Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-31
The Lost Art of Singing.

Anb bOsb ART Of SiHEAuBs
From the Portland Oregonlan.
A recent number Of the Musical
Courier contains melancholy dis
QUESTION upon the decadence of sing
ing in the United States. The bur-
den of the article Is that we have
ceased, as a nation. to sing, and in
all likelihood shall never recover our
lost righteousness. The dulcet har-
mon of the workers at their work
has fallen silent forevermore.
1t Is fact of common knowledge
that men instinctively sing when a
number of them are working to-
gether. The rhythm of the song
unites their efforts, and more is ac-
complished than would ever be if they
heaved and lifted in silence. Their
melodies are not always either com
plicated or beautiful. They may
amount to nothing more than the ''yo-
heave-ho" of a gang of sailors, but
they certainly make work lighter and
keep up the hearts of the men.
In modern factories, where all the
surroundings are noisy, singing is
out of the question, but 1t m ght still
be practised in the fields. Bands of
bricklayers might sing If they knew
how and wanted to do 1t. So might
carpenters at work ON house or
bridge. The trouble is, thinks the
Musical Courier. that we neither
know how to sing nor want to do it
If we did know how.
The fault, we are told, lies with the
school. The Courier has the poorest
opinion in the world of the teachers
who undertake to instruct CHI ldren in
Fr6a{,- ri fraIa rif lie fIap
of Child songs" If boys and girls
were allowed to learn in school the
songs which have been composed for
adults all would be well. They would
catch them readily and enjoy singing
them; but the stuff which goes by the
name of chjldren's songs is so in
suffcrably silly that not even an in
FAM can be expected to sing 1t with
out blushing. Hence 1t comes about
that teachers teach music with loath-
ing and children learn it with hatred
Germans Drop Beer for Tea.
From the New York Times.
Not only has the Kaiser frowned
on beer. if reports from Berlin are to
be believed, but there is u general
tendency throughout Germany. ac-
cording to United States Commercial
Agent f. G. Bolles. to discourage the
use of beer by factory employees dur
ing working hours.
Many factories, Mr.. Boles says, now
absolutely prohibit beer-drlnking in
the factory and provide their en-
ployes with tea at very low rates.
One Berlin firm mentioned by Mr..
Bolles, which employs 5000 men,
brews more than 100 gallons of tea
daily. and sells it at the rate of 3
pfennigs (about &e) a pint. This has
practically eliminated the desire for
beer. and 1t is estimated that that
saving to the men in ten years will
be about $4,000.
Tea continues Mr. Bolles, may
be had at any time, the distribution
being made by trucks hauled about
by boys. Coupon tickets are issued,
and these are accepted In payment.
A dining room is provided for the
office force. where a good lunch may
be had for 60 pfennigs G4A cents).
Lunch is served from 11:45 to l, a
nine-hour day being observed in all
departments Steel lockers and white
enameled troughs for washing are a
part Of the factory equipment"
Turkey Welcomes Jews.
From Vienna Letter.
Chain NAHUM, the chief rabbi of
Turkey, in recent interview respect
ing the situation of the Jews in Tur-
key, said:
Before the war the situation Of the
Jews in Turkey was very favorable.
and under the new conditions further
progress would have been made if this
unfortunate war had not taken place.
The Jews have suffered a great deal,
especially in those sections of the
country in which battles took place,
but am sure they will succeed to
regain a firm footing in their old
homes. If the plan to create a credit
organization succeeds, then l hope it
will not take long before the Jews
will have entirely recovered from the
result of the war. In this the govern
ment has granted us its support 1t
has entirely betrayed the expenses of
the repatriation of the refugees.
Representatives of the government
have expressed the wish that those
Jews of Saloniki who, perhaps, desire
to leave Saloniki should not turn to
foreign countries, but to other terri
tories of Turkey These Jews during
the recent crisis manifested in such
splendid manner their loyalty and
to the Turkish government
that our leading men know how to
value them"
When asked about the attitude of
the Turkish government and of the