Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-02-03
THE ORCHESTRA OF LIFE.
By J. o. Knott.

over one hundred instruments oil
music were engaged in rendering
number after number in a concert IN
Washington City this week. The
crashing sound Of the heavy instru-
ments, the swish of the violins. and
| the far-away, tinkling strains of the
harps al! Joined in the grand ensemble.
while 'ht stiffness of death held the
| audience.
Each listener enjoyed the music ac-
cordng to his power TO react when
thus confronted with harmony like
| this. Aside from the enjoyment of the
music, the concert suggested even
deeper things. An orchestra suggests
both the harmony and the possible dis
cord OF life.
We often bemoan our subordinate
| place in life. "Only a cog in a great
Wheel" is the cry OF the soul who 10
| longing for self-expression and for
more individualism. "Only one instru-
ment in a great orchestral" might be
Just as well complained Of. for the
principle is the same. But is one in
strument in one hundred not well
worth while? To test the place and i'm
portance of it, let one instrument make
discord. Singular enough, tile most
| life means until we create discord
So long as we play in unison with the
orchestra that is making the music of
! the world, we seem TO be lost in the
mass. Our importance as individuals
is not recognized, so we think But
make false note, and 10. the entire
harmony is disturbed. Yet by this
very thing we know how much we arc
doing by keeping in tune.
The orchestra illustrates commonly
overlooked principle. He who would
do life's work we'll and help on the
music Of the world, must play his own
part so we'll that he forgets for the
the time everything else. Note how
each player of the one hundred is
bending over his own sheet of music
and regardless of what others do, is
striking clear and exact each note Of
the score laid down for him as his part
IN the harmony. We help to create
harmony in the world by doing our
own part OF an orchestral company, and
you create harmony or you make dis
| cord by the way you fit Yourself exactly
into the task laid out for YOU.
ours is day O. unrest, particular,
| IN the realm Of capital and labor. Men
| resent being regarded as subordinate
| Inc bolshevist has jumped from the
| frying-pan into the fire bv attempting
20 throw of all authority and has
placed himself under irresponsible
authority of the most cruel sort. Men
IN organizations refusing to do team
work with leaders who have capital 10
spend for labor and great entcrprises 70
undertake that will involve vast sums
OF money, find themselves under
| authority of severest kind from their
own organizations. The world must
| nave team work to make harmony
Some one must direct See the direc;nr
OF the orchestra as he stands. the very
| embodiment Of the harmony the orcres
ira Is producing. Although he dirc.tS
ne can not make music without indi
vidualS playing under his direction and
In perfect subordination to him. when
al is over, and the world gives its az
plause, the director receives il and
BOWS; but he knows and everybody in
the audience knows that he did moi
produce the music-it came of the en-
tire one hundred working under his
direction Capital without labor is
helpless; labor without capital will
Starve. As long as the world stands
tneIe VIII be those who are appointed
10 cad The Master has said that
leaders are really Servants Of ali
ne "fH frnl' leads, whether he directs
IT ~ ann, a great government. q
great BUSINESS enterprise or macnir
Neht orchestra, is in the place of re-
>pniSioliitV mat few men would voun-
!ari,y seek. We who play our parts
IN me companv Of hundreds and ,hou-
sands should be glad that the rcGnon
Sronsibilitv is not ours 70 he wbSro :,
SlIcht mistake would throw out Of time
or out of tune the orchestra Of Ifr, M
'''"S a'S'uFo me harmony of the wn..'
WE quite svmpathize with the move
nent to abolish the State Public Ser
vice Commission. 1t almost invariably
taxes the side of the corporations as
against the people, and so far rs puhlic
benefit is concerned, we have failed
10 observe any. 1t is a good thing
tor the corporations, but the poor pub
lie never gets any advantage. Its func-
ions could very well be performed bv
some other department of the State
governmental we believe that the
people would really fare better.
-
!" statement made public on Tues
Gay Senator Davis ElIins of West Viz
SInIa expressed his opposition to tho
proposed Calder bill TO regulate tia
coal industry, and declared that the
country is sick and tired oc the intru-
sion of the government in private bust
ness.
HE dispute as to who is respoa-