Evening star., 1923-04-17

tions all over the country. Builders
are making up for the suspension ot
home erection during the war.
+
In view Of the shortage Of skilled
labor the United States Chamber oi
Commerce is advocating a modif1ca.
ton Of our present immigration restric-
tion laws in such way that we would
admit on the basis Of social and eco
nomic needs for labor rather than re-
strict merely upon numerical basis.
committee of the chamber has pre-
pared a plan in that line to be sub.
mitted to the annual meeting of the
chamber next month. 1t proposes
that the per cent quota remain the
general basis, to which would be
added per cent maximum, to be
controlled, at the discretion OF the
President, according to the countrys
needs
AS the trade unions are interested
directly in food production. to reducs
the cost of living the chamber argues
that the plan should receive their fun
cooperation.
During March the District Of a.
lumbia employment service had only
2,S10 applications for jobs, while il :
had 1919 jobs to be filled.
y
Again it is the complaint of tn4
patriot that he cannot sing The sta
Spangled Banner" Its music is diff
cult and the range tries the stretch
of all but the nimble voices, jump
ing from the sub-basement to the
cupalos high c. But here is sin
cere consolation for the songless:
Some Of Mozart's charming music is
called Songs without words" and, in
return, we can have this great
words without music"
No one who has not heard The
Star Spangled Banner" rendered as q
recitation by the well known Shake
spearean actor. Charles B. Hanford,
now living in Washington. can have
any adequate conception of it's thrill
ing. patriotic feeling. The recita
tion alone gives the earnestneSs and
love and solicitude of suspense aud
devotion that are likely to be lost
in the song. 1t is a poem that few
dered in song. 1t should be recited
in the schools even before 1t is sung.
for the words-the sentiment-are
American-are Washingtonfan, in their
origin-while the tune was a borrowed
German drinking song which happened
to flt DIR. Keys poem.
The recitation as we'll as the sing
ing should never be heard except by
a standing audience; soldiers in uni
form at attention or salute. 1t is
the greatest poem Of patriotism in any
language.
Adjt. Gen. Davis has issued an
order that all Army officers shall
mind their ps and qs better and inn
prove their literary style. The order
is accompanied with a few brief re
marks which may be pondered by
civilian correspondents as well as by
Army officers.
"Words used to express an idea
should be carefully selected" says
the adjutant general, and should be
so employed as to convey clearly and
forcefully the exact meaning intended
and no other Sentences should be log
ieally arranged"
r x
If advice of this kind is needed in
Army correspondence, which is ira
ditionally succinct and logical in ar
rangement in numbered paragraphs,
how much more is it demanded In
reforming the perfunctory forms Of
the ordinary business letter.
A night school for business letter
writer's would fill a long-felt want
own rules in force, as, for in
stance. the omitting of the salutation
and the Yours truly"-an example
set BY the Army letters.
copyright, 1923, ny P. V. Collinsl
.