The Washington times., 1912-07-02
TAFT LAUDS GERMAN
HAPPINESS BEFORE
BODY Of SINGERS
President and Wife Are
Guests of Honor At Phil
adelphia Saengerfest.

PHILADELPHIA, July "A grand
festival concert, participated in by the
thousands of members of societies con-
stituting the Northeastern saengerbund,
with the President and Mrs. Taft az
the guests of honor, was the crowning
event OF last nights program Of the
twenty-third Saengerfest
When the President and Mrs Taft
reached Broad street station they were
greeted by German song Of welcome
sung by a large chorus. Disregarding
his usual custom, the President walked
through the crowd OF singers and spec
tators down the main entrance to the
automobile, in which, accompanied by
Mayor Blankenburg, he was taken to
the Union League for dinner. The First
City Troop, in full dress uniform, and
a detail of mounted policemen acted as
an escort
6,ooo Singers Greet Taft.
AS the President and his wife entered
the vast auditorium. erected expressly
for the occasion. the chorus Of 5000
trained voices, the pick Of the leading
German singing societies in the East.
sang THE Star-Spangled Banner"
while the immense audience remained
standing.
Mr.. Taft said:
"On behalf or Mrs. Taft and myself
1 beg to assure you Of our great ap-
preciation Of this cordial welcome. We
are here because we recognize the truly
national character Of this association
and this meeting.
We thank you for your beautiful
rendition Of our noble, patriotic anthem,
The Star-5pangled Banner and we re-
that manifest themselves in this beauti-
bul volume of Gong, as il comes from
the thousands OF practiced and cuitl-
vatcd t!roats Of those who pride them-
selves on German descent or origin,
hut who nre equally proud of their
American citizenship.
Approves of Happiness.
This meeting is for the promotion Of
that art which. perhaps. contributes
| moro to the happiness and enjoyment
| Of life than any other-that Is the art
OF music.
Tho great number Of people that
first settled this country we're English.
and many Of the popular characteristics
due to that original settlement have
the American people are fast losing. but
which remains still true OF our Eng
iish cousns-that Of taking their pleas
| ures sadly.
German Customs Lauded.
The German people have for CEN
| turtles had an advantage over the En-
glish people in this regard, and In 10
way have they shown 1t so much as
! through the instrumentality Of their
! singing societies. The spirit and motive
of these societies constitute that which
1t is difficult to translate in English
'Gemuthlichkei.'
| THE pursuit Of art by the many, with
the unit of the family. under conditions
| in which good comradeship Is made the
chief incident. Is a custom that We have
borrowed, and this iberalizing and
| broadening Of our family and social
| pleasure are due to the influence OF
| those Of our citizens who continue and
maintain in this country the delightful
customs of their fatherland.
| II, therefore. thank our low-citiZens
who have labored hard and successful
| " to preserve these valuable German
| customs. and I wish to express our grati-
| tude as Americans for the debt on this
account due to German civilization"