboss in Charge.

Messages of the following type may be filed with any of The American Radiator Delay League Stations: CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ

Main Delaying Headquarters:

(For answer, see to-morrow's installment)

And in case you didn't see it above, it's-

April Fool!