El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-03
THE IRRATIONAL ANTHEM AND
SOME THINGS ALL SHOULD KNOW
(BY II. D. S.
be National An

SpangIed Banner IS designated the National An
them of the United States of America.
Provisions requiring the playing of the
National Anthem at any time or place shall be
taken to mean The Star Spangled Banner to the
exclusion of other tunes musical compositions
popularity known as national airs
Commanding officers will require bands to
play national and patriotic airs on appropriate oc-
casiOns.
"The playing of the national anthem of any
country part of medley is prohibited.
"When played by army band, the National
Anthem shall be played through without rePeti-
whenever the National Anthem is played at
any place when persons belonging to the military
service present, all officers and enlisted men
not N formation shall stand at attention facing
toward the music"
Officers and men are required to salute when
the National Anthem is played, retaining the posi-
ton of salute until the last note; if in civilian
clothes and wearing hats they shall remove hats
and hold them at the left shoulder during the
playing.
The regulations are plain enough for anybody to IN
derstand Is not possible to educate the public to
consistent observance of them at all times?
Tho of the National Anthem is closely guarded
in the public service that the president Of the United States
is the only living man whose presence Is entitled to be
recognized by the playing of the National Anthem for
egn sovereign recognized by the playing Of the National
Anthem of his country.
As to the playing of the National Anthem all bands
Oresras should be restricted to the used by
army bands. The army bands play six ines" only, and
repeat the musical bars of the first and second lines
of the stanza To fit words to the National Anthem
thus played is necessary to take some liberty with the
poem and condense It down to this:
say. can you see by the dawn's early light
What 50 proudly We hailed at the tWilights last
cleaning
The rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air.
Gave proof through the night that our flag was
Yes the Star spangled Banner triumph yet
Ger the land the free and the home Of the brave
At least words so sung do leave US up in the
with unanswered question the first stanza of the
original poem does It is impossible to expect the public
sing through than stanza Of the poem, and
the strain Is too great most voices anyhow If ell
bands and ochesras viii the army score and the pub
lie viii learn the lines above quoted there be regu
larty in the ceremonial Of the National Anthem.
Under circumstances should The Star Spangled
Banner be played IN medley; if played the
dence should remain seated because playing the National
Anthem in medley is against regulations and should be
protested against.
The Star Spangled Banner should be played fast as
otherwise 1t loses much Of its patriotic inspratonal quality
and imposes too much of strain singers 1t should
be played with much spirit loudly and with emphasis and
the intermediate part Of the stanza should not be sofened
down
The Star Spanged Banner should never be played in
a public dining II should never be played IN
heate either incidental to act Of the show,
companying any picture film. It should be played
IN theateT at all unless between acts and IN dgnfed
and ceremonial fashion, vhereupon IL should be duly
nowiedged by the audience It should be played
the end of show, for the that people viii not
stand quietly and listen It. but take the time to put
wraps and rush out Of the house.
Attention to these things will help considerably to
refine patriotic spirit In America and to increase the
spect of foreigners for things American