Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-22
SMALL TOWN
| BANDSPRAISED
BY SECY. DAVIS
Harding Once Played in Band
at Marion, Department
Labor Head Reveals.

| WASHINGTON, June 22-Secretary OF
Labor Davis, who played the clarinet in
the town band in Sharon, Pa, many years
| ago, in advocating the creation OF Fed
! eral bureau Of recreation for the develop
/ ment of instrumental; and vocal music,
! the drama, the theater and athletics
! throughout the United States.
ITO my mind" the Labor Secretary
said. there is no greater influence for
| community and social good in the Amer
| lean small town of today than the town
band. Some of the pleasantest recollec-
ton of my life carry me back to the days
when played the clarinet in the Sharon
! band. President Harding preserves as
| one of his proudest recollections the mem
j DRY of his association with the Marion
| (Ohio) band in the days when he was just
beginning to develop the character for
accomplishment which bore him to the
White House"
lie is Secretary Davis's 'dea to have the
proposed bureau of recreation co-opera-
tive with the States and the individual
communities in developing home and
community music.
LAS to music would adapt the Eisted-
Todd idea of Wales to America" he said.
THAT means the organization nationally
OF instrumental and vocal music, the
theater and all other recreations. This
national organization must begin In the
individual community. I believe that all
municipalities should have recreational
leaders. l would have every form of rec
reatIon, so that the humblest citizen could
really take part and enjoy 1t. I would
have community competitions, from which
the winners would go to county and State
competitions and finally to great ma
tionaI gathering"
PRAISES POWER
OF MUSIC.
1.-THE power Of music" Secretary Davis
added, as the most universal Of arts
and has been recognized from the dawn
of civilization. Down the long centuries
from the dim ages to today humanity
has marched or danced, plodded or gam
boiled its way of progress under the In
SEPARATION of music. From the Psalms
Of David to the syncopation Of modern
jazz, music has always been the one art
that entered intimately the lives OF most
Of the worlds peoples. Existence with
/ out music is a drab. dread thing for an
/ individual or a people. There is no
greater force for peace and happiness
than music"
! Davis believes that America could take
no single step that would advance the
Nation along the road to happiness fur
! Their than the establishment Of a national
means Of exercising the power Of music.
/ He said that America can be organ
/ tied unsteady, because most American
/ workmen receive a saving wage. pointing
} out that there are 100000 people gain
/ fully employed in this country.
! WELSH LOVE
MUSIC, HE SAYS.
! Music has not only meant much IN
- al
but has always been one Of the greatest
institutions Of that nation" Mr.. Davis,
/ who was born in Wales. continued. LONG
. before the time Of which we have actual
record there were great associations for
/ the furtherance Of music IN Wales. Among
them the Gorsedd has lived down through
10 the present day and Is one of the
greatest influences in the national life
Under the auspices of the Gorsedd whole
communities gather together periodically
for song.
while with a touch Of pride like
to think Of my native country as lead
or in music and song. we cannot claim
that Wales Is the only country that has
had the benefit Of great influence from
music Every country, every race. tribe
and clan, civilized and uncivillzed, has its
music AS far back as any history that
we have OF the Oldest civilization we
find musical instruments which resem-
bic greatly the modern Instruments Of
today.
AMERICAN INDIANS
/ WERE MUSICAL
The North American Indian was a
very musical being. He had song for
every phase Of his life, for every religious
and social ceremony. He had a different
/ rhythm or melody for the hunt, for
war. IN his games, his prayers and his
Gourtships. Strange to say. the Eskimo
| has put his music to more noble pur-
pose than even the modern civilization
7 has today. / refer to what they term
The NTH songs. which they sing in set
/ Ting their disputes or controversies. The
parties IN controversy get together and
sing at each other, with the public as
umpire, and the man who first amuses
the public to the extent OF making 1t
laugh is acclaimed the victor
This is not the mode in settling our
Industrial controversies, however. The
/ parties in dispute certainly play before
she public, but the words and language
! hurled by one at the other could hardly
be classified as song, and the object
would seem to be 20 make the umpire