The Washington herald., 1908-08-09
By Ex-ATTACHE.

4. recently issued TO the police OF New
York. in his capacity as their chief COM
missioner, enumerates the various kinds
Of unnecessary noises which his men are
directed 10 suppress. as contrary 70 the
law.
The superhuous blowing Of steamboat
and factory whistles. and likewise the
whistles on the humble peanut roasters.
figure in the list But no mention IS
made OF the human whistle. although the
latter falls under the ban of the law
OF many countries. civilized. semi-bar-
barous, and wholly savage. OF the Old
World In Berlin. for instance. vhistIing
in the streets constitutes a misdemeanor.
and as such IS visited with arrest. and
punishable by a fine. with the inevitable
alternative Of Imprisonment. The Kai-
seTs police are under instructions 20 re-
press whistling, whether recreative or
Unitarian. with the utmost rigor. and
70 display unrelaxing energy in carrying
out their orders TO the letter. So strict
Is the enforcement OF this edict that not
long ago the haI porter Of one of the
principal hotels on the avenue known as
Inter den Linden vas gathered IN by
the police for sounding his whistle TO
summon q cab.
Sentenced to n Fine.
Sentenced TO a fine. the porter appealed
10 the higher court. pleading that from
time tHl1neInorial 1t had been customary
in Berlin 20 whistle for hacks. once.
twice. thrice. or four times. according
70 the relative quality and CAPACITY of
the vehicle required This plea, however.
the Judge rejected as Irrelevant 10 the
whistling in a public thOroughfare. and
confirmed the decision OF the lower
court, and the fine. for making a noise
that disturbed the repose Of the puhlt-.''
This attitude OF the Berlin police and
OF German law toward whistIing dates
from the present reign that IS 70 say.
since the downfall and death Of Bis
marCk
For the I0on Chancellor would never
have given his sanction 20 any S7,cl,
measure Although burdened throughout
the greater part OF his busy life with the
cares Of statesmanshiu. and OF NOT one
but whole aggregation OF government
ofhces. he was accustomed to indulge in
recreative whistlinE- We have this from
his own admission He was always fond
OF telling the story how. when visiting
Scotland. he had been threatened with
arrest at Leith, for whistling on the Sab
bath, by a guardian OF the law. p-ota bfv I
ignorant Of his identity Strangely /
enough ScOtChmen- although 81 da,-0-e5
70 their bagP;pes, have always been
aFerse 70 Whistling. particularly on Sun
Gays, and in many parts Of the land o. /
Cakes il is described as the music of /
Jhe devil So strongly do the people Of I
the middle classes feel about Il thar
Inariy Is the worthy landlady and board I
l1g-houSe OF tnnkeepsT who has preferred
70 turn guests out OF doors. and thus s1Is- 4
Ter pecuniary loss. rather than TO per
lllt them 70 whistle on Sunday.
Drinking, hut No VhfsfIfnE.
Drinking I can stand protested o7a
OF these worthy danes. and RanbTI,r
I can stand But whistling on the sab
bath viii not allow"
Yet IN spite Of the popular objection f,
Scotland 20 whistling. Il IS a Scottish
member OF the present government name
" Thomas James 8Iacuamara. p7rIIa-
Tnentary and financial secretary Of the
admiralty. who has followed the examu1e
CT Prince Bismarck in placing himself I
on public record as fond OF whistIfug Z
being the only statesman besides the Iron
Chancellor whom I can recall as having
rendered himself guilty OF such an ad-
MISSION IN a public address the other
day. Dr.. MsCnamara stated thar ba
his daily work az the admiralty He add
ed that he was perfectly aware that
many people think Il an objectionable
practice, even for errand boys IN the
street but 20 his mind II seemed far
less objectionable than 70 sit and gorge
on turtle soup. duck. and salmon mavon- ,
nalse' while a band cooped up in A cor ,
ner played selections"
Dr.. Macnamara's views On the =-,hsa--
have met with expressions Of disapprovaI
But he declares that he fails to coupre-
1end Why any one should take exception I {
10 the practice. and that as for himself !
he means TO persevere in whistling as he .
takes his early walk Probably from now
on there viii be note Of defiance in 4.
us Pipe In fact. defiance IS often de-
noted in that fashion
Goes Away whistIinE.
A boy reprimanded, or a servant dis .
missed. goes away whistling. II he dare. =
he wishes 70 express contempt, and 10 J :
snrage his master. OF at any rate 70 Q
save his face" Boswell tells sn anus c
ng story n this connection Of his visit :
With the immortal Dr. Johnson 20 In J
'erary as she guests Of the then Duke OF ;
AFsyL While they were seated at din :
leT tne duke asked one OF the gentlemen =
resent 20 fetch some curio from another \
Oom 70 show the doctor He brought :
'acH the wrong article. and the duke =.
onewhat pettishly sent him away again =
o Ielch The right one According to Ros- =
vel, the gentleman could not verv well :
eIlse- But 20 avoid any appearance Of =
ervility, he whistled as he went out 0f :
ne room On my mentioning this after :
'ard 10 DT- Johnson. he remarked that ;
{ vas 8 nice trait OF character. and -
pinec that the gentleman wished TO show
is Independence
Prince Bismarcks Indulgence in the Il
aoit OF whistEng constitutes a notable e
sfutation of the belief that long pre- n
ailed IN many quarters TO the eTert thar u
indicated vacuity OF mind Milton n :
mining the rural labOrer whose intellect Is
'ssed as slowly as his own horses. =
rites as follows - -
lhe ploughrnan near a. hand =
Whistles 'er the f1-rouez land
Whistle for a Wind. -
The sailor. when ne Is plunged into en- q
reed idleness by a persistent calm he Of
ms 70 whistle Asked for a -easo7 ta IS
III reply that he Is whistling for wind y'
et he knows perfectly well that 10 =
mount Of whistling can bring the lonre5- -
" breeze, and If he whistles It IS because ~
has nothing 10 do and little 10 think "a
: Boys too, whistle as soon as they d.
Re breeched. their heads being at TIE IN
me as empty as their pockets IN fscr &C
ley Wlstie for want OF thought In one as
ord, no matter whether or not whisfli7r III
dicates vacuity Of mind. Il IS almost
ways construed as idleness.
In England Whigtling Is very CONNIE,
nong all classes. and. indeed. II is rare Ut
London 10 see A butcher ~ s--r-.-s- IN