The New York herald., 1922-06-15


yesterday that we were singing them.
There were many and they served
well. but none has ever for a moment
threatened the throne which The
Star Spangled Banner" occupies as
the royal anthem of American pa
triotism.
The composition of THE Star
Spangled Banner" seemed at the time
a minor incident among major events.
The British Government had sent
great expedition to occupy the Chesa-
peake and to drive out the privateers
which from it's waters made their
tireless forays against the British
shipping and to create the base from
which to drive great military force
northward. simultaneously an army
was to advance from Canada south
ward through the Hudson Valley.
the general plan being to split the
country along the line of the Hudson,
the Delaware and the Chesapeake.
II was the same strategical concep-
tion fundamental in the British pro-
gram of Revolutionary years. .
The campaign started off success
fully. The British occupied the lower
Chesapeake and Potomac. captured
Washington. and then turned to re-
duce Fort McHenry, sentinel at the
gates of Baltimore. Then the way
would be open for the army's opera
ton In accordance with the general
design.
One need not tell a Maryland audi
ence how significant was the failure
of the night attack on Fort McHenry.
1t spelled the failure Of the most
ambitious project ever put forth for
the subjugation of this continent.
The Maryland militia and the limited
force of regulars saved the Chesa-
peake and won for Baltimore the dis
tinction of being the only great sea-
port on the Atlantic coast which has
never been occupied by an enemy. |
trust that for all the future Balti-
more will have to share that fortune
with every other seaport: but the fact
remains that when tha British armada
of 1914 retired, beaten. from Fort Nc
Henry 1t left with Baltimore the
eminence of being the one great
American port over which no enemy
flag had ever waved.
Great as were the issues decided
that September day. the victory was
proved of very minor interest in the
popular mind compared to the fact
that the battle inspired THE Star
Spangled Banner" Mr.. Key had gone
as a auasi-official envoy on board the
British flagship to seek release of an
American prisoner. Admiral Cock
burn was unwilling to let him return
until after the bombardment lest some
of the plans should get TO the knowl-
edge OF the Americans. So Mr.. Key
and a friend were retained on board a
cartel ship, the Minden. from which
they saw the bombardment. The
rockets red glare, the bombs burst
ing in air" were watched all night
long by the two Americans, torn with
anxiety for the fate of their city and
country.
The poem was written on an en-
velope and other scraps of paper du-
ring the bombardment and within
few hours afterward. II was liter
ally the inspiration of a great mo-
ment and moving experience. On
the retirement OF the defeated fleer
Mr.. Key was given his freedom and
the poem was published at once, at
tanning instant popularity.
Did Francis Scott Key, during the
narrowing hours of that summer
night vigil In the storm of battle.
realize that he was producing an i'm
mortal work? Is 1t possible that to
his poets soul came later realization
that he had written lines which
meant undying fame? There are evil
dences that he did conceive that the
great inspiration had raised him to
heights he had never touched before.
When the poem was printed and cir
culated in Baltimore he watched its
reception with the profoundest in
terest: he wrote OF his qualification
that ii was so well regarded.
If one, forgetting the music. will
ponder that poem of battle and VIC
tory and thanksgiving I think he will
comprehend the elements that have
made 1t great: great as a song of
patriotism and exaltation, great
merely as a piece OF poetical portrait
ture. The first stanza tells the anx-
iety with which. after the lombard
ment had ceased. the author peered
through the mists Of dawn and asked
the one question whose answer would
tell the fateful story:
Can you see. by the dawn's earl,
light
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight.
last gleamng7
In the second stanza he gllmpses
the banner and bursts into song of
rejoicing. The third stanza is a de-
fiance OF the oppressor. and then in
the fourth and last stanza we find
the note Of Thanksgiving, the prayer
that the victory may be justified In
the conduct of race Of free men.
Oh. thus be II ever. when free men shal
stand
Between their iov'd home and the war;
desolation.
That was the poets prayer. We
may fairly claim in pride for the
deeds Of our fathers. our sons.
our brothers. the prayer has been
granted. The faith has been kept.
1t is the hope of every American
heart to-day that IL will continue to
be kept Tho intervening century has
brought our country power and high
place. 1t has cast upon us heavy
burdens of responsibility making US
share the difficult problems of
world in the turmoil of new time.
We need all the inspiration and faith
which fired his glowing soul of pa
triotism. No generation of men has
ever come into the world to find its
path smoothed or to find Its prob
lens solved for II In advance. Solu-
tion is the fit price we pay for our
great inheritance of liberty and op-
portunity.
The outstanding and the reasuur-
ing thought of to-day Is the supreme
exaltation OF Key in the hour of
great trial to reveal the soul of a
patriot In the night of SURPRISING
anxiety and devotion to country.
No concern for self narrowed his
thought. No gloriflcation of the in
dividual marred his vision. No pur-
suit OF fame set his soul ablazc. No
advantage hindered his pen. His
n II.
were combined In his all consuming
thought. the nation was the great,
uplifting and exalting and exulting
love of country, transcending all else.
Key reached the sublime heights and
wrote the poetic revelation OF an