The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL (
INFORMATION BUREAU
FREDERIC }. HASKIN, Director.
Washington. D. C

Washington, D. c., April 13.-Haye
you any sort of musical instrument
that you are willing to part with for
the duration of the war in order
that soldiers may enjoy it?
If you have, communicate with the
commission on training camp activi-
ties in Washington, which has charge
of the amusements of the army and
navy recruits. This commission Will
furnish you with list of the camps
where musical instruments are needed,
and will tell you just what they need.
In nearly every camp there are more
men who can play than there are in
struments to be played. And music Is
one of the soldiers most important
amusements and comforts.
One of the greatest needs. ana one
of the most difficult to meet, is Tor
pianos There is national shortage
of pianos. They are hard to buy ana
hard to rent, partly because materials
used in the manufacture of pianos are
needed for industries more essential
to the conduct of the war. Many OF
the camps have no pianos or very rev
of them.
Naturally, this piano problem is a
| hard one to solve. You can not very
well send your piano to one Oh the
| training camps unless you live close
by, But the problem is mentioned mere
in the hope that some reader Oh inns
will have an inspiration as TO neth-
cd of supplying the training camps
with pianos. Organization and propa-
ganda have accomplished remarkable
| things since this war began some
| one should be able to organize
| anos-for-the-soldier movement.
UkeleIes and monographs are
among the smaller instruments most
needed. because almost anyone can
| learn to play a ukelele. and a phono-
graph will play itself BanJos, viohhs'
guitars and harmonious are also nurh
in demand as are, of course, phono-
graph records. Any musical instru-
ment which you care to send VIII De
returned to you at the end of the war,
+, and greatly appreciated in the mean
| time.
NOT use musical instruments, but the
need is greatest in the small. isolated
army camps and naval stations where
| there are no Liberty theaters or other
| organized entertainments. For tins
reason if YOU wish your contribution
, to do the most good, you should COM
| municate with the commission, Tor II
| can place each instrument where II
will fill the largest want NO unit IS
| placed upon the number OF contriou-
| tons which will be accepted; almost
any number can be used.
OF course the soldiers will not he
entirely without music as long as they
have their voices Singing IN me
| Every camp has its leader. and its reg
ular times for singing. But even sing
i ing is difficult without some sort OF
an instrument to play the acconpani-
ments The song leader at Quantioo,
Virginia Gilbert Wilson. has gotten
! around this difficulty by providing him
self with a portable organ, which is
not especially rich in tone pus
great deal better than nothing
to vxrHo OIL lEa1-
| or not music with meals is desirable
has already been decided in the az
| firmative in some of the training
camps. The soldiers. lacking orches-
| tras and bands, provide their own mu-
sic They sing before and after eat
ing. and between courses-when there
are courses.
This will give you an idea of how
much music means to the men in the
environments. 1t is one of their most
i effective relaXations. Mass singing, in
which thousands of men take part, is
becoming especially popular, and at
! some camps. civilians have Joined in
! this amusement.
Music enters into almost every
phase of the soldiers life. He drills
! to music and marches into battle to
| a tune. His daily drills and duties
are conducted to music. And now
music is being recommended as cur
alive agent for the wounded. At Fort
McHenry hospital. near Baltimore.
| Nd the commission is treating con-
valescent soldiers with music. Mrs.
lisa Maud Ilsen, who was formerly
superintendent of the military infirm.
airy at Hamilton, Ontario. has been
placed in charge 70 this work. She
has been administering melody with
medicine to the Canadian wounded
for a long time, and her treatment Is
id to have proosl most effective.
Men suffering from shell shock. the
effect of poison gas and other in
juries that tend to shatter the nerves
are said to be especially benefited by
the musical treatment. 1t soothes
and restores the broken rhythm of
living.
/ When music means so much to the
men in uniform, 1t seems certain that
! a generous public will not refuse them
the means of producing it. Certainly
there are enough musical instrument
in America to supply all the camps.
without creating serious shortage in
civil life. Indeed, the suggestion has
often been made of late that music is
too abundant and unrestricted in civil
life. The typical city apartment
melody, often proceeding from a
dozen inStrume nts, all pla ying differ
ent tunes. Sleep and peace of mind
are often sacrificed upon the altar of
melody. A measure for the conscrip-
ton of musical Instruments, which
would place some of these under mill
sary to put our army bands on a par
certain amount of support
The Importance of music as a mill
tary force has been fully recognized
by General Pershing and the war de-
partment. General Pershirg has asked
for a reorga nization of the America n
military bands. and the passage of a
special legislation for this purpose.
The new American bands are to be of
twenty-eight pieces. modelled after the
French bands of fifty pieces, and there
are also to be field music of thirty
six drummers and trumpeters. Pegi-
mental division song and band leaders
are to be given commissions