Evening star., 1942-03-05
Voices Of 5000 Ring
As Lucy Monroe Leads
Defense Songfest
Irving Berlin Returns
To Capital to Present
His Lutest Hit

Six thousand persons joined voices
In singing old favorite and patriotic
songs at the Defense stamp songfest
at Riverside Stadium last night
while a drama out Of the music
went almost unnoticed.
1t was a drama that went or
backstage and out front during ar
evenings program high-lighted by
one of the greatest musical events
in the history of the National Capital
mass singing, led by Miss Lucy
Monroe, the "star-spangled soprano,
with music furnished by the CSC
musicians of the Army, Navy and
Marine Bands.
1t was Irving Berlin who made the
drama-Berlin Of the song world
back in town this time with his
troubadour, Barry Wood, star OF
radios Hit Parade" and an ace ul
his sleeve.
Pidgeon Master of Ceremonies.
The Evening Star co-operated with
the Treasury Department in sponsor
ing the event, and Walter Pidgeon,
star of stage and screen, played a
stellar role as master of >remonies
But it was Mr.. Berlin and Mr.. Wood
the writing singing duo, who staged
the little extravaganza out of life
that gave the evening its sparkle.
Doors of the tadium-donated for
the evening by its proprietor-swung
open at pm. and q throng OF
300 waiting persons pushed through.
Others came in steady stream,
swelled to crowd proportions at
irregular intervals as buses arrived.
In the midst OF this hurrying line
suddenly appeared a barrier to
progress-two men milling purposely
In tuxedos, one short and slim and
black-headed, the other much
younger, taller, more robust.
Where is it?" they asked Of any
one who would listen.
Where is what?" countered by
stander.
MY song-my song" said the
small man, making no attempt to
hide his concern. 1T was In bundle
and was supposed TO have been left
here at the door"
"Oh, that replied the bystander.
st saw some one carry 1t back stage
. while ago"
Recognized in Backstage Dash.
The pair pushed on into the audi
torium, the little man In front. AS
they emerged into the central arena,
q woman on a tier of seats above
them leaned over and grasped the
smaller of the two by the shoulder.
This is Irving Berlin!" she ex-
claimed to a companion.
The composer turned and looked
at her, and then continued on back
stage. Not for a moment. 1t seemed,
had his thoughts left the bundle.
Another chapter in this little drama
was to come later.
At 8::23 pm, a trumpeter sounded
first call, the lights went up, and
the crowd applauded and stood while
q color guard of service men en-
tered the stage from one end Of the
now almost-packed stadium. Pho
tographers' bulbs flashed intermlt-
tently about the massive hall.
Harold Graves, assistant to the
Secretary Of the Treasury, walked to
the microphone and told the crowd
the program was the first OF q series
in behalf of the Defense stamp
sales which would be conducted with
the aid of Miss Monroe throughout
the Nation In the next year. Then
he introduced Mr.. Pidgeon as the
star of the prize winning movie,
How Green Was My Valley"
Mr.. Pidgeon took over as master
of ceremonies. He said we're 8
singing Nation-we always nave
been a singing Nation" and recalled
some of the songs men sang IN Colo
NAL days whether taking part IN
war or swinging an ak. He named
nome Of the tunes which were most
popular during each OF Americas
wars.
Calls on An 10 Sing.
Nov we're going into another
war he added, land there's no
better way to keep our spirits going
than by singing Sing, all OF you
no matter how you sing, but sing
damn loud"
There were other talks by Treas
nry representatives, 1nterspersed oy
lo-minute concerts by each OF the
bands. The evening wore along.
Intermission came. There had been
no mass singing up to that point ana
no one had given particular atten-
ton to small white slips OF paper
distributed among the crowd after 1t
was seated-small slips with single
verse printed upon 1t.
With intermission over. MISS
Monroe appeared on the rostrum to
lead the singing and called Tor the
first number to be sung by Mr..
Berlin. 1t was God Bless Amer
ica." his favorite of the nearly oOO
songs he has written. He emerged
from backstake and sang IN a
tenor voice while the audience re-
manned deathly still. At the close
of the first chorus, he asked the
throng to join with him in a sec
ono ana tleIc was CIAVlluoAoo0iS ~
sponse.
Next came more mass singing, and
then Mr.. Wood was introduced to
sing the song he has popularlzed
for Mr.. Berlin on the Treasurys
radio hour, ANY Bonds Today" He
sang, and the audience sang with
him. Then he said:
st am going to let you in on
treat. Among you have been dis
tributed slips on which has been
printed a song. 1t was written two
weeks ago by Mr.. Berlin and sung
over the radio by Kate Smith last
Friday. I will sing it to you now
for the first time it has been pre-
sented directly to an audience"
Sings This Time
The song he sang was This
Time" Mr.. Berlin's latest compost
ton written especially in tune with
current events. These were the
words on the slip of paper:
This time we will all make GER
tain
THAT this time IS the last
time