The Washington times., 1920-01-15

Music and poetry 90 hand in hand
according TO Mr.. Mitchell, and when
he says that this beartsiek world
needs poetry TO give IL happiness he
likewise means that the world needs
u learn TO sing.
"rhe world is upset today because
II is unhappy, out of harmony" says
Nc Mitchell. Back OF the Industrial
unrest, back Of Bolsheyism, back of
an'thc concrete expressions OF dissat-
isfsction Is an aching void In the
heart, q vague feeling OF unhappiness.
IL Ii all because the heart refuses u
sing, because the heart lacks poetic
nourishmcnt.
Poetry and song are a ucco .ssrNy OF
life They crestc enthusiasm, lend
comfort inspire noble action. pro-
and unity people. The person who
neGlects poetry locks his heart 10
much OF the noblest emotion.
Poets Not "sissi~s- NJ All.
There are lot of people who
think that poets arc long-haired
cranks, or 'sissics," or idle dreamers,
or plain Iunatics. They are all wrong.
You don't have TO be bighbrow 10
appreciate poetry. People who be-
lieve that poetry is for the cultured
few are wrong. Poetry has an appeal
to the lliterate as well as to the edu-
Gated; and even the person who can't
read can at least sing a folk song
possessing poetic quality.
1--WE are living in an artificial age
under unnatural conditions. Poetry
is natural but the complex life of to-
day Is suppressinS IL. There was a
time when communities had their
own folk songs, their own ballads.
their own folk dances. their own
tunes. All these things made for hap
piness in a community. England was
particularly well blessed with these
forms Of community expression.
Then Puritanism came along, and
with its silly ruthlessness put the
absolute ban on music, dancing and
drama, instead OF retaining these me-
diums and striving to elevate their
tone 10 conform with. the highest
ideals. That Puritanicsi spirit of re-
preston Is not dead yet: and one
phase of it's expression is prohibition,
as opposed to temperance.
"Emigration likewise Is death
bio" 10 the spirit of poetry. Whea
people enter a new country they arc
virtually compelled to drop their old
folk songs. and dances. and other .tra-
ditions and merge themselves into
new social order that is stripped OF
poetry.
These factors, aided by our abcmi-
nable educational system. which ne
elects sadly the nourishment of the
heart, produce a barren society shat
fails to appreciate the spirit of
poetry, The people need to 60 back
to their old folk songs and dances.
they need to quicken their heart with
song.
Community singing Is Ffne.
Community singing is an excellent
step in the right direction. IT fosters
civic consciousness, unity OF thought
and feeling, harmonious relations, and
and a tonsl background for happiness
Best OF ALL. community singing creates
enthusiasm, and that is always good
for q community.
Much OF the success Of the Bolsne-
Wiki is due TO the enthusiasm that is
inspired BY poetry. The Reds have
their poems and their songs. This
government ought to know that 4
spirit fed on poetry can't be crushed
merely by deporting people.
"In the civil war Dixie and John
Browns Body played an enormous
role. creating an invaluable en-
thusiasm. In the world war Tip
perary' played a similar role. Our
army recognized the unifying and In
spirational value of poetry by intro
ducing community singing at the
camps"
Mr.. Mitchell does not believe in
using poetry in a restricted sense.
The songs that the people sing are
as much poetry as Kipling's verse,
although poetry Of possibly different
type, he maintains. And he holds that