Evening star., 1939-08-11
Flag Waving
Hits a High
In New York
Patriotism Takes
Over Music and
The Stage
Bv Albert ". WiIson,
Bv Albert ". WiIson,
Associated Press Stan Writer.

Associated ITeSS Stau writer.
NEW YORK.
b The creators of songs. skits and
plays In this amusement center
of the world have found that in
these days there is new magic
in Old Glory.
Up and down Broadway, along
Fifty-second street.-the street of
swing-and out at the New York
Worlds Fair there has been a
renaissance of patriotic flag waving
and martial music comparable to the
World War days, when George M.
Cohan pranced the stage as the
original Yankee Doodler."
Contemporary historians prob
ably could find a simple explana-
ton for the fact that a dash of
patriotic fervor has become the
chief ingredient in song hits and
shows by merely pointing to the
present state of world affairs.
1t was the indomitable Cohan
himself, 81 last July 4. who whipped
out the Stars and Stripes in his re-
the patriotic play, I'D Rather Be
Right Producers of shows at the
fair and on Broadway and the song
writer's of Tin Pan alley have Joined
the parade.
The old master, Irving Berlin,
confides that he actually wrote his
latest song hit, God Bless Amer
ica," seven years ago. 1t was his
first patriotic outburst since the
Zip, Zip, Yaphank,' show he
staged while an Army rookie at the
wartime military camp at Yaphank,
Long Island, with that unforget-
table song, "Oh, How Hate to Get
Up in the Morning"
Berlin admits God Bless Amer
lea" might still be accumulating
dust in his unused files if it hadn't
been for political events of recent
months.
Charley Tobias. of Worcester,
Mass, is songsmith who has taken
most advantage of the public mood.
He wrote the words of I'm a Yank
Full of Thankfulness," which was
given its send-of at huge Madison
Square Garden benefit and of Uncle
Sans Lullaby" hit number of the
new Broadway show, "Yokel Boy"
which has fagwaving first act
finale.
The best example of a patriotic
show is The American Way" resum-
ing long run in the biggest theater
available in the city after a few
weeks layoff. ABE Lincoln in Ilh-
nois' and the Bill Gaxton-Victor
Moore vehicle Leave 1t to Me-" are
others.
A similar trend is found in the
night clubs, many having substituted
THE Star Spangled Banner" for
Home, Sweet Home" as the cue for
picking up the last drinks of the
night At the International Casino,
a high spot is bevy of girl drum
mers in red, white and blue, drifting
down from the ceiling while an
orchestra plays THE American
Sway"
At the fair, 80 girls performing in
the Aquacade prOduce nag 3OO feet
long which Impresario Billy Rose
modestly proclaims "the biggest in
the world"
Uncle Sammy's Gonna Go to
Town" is Morton DoWney's song hit
number in this show, a bit on the
gooey side of patriotism.
In several other spots of the fairs
amusement area. the Stars and
Stripes are the popular motif, in
Guiding George Jessels Little Old
New York. in which flag is fired"
over the audience from a cannon.
A sign of the times was a recent
agitation resulting in a decision by
the fair officials to hoist flag over
the parachute jump, highest struc-
ture on the grounds. Patrons had
protested because a Soviet statue
DrpVio11Slv dominated tho Scepe