The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-04-07

NEW YORK, April IA bitter ,
controversy over jazz has burst forth
in New York as the result of a recent
play by j. Hartley Manners. called
The National Anthem" which treats
of the baleful effects of syncopation
Jazz, according to those who cham
pion Mr. Manners view, is a national
curse which is wickedly leading whole
some Americans astray, while its de-
tenders insist that it is nothing more
than a pleasant, if banal, form if
amusement and healthful, stimula-
ting exercise.
Although this sudden assault upon
one conspicuous contribution to music
NAV appear a trifle late now that
Jazz in its widest state has passed on
TO Europe and has been replaced by
a more refined phase over here, the
reform element in making the most of
it. A bill attempting to regulate mod
ern dancing and dance music has re-
Gently been introduced into the New
York legislature, and will doubtless
be vigorously pushed through the law
making machinery in the near future.
Meantime, New Workers of promi-
nence. including many in the theatre
and in the pulpit, are eloquently voic-
ing their views on the subject.
MY objection to jazz Gays Miss
Laurette Taylor. whose talent and her
charming personality are making her
husbands play, "The National An
them a great success. lis that one
can't sit still when it is played. You
just must get up and wear yourself
out dancing When you become ac
customed to the pronounced rythm
you are unable to get that beauti-
full relaxation which comes from the
appreciation of fine music. That is
really doing a terrible injury to young
people"
Miss Ida NJ. Tarbell, well known
author, holds a somewhat similar
view.
Jazz is to me a very irritating
thing" she declares "It assaults the
nerves and dulls the brain. | do
not see how it can fail to have de-
moralizing effect if one subjects ones
self to it constantly. Drink is its nat
ural accompaniment. l have been
across the continent five times, and
everywhere on the streets and in the
hotels | heard it. One could dance
a great deal to harmonious music,
should think, and not have this terri
BILE nervous excitement. But jazz is
not music
Jazz Cuts Down Booze
On the other hand, Miss Margaret
Fawkesworth. dance organizer, as
serts that jazz serves high and noble
purpose in diverting people, and thus
keeping them out of trouble. Il be-
lieve that people would all drink more
without it," she says. Il see no conect-
ion between jazz and drink except that
if there were nothing TO do in the
evening people would be more likely to
sit around and drink. Jazz goes thru
all classes of our national life and
think it is here to stay. 1t is a god
send for both upper and lower classes =
This opinion is echoed by Mrs Chas
Tiffany, prominent New York matron
who says: 1T seems TO me that dane
ing has done more good than harm.
Older people exercise as they never
did before. People are more sociable
more human And after all, jazz af-
fects only a fraction of the population
Eighteenth century drawing-roms were
Just as shocked by the waltz and
other so-called round dances, as we
are today by the ultra-modern steps
that accompany Jazz music"
nerve specialist quoted by 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
lasci.iou3 dancing and destroying