Evening star., 1937-03-14
BY MERLE THORPE,
Editor, Nations Business.

Five hundred washington citizens are
now engaged in raising a fund Of
$4,000 to sustain the National
Symphony Orchestra. Success will
insure living wage for the musicians,
permit the orchestra to play additional
children's concerts and present more
programs at Constitution Hall next
Winter.
The people Of Washington should
assume, as far as possible, some of the
many extra-musical responsibilities OF
an organization such as the National
Symphony Orchestra That will af-
ford to DR. Kinder time and oppor-
tunity to advance the orchestra in re-
spect to repertoive and performance.
We should be grateful that we have
an artist capable of interpreting the
old scores and of winnowing out and
bringing to light the new So, by aid
ing in financial and administrative
difficulties, it leaves the conductor free
to apply himself to that part of the
work which he alone can do.
The men and women who are giving
their time to solicitation believe that
Washington should have a first-claSs
symphony orchestra. They believe
that in the leadership of DR.. Hans
Kinder the city has an invaluable
asset.
This campaign raises no question of
the worth of music. Music, as every
one knows who is denied it or who has
tried to live without it, is the uni
versal speech Of mankind. There is
music for every mood It is medicine
for every mind. Who hears music, said
Robert Browning, feels his solitude
peopled at once. How music enlarges
and enriches human experience is re-
Vealed to every one who submits to its
benef1cent spell. 1t is as large as life,
as deep as the grave, as winged as the
soul. 1t is treasury of thought and
feeling to which every human being
may confidently turn for balm. for
beauty, for understanding of the un-
derlylng unity of human nature.
Opportunity Is Inviting.
Music is not on trial. What is to be
decided by the campaign for money
is whether the community shall as
sure the satisfaction of its need for
good music through a group of musi-
clans identified with its own interests,
or whether it is to be dependent upon
arrangements made by organizations
owing their first duty to the music
lovers of other cities.
Here is an inviting opportunity to
assert an interest related directly to
citizenship. Washington is a great
tourist center, and properly so. We
who live here share the city's ma
tional institutions with all other
Americans. We are glad and proud to
do so. There is majesty and dignity
here in abundance, sights aplenty to
prompt exclamation and thrill the
beholder with the glory of his country.
But there is another Washington
that does not get into the headlines.
1t is a city of homes, Of schools, Of
churches-a city concerned with max
ing life eminently worth the living.
H. G. Wells, the eminent English
novelist, with whom I talked recently
in London, is the author of a book
called THE Country of the Blind"
1t Is a delightful allegory. It is also
a powerful treatise upon the human
tendency to be blind to the things
in its own neighborhood. 1t might
have been dedicated to the city of
Washington. After reading it, one
Is moved to ask, rs WASHINGTON a
city of the blind'?"
Are we elated as we come across
daily reminders Of the spiritual Wash
lngton? For Washington, as no other
city on this continent, enshrines pa
triotism and preserves the deep wells
of old faiths Here the humanity and
power and glory of a great people
come to an impressive focus. Here
Is the fountain-head of national law,
order and progress.
Great Things Expected.
Great things are expected Of this
radiant and majestic city. And the
point Is that there is no citizen so
lowly, no business men so obscure
that he does not to some extent hold
the reputation of Washington in his
keeping.
He may be the one to do a fine
service or a fragrant disservice which
will confirm or shake the faith or
admiration of some visitor to Wash
ington, and go echoing around the
world for pnod Or for evil