Evening star., 1922-12-14
BY W. II. CLAGETT.

Dear Folks:
| Bein' one Of them "crocadiles' who
believe implicitly what history teaches
about all great military geniuses OF
! the past havin' nursed some pet
hobby when not, manooverin' their
armies, ever since the wtnd-up. OF
the recent world holocost. and our
own Gen. Pershing returned to quiet
pastures. I've been tryin' my durndest
to discover what favorite object dee
lighted him most when restin' be-
tween scraps, and yesterday found
tits music, folks! And band music
at that!
That's the keno marble, gentlemen,
and If the lucky guesser will Just
step this way he can get his see
gar!
O. course. 1 don't mean to insinuate
that the mighty leaders hearty laugh
expression at the ball game, his
luSty whoop at the "pigskin" match
or his merry twinkle when 'talkin
with fair wimmin are all phoney. be.
cause they amt. Not on your life.
The deep-chested. strong-jawed un-
matchabie soldier. who made the
Army chiefs of all nations do tango
| Through that" is a cracker-jack
good sport well as fighter. but
hidden way down deep in the innerds
uncomfortable love for martial
music. and right at present one of
his chief objects in life Is to have
the United States Army Band de-
veloped to sich degree OF perfec-
tion that nothin' this side of heaven
will be able to match it. and Looten-
ant Santelmann and our old friend
Charlie Benter had better take notice.
He's a Band Fan.
United States Army Band! That's
the big idea uppermost In the great
warriors mind at this present
moment. and you can spill it where
you keers to. for ! got the dope
general himself:
Tipped to the wonderful strides
made in the last six months by this
truly remarkable cluster OF musi-
clans. hustled down to Washington
barracks the other afternoon to give
them the once-over. and durin a con-
lversation with Capt. =. W. Lewis. the
dandy young officer commandin' the
outfit. | learned that the Big Chief
| was wrapped up in the organization.
so skurried to his office and found 1t
was true.
Yes" smiled the genial fighter as
ne was about to leave the War De-
partment to ketch train for Boston.
III am greatly interested In the de-
velopment of the Army Band. The
purpose of the organization is to
reconstitute the old Headquarters
Band of the American expeditionary
forces, perpetuating its rich tradi-
tions and international fame as
distinctly representative musical unit
of the Army, and with a view to in
spring and encouraging martial
music throughout the military service
in the future"
Well so far so good. but for the in
formation of them of you unfamiliar
| with this new bunch Of "tooters,'
| who are destined to soon rank with
sich sterling organizations as the
Marine and Navy bands. lemme say
less than year.
Born at Fort Hunter, Va, last jan
| uary from the remnants Of the de-
| modified recrutin' centers of Fort
Ohio: Fort Thomas. Ky, and Jefferson
| barracks. Mo-, the infant prodigy
! soon got sick and tired of the quiet
of the Old Dominion. and the follow
| in September beat it hot-foot for the
great heart OF the nation. where the
| War Department gave 1t shelter at
| the Washington barracks!
Classy Artists in Outft.
| Once unpacked in close proximity
| with the famous Army Music School,
| which. by the way, has nothin' to do
! with the L. 5. Army Band. and about
| which I'll tell you somethin' at an
| other time. the new aspirants for
world fame, wise to the fact they
had the sympathies Of Gen. Pershing
/ left no pebble unturned in their fight
| for recognition. and luckily hittin the
town when it was nuts" over music.
| 1t didn't take 'em long to hop into
! the spotlight!
| Fightin' every inch of their way on
| much less pay thans allotted by
| Uncle Sam to his other classy musi-
| clans, every member of the outfit,
| from piccolo player to bass-drum
| beater. kept pluggfn' away, until today
| there's been corralled fifty-eight OF
the classiest artists in this neck OF
J the woods, representa- every branch