The Washington times., 1917-03-01
GLEE CLUB TO sing
WITH MRGApU0NEc
Hill WHVHI UVNBU
Columbus Organization to Pro-
vide Unique Feature of In.
.auguraI Music Program.


United States, this March. 1917, Is
mcre limited thai on any other sini-
Tar occasion In many years che
nliIi.nation Of an Inaugural ball, as
a cIose to the festivities Of Inamgura-
tlon Day. has also served to eliEni.
nate the promenade Concerts that
have followed IL on the ,wo sue
ceeding days and evenings
These concerts have always held a
large community feature IN the
chorus OF several hundred voices
made up OF singers OF the National
Capital. The loss of this one attrac-
tion, at q time when the Community
Soul in Music" has been stirred
throughout the nation, is q source OF
regret.
Chairman Harper. announces that
the one vocal feature will be the re-
turn Of the Columbps (OhioD Gles
Club, that has been heard in these
concerts frequently and with great
pleasure. Lacking an indoor oppor-
tunity, however, the singing OF these
forty men has had to be arranged
for outdoor occasions in a decidedly
unique fashion. IL is designed that
at the. Capitol, in the line OF march,
and at the White Lot at the time
VI lAlC uIChOThS oAbPlags tuC SlCC
Club, with the use Of megaphones,
tional function and to the enjoyment
of the visitors.
The United States Marine Band
will. OF course. assist as is its Gus
tom; but this 10 a national organiza-
tion. and does not all the gap made
by the omission of a form of enter
tainment and upIift outside the juris-
diction of things militaristic.
Indians to Entertain.
Under the auspices of the Secretary
events will take place OF national
and musical Importance. These are
the two sacred concerts and the one
evening OF drama, showing the art
work of our American Indians and
given entirely by Indian pupils OF
the Carlisle School. The concerts OF
the afternoon and evening OF Sunday,
March 4, will include concerted work
and solos, the soloists representing
the Tuscarora, the .Osaga and the
Cayuga Indian tribes.
The elaborate Indian drama OF Mon
day evening, March 5, entitled The
Feast Of the Corn, will be given by
nearly 200 Indian boys and girls in
full native costume, in a public play
house, but with no stamp of national
environment, to which the United
States might proudly point as an ex-
preston of its art consciousness.
The comparison comes, inevitably,
with the nations of Europe who, as
governments, haverfostered the arts.
Washington offers no place in which
national celebrations, as well as fes-
tfvals. might be held. The old Pen
sion once has served inadequately in
the past with the encouragement but
recently OF q new opera house to be
erected in ST. Louis on a plan com
mensurate. with the opera houses of
Europe, and which will serve for
operas and festivals as well, we can
but emphasize a shorteonning here
that can only be remedied by ma
tional support: for Washington Is a
small city, while st. Louis ranks
fourth in the cities OF the United
States.
Subsidies for Music.
And what has Europe done in the
past for music in the matter OF sub
sidies? In Paris a subsidy OF 100000
was given annually for the support
of the Grand Opera House, and 100000
rent free; in Berlin. S2T. 900 from the
crown for the opera house and play
house, with state contributions to
their upkeep and repair; in Vienna, a
free theater at a cost of S2.500.OO is
given, and the deficit made good from
the Emperors civil list; In Munich.
the municipality has kept up the
Court Theater: in Geneva, Switzer-
land, $32, 400 for the theater and
classical concerts; and even tiny
Salvador. in Central America, gives a
subsidy and the free use OF her Ma
tional Thester.
The Anglo-Saxon, however. has not
considered music so vital an element
in its living as have the Europeans
from Russia to Portugal. Covent
Garden, in London, has had a long
and checkered career through lack Of
a subsidy; but Its uses are more near
ly feasible for an auditorium In
Washington. from the point of view
that obtains in the United States.
Covent Garden, in the past, has served
for a three months season OF opera
in London. and also as the scene of
musical festivals. promenade con-
certs, of fancy dress balls and var
ious other functions.
Capitals GIarinE Lack.
Such a scheme in Washington
would serve our utilitarian demands
for the many conventions that do and
will meet here; and, as now, for an
adequate setting for some form of
celebration of a Presidential lnaugu-
ration in which the nation takes part.
and in keeping with the national
movements in art expression, be 1t
music, drama, or merely social. 1t
seems not amiss to think that the
visitor will look for It.
The United States is not a paternal