Show SOLDIERS SOON I LEARN TO LIKE 4 J BETTER MUSIC There Is jome some difference of opinion about the kinds of music men of the army enjoy or even prefer the prefer the men who are Just now now being being- brought face fate to face with the raw material of life out olt of which music is fashioned In this connection ItIs it itis itis is Interesting to hear the opinion of a aman aman aman man who Is very closely In touch with the spirit of the army Colonel E E. l. l Wj r. r Markham of the Three Hundred Third engineers Camp Dix N. N J. J Colonel Markham believes that there is a very general misunderstanding a about out the tile kind of mu c that appeals to tho the men who are today in United States training camps IA i A certain number of men coming to the camps desire the light popular songs of the day said Colonel Markham when asked recently to give the public the re results results re- re suits of his personal observation These men prefer perhaps the Kaiser pill 1111 type of song A substantial percentage however while enjoying this style of tong song as an occasional diversion are perfectly perfectly per per- capable of rising to the spirit of music of much higher quality They can assimilated with pleasure and inspiration inspiration Inspiration tion the work of those who have been able to translate Into music the yearnIngs yearnings yearnings yearn yearn- ings hopes and aspirations of the human heart This latter class need not at all be what is commonly known as highbrow stuff but may well be none the of the tho solid dignified type whether merely tuneful or substantially harmonious harmo nl us Such music with suitable lyrics creates lasting Impressions resulting In thought and purpose The variety first referred to carries no such quality and andis Its Irs results are essentially evanescent The army camps of all places in inthe the world are the tho last where cheap music should prevail to the practical exclusion of that of better grade There should be a substantial effort to introduce more thoughtful music which may well be interspersed with the advantage to all concer concerned d with the less stable variety In all ages aes good music has been depended upon to quicken valor and invite unity Uniformly It has been of the highest service In the creation of a purposeful spirit and I am quite certain certain certain-as as I have several times previously declared that declared that it can well replace a considerable amount of routine drill This is not so revolutionary revolutionary revolutionary revo revo- as it sounds for once such a spirit has been Instilled the is sufficiently eager to perfect himself in his routine duties Music has lays always I been a force to quicken endurance and to unify the mass mas spirit of men to the 1 highest degree Colonel Markham Marham has not allowed his convictions to remain In theoretical form as he has raised the funds to erect at Camp Dix Db a regimental auditorium for forthe for forthe forthe the Three Hundred Third engineers I where they will hear good music during their period of training We are opening our auditorium said he with a concert by high class musicians musicians musi must I clans who will present numbers from such composers as Grieg Verdi Victor Herbert etc We Ve expect to have in inthe inthe the subsequent use of the auditorium I a rational amount of ragtime and the like but will make an effort to see that that such music is kept bounds without with with- out however attempting to Impose on the man an indigestible ration of classics which may well be beyond their capacity to enjoy Theoretically music Is a gratuity a luxury practically it has proven itself to be a necessity The simple truth is th that t one of the vital forces of a nation is its music and that in the accomplishment accomplish accomplish- melt meat of a huge task tast wherein all its energizing energizing ener ener- processes are required the value of music should be carefully regarded I |