Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-15
THE COWNSMAN
"An Alien Enemy"

tition of that of the previous afternoon, when
Mr. Kreisler, constructively still ian alien
enemy stood before an American audience
to receive an ovation which even our new
grown enthusiasm for music in Philadelphia
has scarcely ever equaled. As an artist
none will deny that Mr.. Kreisler deserved
it; never did soul and spirit so completely
supported by virtuosity in its perfection,
combine to happier result. As man, too,
dignfied and courteous, those who know Mr.
Kreislcr cannot but rejoice in this deserved
reversal of the treatment which he has re-
ceived to our shame as Americans, in some
outlying regions of provincial spirit as well
as geography
TT HAPPENED to be the privilege of the
Gownsman, some months before we de-
clared war on Germany. to lunch at the
table of kinsman in New York in COM
pany with both Mr.. Kreiser and Mr.. Pader
ewski Mr.. Kresler, as in honor bound, had
already served MS country on the eastern
front against the Russians and, wounded,
having been ridden down by u Cossack, had
been honoraby discharged from the Austrian
service, Mr. Paderewski had then, as ever,
Poland engraved on his heart he was
then, as he had always been, pro ally and
intensely anti Teutonic. The party was a
small one and the conversation was general;
but all were eager to see this meeting of two
men of distinction. united in their great art
however sundered by the disturbing exigen
cics that rule the conduct and the fates OF
princes. Did they talk about the war? Yes,
frankly and without rancor. Did they dis
cuss its politics and it's glory? OF these,
not word. Did they argue and take sides?
No; they were in agreement in their sorrow
and detestation of the whole wretched thing.
Mr.. Paderewski spoke with regret of young
forest, which he had in part replanted years
ago, now reduced 'to matchsticks" by eff
cient modern artillery. Mr.. Kresler replied
in similar tone his precise words were lost
to the Gownsman in the irreevancy of some
of the chatter which broke out nearer him.
But the tone was unmistakabe.
THE Gownsman wonders whether the good
l. and patriotic folk who wrote letters to the
papers on the question of German music and
other Kreisleriana-if the shade of Jean Paul
and of Schumann will forgive such n use of
words-the GownSman wonders if such have
happened to have read Mr.. Kresler's little
book of a few years ago which told the simple
story of musicians experiences in war.
The Gownsman has not the volume by him,
but he remembers for he read it. that it
contains nothing about the murder at Sara
VETO nor of the Vaccinations of Vienna
Berlin. The trained musicians ear was in
terested in the quality Of tone produced by
proiectileS in their passage through the air
with curiously impersonal detachment. But
there is one episode that remains vividly in
memory. IF approximately recalled as to
detail, il runs somewhat thus: The Aus
trian and Russian trenches lay quite close
in one of those long periods of deadlock.
And to the amazcment of all, handker-
chief on stick was reared over the Russian
trenches. A parley was arranged and the
Russians were asked if they wanted to sur
render. ''No. we won't surrender. but
the fact is that this detachment of us is
starving Then very unwarlikc proceed
ing ensucd. The Austrans. in much the
same plight themselves, went over the top
and divided their own scanty stock of ra-
tons with their pershing enemies. fraterniz-
ing with them in manner scandalous and
most rcprehensiblc.
TTNIIE Gownsman has not followed circum-
Il stantially the difficulties which he under
stands that Mr.. KreiScr has had to encounter
in the provincial parts of patriotic America
A sense of shame has deferred him. To
turn over the toOthsome particulars would be
like reading scandal about Il maiden aunt
or perhaps better in this case about ones
country cousins; and in the face of the world
and its needs our paltering party playing
politicians are giving honest Americans a
great deal to be ashamed of at this moment
But whatever may have been the tactlesSncSS
of some of those about him. the heart of
this great ar9sst is loyal to higher things
than discarded Hapsburgs and Hohenzolerns,
and we ought. as lovers of the arts to
rejoice alike that when called on he did his
duty TO his country. we to ours. and that
the musical prOiectilcs of the Russians spared
to touch a finger of the precious human
mechanism whereby his art is made eloquent
to all.
THE war is over. despite the fact that one
l. bad little boy cannot be induced % nut
his tin soldiers back into the box and that
anOther's grandmother says that he must not
agree to anything that any other little boy
wants. no matter what happens and even if
he did help whip the big bully. But there are
no politics in art. and even nationality at
times may be limitation upon it, When
the Gownsman once upon Il time witnessed
Richard the Third" archeolOgically. metic-
ulously and prOtractedly acted in Germany
an enthusiastic professor of Leipzig said to
him: "Now. come, confess it. Isn't it un-
deniablc that Shakespeare could not possibly
be better done? Even the translation into
our noble German is clear improvement on
the original The Gownsman could only
say. ''Ycs. for Germans" Great music is
in no such peril. for its language knows no
nation, however i'll some of us speak it. A
certain old Greek, from whom the ages have
stolen some 60 per cent of their wisdom. once
declared music to be the most truly imita-
tive - by which he meant. the Gownsman
takes it, the most accurately and emotonally
reflective or nirrorng-of all the ayts And
this is vcrtably the truth. for the voice of
music, like that of seraphm, is above all
distinctions of tongue, race or parish.
The fact that former Republican gov
crnor of New York will appear before