Evening star., 1926-06-20
BY REN COLLIER.

= ECRETARY OF WAR DAVIS
in laying down a definite policy
with regard to when and where
- military bands may play in pub
lie, has settled, at least for the
time being, a problem that had
reached proportions threatening the
safety Of that American institution
the military band concert
Until the head of the War Depart
met specifically ruled last week that
Army bands may entertain the
civilian populace in free public con
Certs. there had been an increasingly
grave question in the minds of high
military officials as to whether. under
the law as defined in military reEula.
tions, an Army band might legally
Stage a concert of purely entertaining
character.
This problem. affecting military
bands in general, had "A much broader
aspect than the local questions in
Volved in the matter before Secretary
Davis at the time of his decision--Cou-
corning the right OF the Fort Myer
Cavalry Band TO stage public concerts
IN Arlington County. Va.
"innner Concerts Involved.
OFFICIALS were beginning TO view with
some anxiety the whole practice. how
t"rtS in the parks of the cities and
Gowns where military bands are avail
able, including the National Capital,
She proprietr being questioned, of
course. only where the band was to
play off the military. reservations.
"A view of the fact that bands of
the three military services long have
been in the habit of contributing
their services for many sorts of pub
lie celebrations, to say nothing of the
practice of the United States Marine
Band in making periodic concert
tours of countrywide extent, there
had been considerable uneasiness in
official quarters as to just what civic
rights, if any, the military band could
claim.
The moot point had attained an
acute stage with the pressure being
brought to bear on military officials
by the Musicians Protective Union.
According to President A. c. Hayden
nf the Washington headquarters, the
union is unalterably opposed to mill
taIy bands playing off the reservation
for anything but a strictly military or
official function.
Will Continue Protests.
SO long as the Government permits
its bands to do otherwise, the union
viii continue to register its protests.
he said. 1t was due to such a protest
Sthat the Fort Myer Band refused to
carry out an agreement to play at
recent civic celebration in Lyon Vii
la-e. not far from the post The union,
In line with it's general policy, alleged
such a concert would be in the nature
Of competition with civilian bands, for
hidden by military regulations. The
civic organization denied this, but the
commanding officer at Fort Myer, on
looking carefully into the military law,
not only needed the protest of the
union, but announced his intention of
calling off all future public concerts al
ready scheduled, because he believed
they would be contrary to law.
1t was the wide scope of the conclu-
sions drawn by the Fort Myer com
mander that resulted in the matter
being brought to the attention of Sec
retary Davis for personal opinion.
If the decision reached by Col.
Hawkins at Fort Myer was based on
a correct Interpretation of the law
governing military concerts, then mill
tary bands have been flagrantly violat-
Ing all regulations in appearing before
he public in various non-Federal parks
or at civic ceremonies.
Out for World Series.
officials recalled that military bands
have made a practice of livening up
the crowds at American League Park
during the world series base ball
games and at the opening game of the