Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-16
THE RIGHT TO QUIET
By Frederic J. Haskin
EW YORK CITY, April 1.-The ques-
tion of superfluous noise and it's ef~

ce1vlng much energetic discussion in this city,
as the result Of interesting case recently
brought into New York police court.
! This was the complaint of Francis Newton
| and Chide Hassam, well-known artists,
against the midnight musicales of Mrs. Rich
ard T. Wilson, Jr., prominent society woman
and sister-in-law of Mrs. Cornelius Wander
bilt The artists claimed that their sleep was
repeatedly interrupted by loud and late mu-
sic in Mrs. Wilson's apartment, which is sit
uated beneath the apartment of Mr.. Hassam
and over that of Mr.. Newton, in a co-opera-
| tively-owned apartment house Mrs. Wilson.
appearing with several modishly gowned
| friends as witnesses in court, presented the
novel defense that the artists could not have
been greatly disturbed because her music was
not common jazz but expensive orchestral
melody. And the Judge agreed with her.
| In other words, according to the decision
| of this magistrate the New York apartment
| house dweller has practically redress
against super1uou. noise, if it be fashionable
and elegant noise, though it lasts until and
4 o'clock in the morning. Fortunately, how
ever, the word of this magistrate is not the
| last in the now widespread noise controversy.
The public health department of the city is
the final authority on the question of noise,
and DR.. Copeland, the commissioner, is just
and vigilant protector Of despa1ring noise
| victims.
| When the commissioner declares that a
noise is unnecessary and Objectionable, the
! it, trial, no fracas OF any sort. Inc COM
missioner merely sends his inspector around
| and if the warnings of the inspector do not
| Immediately produce a silencing effect, mill
! tant steps are taken to enforce the order.
The authority of the commissioner is unllm-
| tied in this matter. He can close house,
! or if necessary, a whole street. He can can
eel the license of noisy cafe or noisy truck
He can come into your house and silence your
victrola.
Begged for Mercy
The long-suffering artists in the aforemen-
toned case apparently did not know this. In
stead of appealing to the powerful health
commissioner, they attempted to establish
their rights as American citizens to peaceful
nocturnal slumber according to methods sug-
gested in the constitution They went TO
court But first they sent notes of entreaty,
politely-worded supplications for mercy, 10
Mrs Wilson. 1t was impossible to call In
the aid of the landlord. There was no land
lord. The house was comparatively owned.
Before the musical days of Mrs Wilson,
her apartment had been owned and lived IN
by William Dean Howells, who never ala
anything more noisy than to use type
writer. Childe Hassam Tore padded heels III
his apartment overhead and moved his easels
about on rubber-tired rollers. When any one
of the artists or writer's living in the house
planned to have late party, he notified the
Superintendent, and the superintendent IN
formed the neighbors. The ne1ghbors then
planned their evenings accordingly; either
they stayed at home and prepared to endure
the noise or they went to the club or to the
theater 1t was a most satisfactory system.
But William Dean Howells died. His apart
ment was secured by the musical Mrs. VIII
SON. and the old, cOns1derate regime was
ended.
When questioned concerning the wilson
case Commissioner Copeland has been non
commttaI He refuses to state how he would
have settled it, had it been referred to hlm'
inasmuch as all of his information had been
obtained from the published accounts In the
newspapers and not from the reports or one
| of his own Investigators. He points out that
many of the complaints against noise re-
| ceived by the health department are unrea-
| sonable-that about one out of every ten re-
| fers to single noisy instance. and not TO
whole series of them Yet his attitude is dls-
tinctly sympatheti toward the anti-noise cru
| saders.
New Yorn," he declares sis fast oecom-
| ing city of neurotics because of the unnec-
essary noises of automobiles, elevated trains,
large trucks and continual traffic, to say notn-
| ing of household noises. We nave the nolsl-
est city in the world.
| ''The effect of the noise on the nervous
| system. is as dangerous as any bodily disease
The vitality is lowered by the constant wear
| and tear of noise. The health OF the aver
age person depends upon his or her vitality
and power to throw OIL any QlSedSe Nervous
| disorders are as hard, and sometimes harder,
to combat than some physical defects.
Anti-Noise Society
"a society has recently Keen formed to do
away with unnecessary Understanding
| brakes nerve-racking automobile horns, LOUD
motors and other means Of disturbing the
much needed quiet, and it is a ork [ heartily
indorse. In fact, believe it essential to the
health of the city"
| While continuous noise is very great
strain sudden and intermittent noises are
much more dangerous to our nervous sys-
| TENS according to data accumulated by the
| Anti-Nois society of which DR.. Copeland
| speaks Each loud and sudden nose,' 1t
SAYS, produces distinct nerve shock and
these shocks often repeated cause loss OF
nerve vitality. Immunity to such noises can
never be attained, for the sound waves of the
air. thrown into violent action by loud and
sudden vibration, strike actual physical blows
upon the auditory nerve, and constant sue
cession of such blows inevitably Injuries ana
finally destroys the delicate mechanism or
the ear. Bells, whistles, gongs and the start
ling shrieks of street vendors are therefore
more injurious to the health than the con-
| tnuous roar of elevated trains or the monot-
onous whir of machinery.
| Noise is regarded as particularly fatal to
the person who does creative work or any
mental work which requires deep concentra-
ton Where a farmer or road builder or rou-
fine worker could endure the intermittent
sound or blasting without marked erect TIE
| sensitive nerves of creative artist would
suffer.
Years ago, Edmund Yeats, the Celtic poet
| A111or We