Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-01-03
MAY GIVE UP DRUM
FRENCH MINISTER OF WAR is
oUTSPokEN.
Thinks Time Of Soldiers Can Be More
Probably Employed Than in Beat
ing Stretched sheepskin, But
Public May Differ.

For a generation the French MIN
isttry or war has internationally threat
ened the drum-the pride, the symbol
Of glory. the solace and the epitome OF
the French army. Threatened lives
live long and the drum Is not dead
yet The latest threat is ominous. be.
cause IL is indirect. The minister OF
war explains that the law OF 1905 re-
ducing the conscript's term OF serv-
Ice to two years makes II more than
ever necessary that the whole term
should be given to military training
proper, and consequently young drum
mers will not be placed in the hands
OF the drum majors till a year after
they have Joined the army, and then
their practice must be conducted out
side the hours OF ordinary drill and
training. The minister of war ap.
parently believes that the drum will
remain In only few regiments where
enthusiasts make II a point OF regi.
mental honor and tradition. And he
desires this result quite honestly, be-
cause he does not think that even
the veneration OF the French people
for the drum, which has throbbed
through and above all the turmoil OF
their history, justifies its retention at
the cost of making thousands OF men
simply drummers instead OF soldiers.
Gibbon In his account OF the cap
ture OF Constantinople remarks that
the mechanical operation of sounds
ln' qulckening the circulation of the
Dlood and the spirits has more effect
on the human machine than all the
eloquence OF reason and OF honor. The
slde-drum Is not an instrument OF
music. but marker OF rhythm. But
the kettle-drum is subtle thing
which has been more and more stud
led and employed since Beethoven vir-
tually promoted 1t to be a solo instru-
ment, and Berlioz wrote In It's praise
with enthusiasm. One OF the inim-
liable sights of military procession
In London Is the traditional flourish
or Life Guards drummer as he
plays the kettle-drums at the head OF
the regiment. The very action of the
horse makes It seem that he, too. un.
derstands the dignity and the potent
use OF the instruments he hears. But
mere we speak not of kettle-drums, but
OF the plain, banging foot-soldier's
drum, which has been associated with
his triumphs and agonies through
generations.
1t Is easy for an official to say that
Dugle-calls are much easier to dis.
tinguish than drum-calls; that learn.
ing to play the drum properly is an
unCOnSpinnahln woofa
that the French army drums are
Moloch which require the sacrifice of
$4,000 good fighting men. Two divi.
slons or infantry-it ia a tremendous
official argument. On the other hand
there are the exhilaratng drum.taps
which as they come down the street
make the citizen forget argument and
remember only that the skin of the
french drum passed everywhere over
the plains of Europe; that it was
parched In Spain and shrunk In the
rains OF Pomerania, and was covered
with snow In Russia; that IL was the
FURIOUS eneourager OF gallantry and
the muffied mourner for the dead;
that 1t was the table for sparse meals
In bivouacs and the place Of Judgment
at drum-head courts. The intellectual
may say with Bordereau that the drum
blisters his ears, or the cynic with
Gen. Gallifet that drums at all events
do not make 80 much noise as retired
generals. But will the French people.
and the French fantassinB, part with
their venerated symbol, with
The story OF two hundred years
Writ on the parchment OF a drum"