Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-05
TROUBLE ABOUT SINGING.

Some time ngo a newspaper lteil' III
the form of dispatch from Winnipeg
Man. appeared in the press OF TINS
Country, to the effect that there was
some trouble in Alberta over the sing
ing of British national airs IN the
schools. particularly Rule Britannia.
The protest emnnated it was said,
from people who had come from Tue
United Suites. The dispatch went on
to say:
THE Dominion technical education
commission touring the country heard
evidence respecting this at Calgary. IN
spcctor of Schools Boyce said the Amer
leans did not mind so much the "a
madam national airs, but feeling arose
when purely British songs were sung.
.'Is the singing Of these songs IN
sisted upon?' asked Mr. Armstrong,
member of the commission.
"Boyce replied that national songs
were used in first singing lessons. but
where objection was taken the songs
objected to were mostly dropped.
1--WE want peace In Canada, COM
mended Mr., Armstrong.
The Montreal Daily Star comments on
this item in the following vein:
Long life to the little Yankee
Doodledoos of the Canadian Mese
who are on strike against being made
to sing British patriotic songs In Brit
fish schools! We do not want any
body to Sing God Save the King"
who cannot sing that glorious anthem
with heart rs we'll as voice. That
the reluctance OF the little cherubs
and scraphs to. honor the country OF
their adoption Is due to any profound
political or national prejudice Is not
to be assumed. Most OF mem MI
live long enough to laugh at the foliies
of; their ENTHUSIASTICALLY inspired
by people old enough to know better.
..rhc action of the school authorities
who, for the sake of peace, nave
dropped the singing of British pa
trlotlc songs from the scholastic re-
pertolrc Is another matter Their
attitude is simply beneath contempt.
1t Indicates an utter lack of self-re-
culated to make every patriotic Amer
lean land there are few Americans
who nre not patriotic) laugh them to
scorn BY all means allow the little
Spread Eaglets to tuck their heads
under their wings while British sub
jccts are singing British patriotic
songs, II they want to do so. That
is matter of taste. Our own im-
preston IL that people who are not
too proud to occupy British crown
lands or to earn their bread and but
ter in British Dominion. .,ccd not
feel 1t incumbent upon them TO insult
the flag that shelters them by inspir-
Ing their children to hostile anti
British demonstrations.
THAT, we repeat. Is n matter of taste
and education. The action OF the
school authorities Is something that
should not be tolerated In Canada.
They nre not il. to he trusted with
the education of children"
For our part we cannot see why set
tiers in Canada should object to the
singing of British national songs In the
schools. To do so is to display mar
rowmIndcdness and sclnshness. 1t is the
duty OF every loyal citizen Of any coun-
try to uphold the lawful government
md to teach his children to do the
same. And as long as Canada Is part
of the British empire. settlers in the
Dominion certainly accept the British
government as their government and
take upon them the obligations OF loyal
ty. They may entertain personal opin-
ions regarding forms of government,
contrary to those held by other citizens;
opinions are free in all the world; but
whatever their opinions may be, as
loyal citizens they cannot but uphold
the authorities that exist lawfully. And
thevery best they can do in this respect
is to join In the singing of patriotic
hymns. The alleged trouble over this
matter seems to us to be rather tri-
fling.