Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-30
OLD WORDS AND TUNE
FOR NEW U.S.ANTHEM
"The Star Spangled Banner, in
Jovial English Setting, Likely
to Be Selected.

Washington, April 20-After nearly
n century and half of delay the United
States seems about To acquire national
anthem.
.eThc Star Spanglcd Banner" would be
adopted as the officially recognized hymn
of the republic under resolution by
Representative McFadden OF Pcnnsyl-
vania, now pending in the House Little,
il any. opposition Is expected.
Army and navy regulations long have
DESIGNATED the "Star Spangled Banner
as the official anthem and provide that
officers and men shall stand Mt attention
while il is being played or sung but the
country Mt large has been left to ITS own
tastes in the matter OF selecting nm
appropriate hymn for patriotic occasions
Thus The Star Spanglcd Banner has
been widely accepted 10y the American
public aS the representative hymn ot the
nation and patriotic societies for MANY
wears have hccn actating for IFS Official
adoption
Every land has national anthem
identified insnparahly with its hic. he
sonorous strains OF the NlarsallaIsr
breathe the indomitahlc spirit, the achieve
ments and the aspirations Of France
While going down III vessels. England $
sons have sung "God Save the KING
or Rule britannia and even the iron
hand of Germany IN Belgium has been
unable TO silence cntrely the melody Of
''Rrahanconnc Italians sing Carl
baldis HYMN while the Irish and scotch
have vcritAhlc treasure trovc of stirring
war songs.
Attempts to find a suitable national
air for the United States have not been
few Hundreds. perhaps thousands. "t
melodies have been written m an effort
10 meet the demand Vet, the inspired
lines written 10y Francls scott Key, as
while a prisoner on board British iriGatc +.
hc watched the unsuccessful lombard
nent Of Fort MclIcnN nrar Baltlmorr,
IN 1914. are widely regarded ~ nearer
than any other - meeting hr appeal
America heS powerful hold on ttF
pcople Of this country, but q is cuSdcrrd
hv many unsuitable for official rcc"gni-
ton because its melody Is ldcntical with
that of England S "God save th1 h'ng-
Yankee Doodle. although sung through
ali the nations wars, Is Thought ~"
light. and II the Soutn. It'd least i, unfor-
tunatclv believed ~ carry note a
sectional>m.
The majestic Battle itNmu ~ hf
Republ!c. musicians claim. falls short
Of the standard vhllc Tho Red Nhltr
and Blue. Ral> Round the FIaC
and others are >ata fa hc un~W'abtr.
Dixie although carrying 4 powerful
emotional appeal Is acknowledged ~ hc
peculiarly The sony 81 thc South
The music III ne Star Spauglcd Ban
ner has been adversely ctIIrztd because
its WIDE range makes rs singing difficult
for tho fayrr3gc crowd Nct lt~ appeal
has increased through century to thr
point where 10 would hc difficult to dis
place it N the affections of thu American
people. The words written undcr the
stress Of strong patriotic emotion. express
sentiments that arr tile hulvarh II thc
nation pride.
Kcv. iust before M wrote The Star
Spanclcd Banner had hccn appointed
an cmisSarv from thc town oi Mari
borough IN Maryland % the British
commander to procure the release /" 2
captured Marlborough physician lit>
mission was successful, hut i\cy wa-
detained 4 few DAYS until The enemy
could lqunch the attack on Baltimore
Prom the deck a the British vessel hC
watched shot and she'll ram on q hc ram
parts Of Fort Mciicnry through thc day
and night. and IA the poem hc CNprcSSci
his elatIon when he saw the Tag siUI
waving at dawn
An effective musical vehicle tdr the
poem was found in the Jovial old BRITISH
song. "Anacreon IN Heaven, The author
ship Of which j, in controversy pr
Samuel Arnold popular,} is believed
TO have composed "tnacreon and the
resolution now before Congress provides
that the music as written by him shall
BE- used Anacreon. 10 whom the song
was inscribed has been characterized as
one Of Greece most brilliant but
bibuloils lyric poets. Ills statue erected
in Athens after his death, represented
him IN state u vlna!> hllauty.