The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-15
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAZZ q. HOUSE
lrrou Philadslphia Public Lsdgss.)

y
We bespeak a hearing for the Hon.
Robert C. Benchley, dramatic critic of
Life, who is pleading for a couple OF
altos and a little more close harmony
in the musical comedy ensemble. Mr..
Benchley holds, and correctly we
think, that a couple of altos and a
male or mixed quartet would make
a lot of musical shows that now reach
the storage warehouse a few weeks
subsequent to their production.
1t was long ago, but we recall an in
stance in which a lone alto made a
song and a show. We've forgotten
the name of the show, but the song
was that banal ballad, Little Annie
Rooney" Sung by present-day
chorus Little Annie Rooney would
have been a hopeless thing. But the
gent who produced the show had the
inspiration to stock an alto in his
chorus. We recall her yet, altho the
name of the principal comedian long
ago slipped the 1eashes of memory.
She was a comedy blonde creature with
the freshness of the rose still upon
her, and she stood second in line from
the right end looking west. And when
in glorious voice she gurgled the notes
Of the alto clef the people were reared
and uplifted in a mad burst of emo
t-onal enthusiasm. The show Cleaned
up anu Lltll6 annie Rooney swept
the country. A lone alto, an inviting
and seductive creature it is true, car
ried both to glory.
We concern ourselves with the mat
ter OF extending culture to an indif-
erent proletariat We seek to uplift
it. Some go so far as to attempt to
leg-siate morals and prosperity into it.
But what the proletariat really needs
to make it happy is a couple of altos
in the chorus the blending voices of
the tenor and his lady love as they
clinch in the center of the stage, a
male or mixed quartet and a male
chorus chanting the memoirs of Hell
delberg, or some other drinking CEN
ter. A musical production devoid OF
close harmony never survives in the
hearts and affections of a people,
The theory of present-day producers
to the effect that the public wants to
see legs and backs is a fallacious one.
The public has seen legs and backs.
Reading your column in the Pub
lie Ledger" writes Governor Hank
Allen, of Kansas, sis like seeing a red
necktie on Governor Car Coolidge"
| There is one thing about Governor
| Allen: after he has buried his stinger
in guy he is always willing to anoint
the puncture with healing enollient.
The fear that Mrs. Harding may fol-
| low White House visitors out on to
the front porch and say good-by to
! them in full view of a gazing public
| is being expressed by some. Having
no opinion on that point we express
none But Mrs. Harding's decision to
| follow the Ohio custom would worry
us very little, if any.
We travelled from Chicago to Phil
adelphia the other day on a train on
which there were q number OF un-
occupied lower berths. Hotel accom-
modations are again available in many
cities. The party is over.
We do not pretend to specify the
amount of money that should be ex-
pended on the inauguration of presi-
dent, but opinion is that in so far as
Mr.. Harding is concerned, it will be
worth whatever it costs.
Meanwhile, the Thomas Jefferson
episode having been revived, we make
authenticity. The story, as tradition
and history has it, is that Thomas, on
the day of his inauguration, rode his
palfrey to the capitol, hitched the ami
NAL to convenient fence and went In
and took the oath of office.
1t is a pleasing epic tale of sim
| plicity. but it lacks verisimilitude. We
nave read a great deal of the history
| of this country, colonial and govern
| mental We know positively that when
| a gentleman of Thomas Jefferson's
] day dismounted from his horse he did
not soil his hands in hitching il to a
fence Such conduct was considered
unbeconing. 1t simply wasn't done
| Instead. he nonchalantly passed the
reins to a negro boy, who remained in
! charge of the animal until its rider
had performed his errand and had re-
turned.
We reason from this premise: If the
/ story breaks down at one point il
probably is insecurity supported at
others. We doubt that T. jefferson
rode his palfrey to the capitol on his
inauguration day. In a limited way
there probably was as much fuss over
/. Jefferson's Inauguration as there
will be over Mr.. Harding's