New-York tribune., 1917-12-17
Feeding the Soul
The Too Practical Who Knit at Con
certs Lose Inspiration

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir; Mr.. Stransky. in his interesting let
ter TO "The New York Times" Of yesterday
probably unconsciously hit the nail Of knit
ting nj concerts on the head. He says:
During the twenty years Of my puoh'
activities / have conducted before all SORTS
of audiences in America and abroad ou'
never before such personifed inspiration as
the audience Of Tuesday evening at camp
Dis. From the commanding general to 'he
raw recruit the men listened with an eager
intensity that could be felt on the orches-
ira platform like a tangible and compelling
force Throughout the performance the
silence was so electric that the sudden ap-
plause that followed each number came win
tho emotional effect of a thundered craSh
from a cloudless sky
Mr.. Stransky has put into effective "ord'
the true spirit Of true audience. lie mas
shown it as proceeding from men busy
weary and soon 70 be transported TO strange
lands from which many will never return
lie says that from the commanding ofhcer
20 the raw recruit this attitude OF intentness
and need came, and that It came so strongly
that il could be felt with the orchestra
platform. lie does not say how long the
concert lasted. lie merely gives us an idea
of what these busy men got out Of given
time of beauty; something OF how welcome
this was TO them; something of the way in
which they shut out of their minds every
element of their work and the grim work
before them and the danger. They permitted
only the present opportunity to inspire them
and they applied that moment upon the ac-
count of the future.
Here is the whole story, the thing which
Mr.. Malkin and others are trying TO convey
in their letters on knitting. They are try
ing TO show that we 90 not gain by carrying
our work into the presence of art that We
are wiser if we can go TO a concert free OF
the material and listen with our hands still.
One great composition truly heard and felt,
one great composition even half appreciated,
but appreciated as much rs we can and with
undivided attention, will help US on TO meet
the uncertain future. A little knitting has
been left undone- perhaps an hour Of work
but we have gained so much by what we
have heard that we are able to go home and
take up the knitting again and life again.
No time is lost; it has merely been divided,
spportioned, partly. to the needs of the soul.
The source of things must be respected.
We must be practical enough not TO be too
practical and lose the base of our inspira-
tons.
1t IS not being pro-German to realize that
this is true. It is not pro-Germsn 20 grasp
more firmly upon these pillars OF great
beauty which have been handed down TO us
through generations. If we have ever loved
them. we cannot half listen to their message
now. If they have ever been true, they are
still true, and they still have something to
say to us. We do not desire TO be amused
or entertained by them but helped. And no
one can listen to a counsellor while he is
thinking of other things.
The men at Camp Dix understood this.
The result was so overwhelming that IL
scarcely needed explanation.
MILDRED ANTISDALE.
New York. Dec 10, 1917