New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-07
Why Not " Tipperary

The question whether a soldier and hero
ought TO 20 down to the gates of death singing
his country's national anthem or The latest music
hall ragtime will not end. When the ill-tated
Cressy was torpedoed a British sailor was re-
ported to have sunk beneath the waves of the
North Sea with "Tipperary" on his lips. This led
a German journalist to write these cutting words
in the Hamburger Fremdenblatt":
What difference between the German heroes OF
the Hts who went down to the tune OF their national
antbem and the British sailor who, in the face OF
death, sang a music hall melody! =. ripper
arv" is frivolous thing, very different from our
"Gloria Victoria, with Hand and Heart for rather
land" which expresses the Willingness of the German
soldier 10 sacrifice himself Also have the old war
song "De Wacht am Rhein," and the French nave the
"Marseillaise." Only the English soldier comes 10
battle with a music hall song on his hps whlch Goes
not even come from his own country, DuJ was made
in America
An interesting study in national temperament
is raised by this comment. The Titanic went
down to Nearer, My God, to Thee but that
must be taken as an exception-a wild outburst
of British emotion. The normal English way
is the way of restraint of small talk in the
face Of death, of "Tipperary' or calm bore
DOM Captain Loxley of the Formidable, smok-
ing a cigarette and urging his men TO keep
cool and be British" made perfect exit. AS
1.-THE Manchester Guardian" in discussing the
question, remarks NELSON'S declaration, The
Peerage or Westminster Abbey never appealed
TO his countrymen Just because Of its effective
ness. 1t really said something. Far more in
touch with the British point of view was the
Iron Dukes version Of Waterloo: 4 tell you sir,
it was a damned near-run thing" nation of
oppressed emotions, surely.
The German spirit is fer more akin to the
French in this regard. Both of these nations look
upon emotion as something TO be expressed when
felt. not a weakness to be concealed behind a
mask. Undoubtedly, one great obstacle to Eng
hsh- French understanding lies in this very differ,
ence An interesting defence or explanation of
British repression appears in "The Manchester
Guardian:
Il rests on a feeling that quality emotion
courage or love- kindness, or what not-is not
merely EXPRESSED in eloquent and fitting words, but
spends itself in them that lyrical fervors and rapt-
ures are not really tributes to that which they
HYMN but deductions from il, disbursements out Of
/ treasure which should be boarded and hidden. The
other attitude is one Of eagerness and expansion and
rests on the feeling that emotion ever be
ante its full self can become all that 1t has
II in itself TO be- until IT hnds perfect expression
in words
This may have truth in it as philosophy after
the fact; it also seems likely that the spirit of
Puritanism has had large share In the evo-
luton of English restraint. Along with the gen
cral modification Of the body is apt TO come "A
feeling that outspoken emotion is not only indie
cent but immoral. Just how much effect these
ingrowing emotions have had in the development
Of British character is another matter Obvious
". they have not weakened its courage or its
capacity TO do deeds in the name of glory,