Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-12-11

MIR. PICKERING play a four-bal
or eight-bar introduction 10 the
National Anthem. / can't remem-
Der hearing any one play even the
shortest introduction. The result is
that people don't start singing un.
ill they've missed the first five Oh
six words.
With an introduction. maybe
people would start with "Oh,
say, can you see" instead of
"by the dawn's early light" or
later.
I suppose it's beside the point
and will make the Countess Elek-
ira Rosanska very angry-to add
that there are great many peo-
pie who can't hit the high notes
of "the rockets red glare" ]
can't. The Countess insists that
anybody with an average voice can
sing 1t all. Maybe she forgets
that her own voice is long way
above average.
I'm not suggesting that zoe
pet q neW anthem. There's
grandeur about 10 and there are
plenty of other reasons iohy nee
should keep IL. ! iods wondering,
though, phether there might DO
some wuy Of recruiting a couple
OF bars so that people Cith bugle
r0ices like mine, that is, q range
Of about four notes, could sing ii
better.
THE OLD SONGS: Over at the
Statler, Enric Madriguera played
the anthem after the President
speech, and then swung into
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad
Wolff" 1t got laugh. Then he
played some tunes that were popu-
lar in the last war-"Good-by
Broa way. Hello France
Smiles and Rose OF Washing
ton Square" There must be dozens
Of others. although l can't remem-
Der many. "How Va Gonna Keep
I'm Down on the Farm" is one.
Also "A Long. Long Trail" Tip
perary,' and Johnny, Get Your
Gun"
Jim De Land, Of the Sun VAL
ley Serenaders. said he hadn't
had any requests for the old
tunes over at Hund's, but
thought that crop of new war
songs would start any day now.
He said he didn't think that
people would ask for the tunes
because right now they are too
angry. It's not hot, flam-
Ing enthusiasm the way II was
In 1917. It's a cold contempt,
n lOcked-in hatred because OF
the way the war was started,
hiding behind a cloud Of words
about peace.
\ We shouted Hang the Kaiser"
\ In the last war. but that was
just bOyish exuberance compared
to the unspoken feeling that
exists now. don't imagine
anybody will shout Hang Hiro-
hito," but 1 wonder II the Jap
anese won't wish that we did
shout Hang HirOhito" instead
OF having the feeling that we do.
To tell the truth, ! feel far
more resentment now than ! did
last Sunday. Possibly the shock
of the beginning of the war, the
feeling Of. lat last il has struck, "
covered up or temporarily doped
the feeling of being attacked by
treachery. Now the resentment
begins TO grow.
CANDLES: 7 hare n letter
uritten three days before the
1CGr started:
Dear Mr.. Pickering: ! hope
there WiH be thousands Of Peace
Candles ~ WindoWs again this
Christmas. I had hurricane
lamps nth candles ia my lUin-
doWs last year, and also made
presents Of them TO Others TO put
IN their UindoWs. ! thought 10
,cas a wonderful ided.-Olivid
hreisle.
I felt that way last week; ]
felt that way even after the fight
ing had started. But today ]
know, deep down, that the feeling
is slipping away.
Perhaps I'll light n candle at
Christmas and admit that It's
a Christmas candle - nothing
more.
And perhaps when I light II,
I'll still feel twinge: This MIGHT
have been peace candle.
; 1AAH~