The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-30


 sympathetic and taking away these very qualities when it speaks"
 Beauty in cuItivating the speaking voice seems to receive little consid- eration in this country. "Even the voice of the southern girl, naturally soft and rich, is a trifle nasal, and as other nations say, 'American,'" '" observes Miss Raines. But admitting all this to be true and that we are a nation of juniors,' the subjects of King George have little room to criti- cize. Over there, each altitude and county seems to have its way of pro ducing tone, and if the majority of the British speak in the throat and the American in the nose, it is mark of globe distinction. The American accent is the most expensive known, for in cities and towns abroad the moment the twang arrives, up go tariffs, and this is true of every class of Americans, for foreigners appear to think that no matter who it be, the possessor must have a long bank ac- count.
 "Setting aside the sing-song, seem- ingly affected manner of the Eng fish speech and the hard, uninter- esting twang of the northerner and westerner, I believe that as a whole the language that is spoken in this country today is purer, more descrip- tive, and better pronounced than that spoken in England"
 Why not train the voice to lower key? suggests Miss Raines. Why wait for "some day" to begin to cor rect? People have been known to overcome greater difficulties than that, and will power has, it is said, more to do with changing the tone than anything else.
 "Now that. America has rightly won her place as nation second to none, and the world is looking to her for 
 leadership and example, let us set about eradicating the 'twang' that has set it's seal upon us and given the stranger wrong index to our peace |able, musical nature," says the Musi- cal America writer. "It is good thing that other nations have criti- cized and at times ridiculed our speech, but they have been honest about it and faults are corrected and beautiful things grown, not by self complacency and throwing compli- ments at faiings, but by taking hold of and making them perish in the firmest and most practical manner possible"
 l Much criticism is worthless because lit lacks every element of practical ap plication, but this regarding the un- sonorous voice in speaking is worth while.
 1 The other night doughboy who had just returned from the war was lament l ing the fact that Birmingham seemed ! dull compared to the lively cities of France, where it is still possible to get a drink without running the risk of going to jail. Gazing mournfully about him, he said This is the first time I ever saw a cemetery that had electric lights"
 # * # | He gets more bunk into the Record | than anybody else" said Representa- l tive Moore of Pennsylvania, referring l to Representative Emerson of Ohio. AL l though the Senate has lost its dignity, why should the House follow suit? 1 # x # | A President who was capable of | tranferring the White House" to Paris and keeping it there for months should worry about breaking another l president if he wants third term. # # #
 1 The attempts to make Villa appear patriot and not bandit would be more successful if Villa didn't have pen chant for murdering Americans and l carrying off other peoples property # :. *
 l Some day translantic aerial liner will como to grief and it will be discovered that there were not enough parachutes 1 on board.
 While British tars are trying to sal