, 1934-11-15
The World
At a Glance
BY LESLIE EICHEL
Central Press Staff Writer

NEW YORK. Nov. l5.-some.
times persons who write column
have to become personal-in self
defense. They get a large amount
OF mail, you know, and canno'
possibly give personal answers 4
everybody. All that would be al
right II the letterwriter did not ash
questions and submit problems
land column writers, these days
are supposed TO settle all the prob
lens Of the world. Readers OF thi:
column who believe that we discus
too much, that we try to encompass
too much, have no idea how much
we skip.)
One Of the most recent letters "a
from a school teacher in New
Castle, Pa. The letter Is the praise
worthy kind that every columnisi
Is overjoyed 70 receive. But mingled
In with its contents are phrases
that cause hair TO stand on end.
The correspondent is a young
woman school teacher. who reads
some OF our columns aloud In class
and who desires more columns or
music. for she teaches music.
Well, what we do not know con-
corning music would FIJI a thousand
volumes. We merely try to appreci-
ate music, an aim that many other
persons also have.
Alas. we know not a single note
In deepest despair we mad the
words Of learned critics concerning
concerts and operas we have at
tended. When we read those bril-
liant articles, we realize only toe
poignantly our own ignorance. oul
own inability 70 plumb the depths OF
beauty and Of wisdom.
We hope that the appreciation OF
music, OF every art, OF truth. o. wis
dom will be taught with every-in.
creaSing zest in schools. but we be-
ieve mot In modesty but In self.
defense) that we have mastered NJ
art and no wisdom sufficiently X
be a text or an inspiration.
That, too. is among u sorrows
We who write columns merely art
journalists, who interpret the pass.
ing mood in words Of no remem.
brance. The one or two bright stu.
dents who exist in every class soor
would discern that.
Music
Only a decade ago, classical music
was discussed In various circles In
the United States as OF a decadent
age.
Now the age that spoke those de-
riSive words is looked upon as the
most decadent period in American
history.
II was then that exploitation and
speculation were reaching Their
zenith, and when the public morals
were being corrupted by a creed
that financial and social success
was the true goal.
IL was then that we hid our faces
from the light OF truth, and II was
then that we bred hatreds and went
10 war-and burned copies Of the
masterpieces OF men. though dead
who had become enemies.
One could go on for pages. The
facts seem as absurd as many OF
the reactions Of today viii seem five
or ten years hence. (Changes come
more swiftly now.)
Real art cannot become decadent
The masters grow In perspective. In
our own times we seldom see the
oak. That Is left 70 others when all
the remainder Of the forest has
persisted.
Nor ought we 70 expect. even in
after years that each student should
become a critis, an analyst.
We who are not critics can be
thankful that the masters expected
us merely to appreciate. to add Ia
the measure Of our soul.
In fact, the masters we're not
thinking OF us when they composed.
A genius Is driven by a creative
demon within him. He knows no
minutae such as we are. His sphere
Is the universe, his boundaries are
the illimitable. the millions Of light
years beyond the reckoning Of man
Mrs. O'Day
Mrs. Caroline O'Day, for whom
Mrs. Franklin ID. Roosevelt cam
paigned, and who was elected repre-
sentative -at-large from New York
said she would defy President
Roosevelt on only one thing. She
explains:
II may be a 'yes-woman' NJ
Washington because I have Sucl
faith in Mr. Roosevelt and In the
good sense OF his administration.
shall support his measures In any
thing except war. II that came.
think ! should just kiss my children
goodby and start off for Leyenworth
federal penitentiary)."
Moral Equity"
There seems TO be a growing con.
seriousness that the needs OF Tho
whole community are prior to am
private necessity or private croft
But that Is only half the prob
lem.
Observers contend that an eve j
more vital issue was raised in Cleve-
land Cand apparently upheld IN
principle): That employees have a
moral equity In the business. Clos
Ing OF shops and the DISCHARGE 4,
employees Is construed as a lockcut
Employees who have, through thei,
labor, helped to build up a bus
ness, are seen MS having rights cor
corning themselves Cbut not ron.
corning business policies) eQuisalcnt
TO that possessed by the manage
ment.