The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-29
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
TWO sIpEs or TFIE JAZZ RECoRD
F2EDERIc ,. HAsKIN. DirectsR,
washington, d. @.

Aortn IN rev FORK as kne result Oh a
recent play by J, Hartley Manners,
called ''The National Anthem" which
treats OF the baleful effects of synco-
patton Jazz according to those who
national curse which is wickedly lead
ing wholesome Americans astray,
while it's defenders insist that it Is
nothing more than a pleasant II
banal, form of amusement and a
healthful. stimulating exercise.
Altho this sudden assault upon our
/ one conspicuous contribution 10 music
may appear a trifle late now that jazz
! in its widest state has passed on 10
Europe and has been replaced by
1 more refined phese over here, the re-
| form element is making the most or
\ il. A bill attempting to regulate moo
ern dancing and dance music has re-
i Gently been introduced into the New
York legislature, and will doubtless
be vigorously pushed thru the law
making machinery in the near 1utuTe'
( Meantime. New Workers of promi-
hence, including many in the theater
and in the pulpit. are eloquently Voic-
| ing their views on the subject.
My objection to jazz, says MISS
charming personality are making her
husbands play, 1.-The National An
them" a great success. lis that one
can't sit still when it is played. You
must get up and wear yourself out
dancing. When you become accus-
toned to the pronounced rhythm you
are unable to get that beauuIul re-
laxation which comes from the APP
-, ,1,-s-ia tion of fine music. This is
really doing a terrible injury TO youhs
MIS- Miss Ida NJ. Tarben. wen known
author. holds somewhat similar
aJazz is TO me a very irritating
thing" she declares 1T assaults the
nerves and dulls the brain. l do not
see how it can fail to have a democrat
subjects ones SelI
to it constantly. Drink it its natural
accompaniment. I have been across
the continent five times, ana every
where on the streets and IN the hotels
I heard it. One could dance great
deal to harmonious music. l should
think. and not have this terrible ner-
vous excitement. But jazz is not mu-
sic"
Jazz Cuts Down Booze.
On the other hand, Miss Margaret
Hawkesworth, dance organizer, as
serts that Jazz serves high and no.
BILE purpose in diverting people ana
thus keeping them out of trouble
believe that people would all drink
more without it, she says. Il see no
connection between jazz and drink
except that if there were nothing TO
do in the evening people would De
more likely to sit around and drink
Jazz goes thru all classes of our ma
tional life and I think it is here to
stay. 1t is a godsend for both upper
and lower classes
This opinion is echoed by Mrs
Charles Tiffany. prominent New York
matron, who says; 1T seems to me
that dancing has done more good than
harm. Older people exercise as they
never did before People are more
sociable, more human. and after all.
jazz affects only a fraction of the
population. Eighteenth century
drawing rooms were just as shocked
by the waltz and other so-called round
fr,fIa nv he
modern steps that accompany jazz
music"
A nerve specialist quoted by a New
York newspaper considers jazz very
bad for the world in general. while
we'll known priest declares that it is
rotten" leading to all sorts OF
lascivious dancing and destroying
whatever taste for good music there
Irving Berlin. who has made for
tune in composing jazz hits naturally
defends the product. I'VE live in a
jazz age" he points out, and if you
with the times. And a majority of
people must like it or it wouldn't be |
universal thruout American, as it
most certainlyris Music reflects the |
thoughts and habits of the people. |
There is more freedom in social Gus
toms now. Young women so about |
alone, everyone is more independent |
and all this is duly reflected in the |
music of the day."
BETTER Than Sentimentality.
At least one serious composer also, !
Miss Rebecca Clark, a young woman |
whose compositions for the viola have /
attracted favorable attention, takes a /
generous view of jazz. 4 like it for /
its rhythm" she says, and I con- |
slider il better than the maWkish SEN
timentality of the English ballads. /
At the last analysis, jazz is only print |
tive rhythm and in a way that is its 1
trouble. 1t makes a primitive appeal
Harmony combined with rhythm /
gives US something else to respond to
and brings out emotions of a different
kind
In Europe. jazz is much more high I
ly regarded than in this country, al
tho its widespread popularity has not
been. viewed by the bourgeoisie with
out n storm of scared protest. Over /
there, however, it has aroused much |
interest among serious musicians who
at least respect originality. And that
jazz is an American product in spite
OF it's supposed jungle origin. cannot
be denied
But. says one European author
ity, "if your serious American COM
posers, thru excess culture, continue 1
to ignore or sneer at jazz, they may
miss a very valuable opportunity
the opportunity of initiating the next
great revolution in music. We may
discover over here that jazz will fur
nish to European music that infusion
OF new blood and strength that is
now so necessary to its very life In
that event, il may return to you
Americans disguised as modern mu-
sic with the stamp of European ap-
pnoval which-pardon me-seems so |
necessary to your cultured classes in
the United States. In other words \
what you now despise and reject as |.
vulgar, cheap and contemplate, your
musicians may acclaim when even
tually it reappears under a European
LABEL
How jazz Started.
Meanwhile, jazz is undergoing a re-
form in this country. 1t started out
In California a few wears ago when a