The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-01

Here's to Our Absent Brothers" was inspired by a pretty incident that hap bench to MT. Helf some years ago. He is an enthusiastic Elk and together with several brothers of the order was on his way to attend the Denver convention. At the hour preceding midnight the usual toast was proposed and as the men aross to give 1t. a little fair-haired lass joined them and begged to be allowed to offer 1t. To the surprise she gave the "Fu Our Absent Brothers with correctness and feeling. Inquiry disclosed the fact that she was the daughtAr of an Elk then i'll in Denver. The incident so in- pressed MT Helf that he composed the , song which has since been sung in every l lodge from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and it was recently adopted as the Elka' official song at the re-union in Phlla- dephia.
 On January 1, 1906, Hef & Hager leas- ed the entire floor at No. 1S west Twen- ty-eighth street Their already lengthy list of successes received such additions as Someone Thinks of Someone" "Col- leen Bawn." When the Whippoorwll Sings Marguerite" Amt You Coming Back to Old New Hampshire Moliy?' You're Just the Girl Pm Looking For" We Never Seemed So Far Apart Be- fore,' "Is There Any Room In Heaven For a Little Girl Like Me?' Let Me See You Smie.n I've Said My Last Farewell "If the Man In the Moon Were Coon" Susan Kiss Me Good and Hard" "Ahoat on a Five Dollar Note" "The Bee That Gets the Honey Doesn't Hang Around the Hive" etc. Of many of these successes the words were written by Robert r. Roden and Ed Gardener
 Helf & Hager removed in the Au- tumn of 1906 from their out-grown quar- ATg 10 .f.ritf where they leased two floors. In few months their new offices again became inadequate. and on May l. 1907. they took possession of the entire five story build ing at this address. This made the fifth time within the brief space of two years that they were compelled to remove into new quarters
 The later Helf & Hager song hits in- clude Meet Me. Sweet Kathleen, in Hon. eysuckle Time" When You Know You're Not Fogotten by the Girl You Cant Forget Captain Baby Bunting of the Rocking Horse Brigade" Won't You Come Over to PhIlly, Willie" Hair" "Fanela." 'Marlanina." Every Little Bit Added to What Youvo Got Makes Just a Little Bit More.' and Meath the Old Acorn Tree, Sweet Es- telle."
 Early In their history the firm of Helc
 
 land" In addition to publishing and popularizing the songs which inspired this, they have opened throughout the country a series of department stores in New York City, Boston, Baltimore. Rich mond. Norfolk. etc., all known as Hit land Music Departments and individ- ually called "Hitland No. l." "Hitland No. D. etc.
 MT. Helf can always be found in his offices. where he is the first to arrive early in the morning and the last to leave, often remaining until midnight. He is one of those busy men who constantly hustle, yet never seem to be in a hurry When he leaves his desk at night he has never yet known the meaning of tho phrases, Unfinished business and Work left over until tomorrow"
 MT. Helf never touches plano for melody. but composes his songs while memorizing the words of the lyrics. Not alone does he in nearly every instance originate tho titles of his compositions, but he personally attends to the thod- sand and one details connected with their popularizing, not the least important part of his labors being the making of a syn opsis for the slides, the posing of the models for the pictures, etc.
 Since he has become publisher he fre- quently paraphrases the old saying and remark: 'T care little who writes the songs of the nation so long as I publish them He is often asked. How can @ popular song be made hit?" In reply MT. Helf says: "The real answer is make noise like a s10,oO0 bill. It is not what the author writes. but what IS done after the song is written. Nine times out of ten it is the publisher. backed by his money and brains who makes a song a success and not the writer