Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-17
WORLDS LARGEST
BAND BEING MADE
BY JOHN P. S0USA
BAND BEING ORGANIZED AT THE
GREAT LAKES TRAINING STA
TON WILL NUMBER 500 PIECES.

Great Lakes, ILL.,. Aug 1.-THE part
which music plays in modern warfare
Is daily demonstrated at the United
States naval training station here.
where since the outbreak of hOstll
ties with Germany, the largest mill
tary band in the country has been
built mp Beginning with a neuclcus
of sixteen pieces, in few short
months smooth running organiza-
ton of more than 900 musicians has
been established, and it is the hope
OF Captain w. A. Mofiet, the command
ant, that the band will number 566
pieces.
Lieutenant John Philip Sousa. di.
rector of the organization. and j. NJ
Maurice. handmastcr, have been de
lused with applications for admis
sion, many Of them from distant parts
OF the country and il is expected that
with the rapid development of the
organization il is likely to achieve dis
tnction riyalina that of the famous
United States Marine Corps Band,
Of Washington.
From the beginning Of the war
the Great Lakes band has demonStrat.
ed its value TO the country in the ma
tional emergency" Mr. Maurice said
1T has stimulated and aroused the
public and assisted in recruiting"
The organization numbers six sep
arate bands, in addition to a fife and
drum corps, buele squad, and a
JAZZ" band. These members come
from the cities as remote as san
Francisco and many of them left III
crative positions with some of the
most widely known musical oreani2a
tons in the country Texas contrib
uted its most widely known "iaz
quartet From Minnesota came tive
widely known twins, Floyd and Fred
Frankston nephews Of the lieutenant
governor Of the state
Captain Moiiet insists that his mn
sicians are second to none and their
concerts at patriotic rallies in near
by towns have been more popularity
received than those of any other or
ganization A sidelieht illustrative
of oil IN MI tyb . H.,
is held Is contained in a remark by
Herbert Clark famous cornctist whC
when he heard the organization play
for the first time, said There ART
many new faces in your band Lieut.
Sousa" Then Lieut. Sousa, however
explained that the band was not Sou
sa's band. but the Great Lakes bant
OF the United States naval training
station, and It's members are men en-
listed in the service Of the United
States navy.
With / 1000 men in training on III,
station, part Of the band is play
ing in some section Of the naval res
ervation thruout practically all of tn,
daylight hours To bring it to it!
high standard constant practice is
necessary BandmaStcr Maurice ha.
composed several stirring marches
Maurice's latest effort The Nav
and songs. as has Mr. Sousa MI
Forever" is a march dedicated Il
Captain Moflet, commandant of thu
station
However, Mr. Sousa and Mr.. Maur
ice assert that the song which is 20
ing to be the American Tipperary il
the present war is one which will no
constantly remind our soldiers an,
sailors that they are patriotic.
mo good sailor likes to be tallel
to about patriotism said Mr. Sous
recently. Il should rs soon care Il
be asked if | knew anything abou
music. The fact that a sailor wear
uniform is the symbol that he j
the guardian of patriotism, 1t is nj
job. As soon as he is IN The servic
it Is his life and when he sings he j
not going to sing about himself, bu
about something different He wi
want something like Annie Laurie
or The Old Folks al Home.