The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-25
THE HAsKIN LETTER.
WAR SONG
IT he

Music has held a place in wa,
since man first learned to chant a
pattle cry and play upon reed.
Fighters OF old days would as liei
have gone unarmed into battle as
without pipes. trumpets or drums.
Today. with bullets and battleships
music still Is an important adjunct
to the army and navy. For centuries
leaders have known that singing sol
diers march faster than. silent sol
diers. and, entering battle with a
song upon their lips possess that con-
fidence which inspires daring and
gains victories. Successful war
songs have been thrilling, inspiring.
catchy airs. not likely to awaken
memories Of home.
Swiss soldiers in the French army
were forbidden under penalty OF
death, to sing or even whistle their
beloved RAM des vaches" because
It aroused them to tears. 1t was
feared that singing the song would
make them homesick, unfit for duty
and encouraged to desert.
Germans realize that mans vocal
organs form the most wonderful mu-
steal organ. Although there are
more than 10000 musicians In the
German army. the soldiers are en-
couraged to sing Individually and
taught to sing in unison. In the
present war German, soldiers are
commanded by officers to sing at GER
tain times. They also have been
trained to yell in charging.
The United States government
knows the value of music to the mil
itary. There are sixty-nine bands
with a total OF more than 100 mu-
sicians in our regular army. The
navy has forty-eight bands with
more than 500 musicians. 1t is esti-
mated that Uncle Sam spends more
than $4,000 a year in salaries to
his musicians.
When history of the present war
is written it will be found that
French buglers. with instruments
fitted with one key so as resemble a
cornet; Scotch Highlanders with
bagpipes; English and German bands
and the Russian fife and drum corps
have played important parts.
History is replete with incidents
where music served nobly In battle.
One little known was at Quebec in
1850. When the British began re-
treating in disorder an officer in
formed the commander that
he had erred in forbidding
the Highland pipers to play and ex-
planned how bagpipes inspired the
Scotch. The commander ordered the
pipers to blow like the dell" When
the stirring notes were heard the re-
treating Scotch stopped and re-
formed.
The effect of the present war on
music probably will be more dam
aging than on any art because music
is the most cosmopolitan art, but as
all wars between civilized nations
have produced war songs this great
est of wars may produce the greatest
war songs. Hundreds Of songs Of
this war already have been written.
Thousands will be written. In the
first year of the Civil war It is esti-
mated that 1000 war songs were
written.
With lew exceptions the most
famed have been written in time OF
peace. either in anticipation of war
or after war ended. The most no
table exception Is that Of 1.-The Star
Spangled Banner" born in the heat
of battle. 1t is noteworthy also that
almost all of the famous war songs
hae been written by those who stayed
at home. This is said to be due to
the fact that music is harmony and
war is discord.
In war the soldier is quick to
pounce upon catchy air and adopt it
as his marching or battle song. His
fancy has made famous number Of
songs that are without merit when
viewed from the poetical or musical
standpoint. Some of the most
famous war songs have silly words
and music whose merit only Is
rhythm in time with the swing OF
the march.
Tommy Atkins's newest war song
Is Its Long, Lang Way to Upper
ary." He adopted 1t in the first days
of recruiting In England and carried
it across the channel. Today the dit
ty is on the battlefield. Even the
French are singing "C'est .5in d'ici a
Tipperary" with "Adieu Piccadilly.
adieu done Leicester Square" The
French have added a song to their
own, "Sambre ct Meuse," a march
of 1870.
The Tipperary song was written
and composed in New York by Jack
Judge and Harry Williams, the lat
ter composer of I'm Afraid to Go
Home In the Dark" The song was
published in London only two years
ago and yet 1t already has been
made historic by war. When u
sailor from the torpedoed Greasy
began singing Its e Long Long Way
to Tipperary." fellow sailor from
the wrecked vessel retorted, ut GER
tainly is. IL you have to SWIM
So the song has taken rank with
others made immortal by war. yam
kee Doodle" popular in the Ameri-
can Revolution and sung in all our
wars since 1875; Dixie" made
20 N, o,,o bx, t,,fl aud