Evening star., 1943-05-17
Whittier the Jitterbug
Their Flocking to Bandman Harry James
Causes a Psychologist to Ponder

they spotted his camera, until finally
he turned away and snorted his dis
gust with "lens-lice!"
A policeman answered an innocent
passerby's inquiry with a voice be-
tween a growl and grunt.
Harry James," he said in way
that left no doubt everybody should
know he wouldn't be shepherd to
such a gang of youngsters for any
other reason.
Inside the theater, the boys and
girls might have been tied together
with strings. They stood in unison,
waved quivering forefngers in the
air in unison, and subsidized in their
seats as though some unseen hand
had pushed them back unanimously.
The swinging and sWaying is so in
tense that even the balcony trembles
to the rhythmic stomp of feet.
UShers trained to use persuasion
rather than force have been able,
however, to stop the actual dancing
in the aiSles. At first, this dancing
was publicity stunt thought up by
an adroit press agent who now
wishes he hadn't been so bright. It
got out of hand, when excited cou-
pies started dashing up on the stage.
The stunt was pulled originally 10
years ago and since that time the
hep cats have needed no urging.
Now they must be soothed.
So James has toned down his
program until the only really hot
tune is his concluding number,
Two O'Clock Stomp" The mo-
ment it's over the organist begins
The Star Spangled Banner" and
the feveriSh audience can do moth
ing else but stand and applaud.
Without this neat maneuver the
show might go on forever.
My lack of understanding Of all
this-the kids couldn't understand
either why I wasn't more apprecia-
tive--sent me to the well-knoWn
psychiatrist, DR.. J. L. Moreno, and
he had quite few answers.
The music warns them UP" was
his first explanation. That was OBJ
vious.
DR.. Moreno continued: "They
start out for adventure and for as
sociation with interesting things
and places. It's a group situation.
They stimulate each other"
The primitive and stimulating
rhythms of jazz. DR. Moreno be-
lieves, provide mental catharsis"
for its listeners.
Il have watched many people re-
act to plays" he went on, "and 1
have come to the conclusion that
spectators identify themselves with
the people on the stage. Aristotle
was the first person to note and
write of this reaction.
THE spectators go through sim
liar experiences. They are relaxed
afterWard
This type Of music has become
a fad, with dance hall managers
hiring talented couples to lead the
others on into more spectacular
dancing.
Naturally children become ex-
tremely informal after listening to
such music and it leads to a violent
sort OF exhibitionism. It may have
some bearing on the present ma
uonal delinquency problem.
These musical or dance orgies
warm them up. And this influence
must be guided We must remem-
Der this is natural urge and we
must face the facts. Adolescents
need some expression and outlet.
But II their activity is unorganized
they may come under wrong inf1u-
enceS.
How can we turn such activity
to good use?
I believe groups interested in the
guidance of youth, such as the Boy
and Girl Scouts, should correlate
their work. They should exercise
some control. They are too re-
strained now and don't seem to
realize the danger.
Il watched this same sort of let
down in the last war and this time
1t Is likely to be worse because the
war will last so long. Unless parents
and older brothers and sisters can
provide the control the various
youth agencies must help.
The problem is national in scope
1t Is the tragedy of youth without
proper guidance"