WHAT IS IT?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 50, 28 August 1911, Page 2

WHAT IS IT?

AMERICA'S NATIONAL ANTHKSI The incident on the last night of th> Soiisa. Eerwon, when the bead plaj*ed "The Star-Spangled Banner" before an audience that filled the Town. Hall and only part of that audience *too,d up.| ebarted an interesting correspondence and controversy in our columns a& lo what is really Afiictiea'e NatioMfol Anthem. One says it is "Th© StftTSpangled Battftfef^ another "Hail Columbia," ftnd a third Dr. S. F. Smith'? verses to America., beginning "My country, 'tie of thW It is qnit* eleav that thew are dowbtft abo«t the mieß- ; tion. which was put to Mr. lltrbert i Baillie, the City Librarian, \o answer--"What is America's National Anthem?" ; According to Mr, Baillie there agpear? to be no certainty, even in the United States, bnb "The Star-Spangkd Banner" seems to be the most populai claimant to national honottr*. The United State* Army Regulations. 1901, provide that all officer* and men shall stand at attention whenever "The StarSpangkd Banner" is being played Again when the flag is lowered at the sounding of the hust note of the retreai &t military stations-, the band will plej "The Star-Spangled Banner." This seems definitely to show official recognition of this jßtirring lyric m the Na. twnal Anthem of .the States At the ; same time, according to The American I Flag, a book issued by th© Education Department) of the State of New York last year. "The Stat-Spangled Banner" ha* hot been formally adopted aa a «ational anthem, Iwcause it rel»t>e» to « fcMciai war incident and doe* not mccl all the requirements of a national eonc. "It us, however," saye the authority in Sueetioft, "generally acclaimed aft one of lie noblest and moet inspiring ot American lyrics, and, under army am! j navy regulation*. i« played at morning i and evening 'colours/ It ie more fie- ! recitwl and sung on patriots ' occasions and In the whool* than ftn\ other American fto&g, with th« excei). tion,, perhaps, of •America. 1 " The exception, of course, is exttremely important. If "The Star-Spangled Banner" has the beat' claims te be the national anthem. "Amerioa" is certainly the ntttton&l hymn, a distinction with a eertßin. wnotinb of difference. The awkward part xA it is that "America" ib «?ung to the tune of "God, Save tV King" and thereon confusion is apt u> once. Other clafmanlft to the honour o{ being the national anthem are "ttai! Columbia " and "Yankee Doodle," but their claims cannot be conmderpd tn strong as the two Aret mentioned. Wliii to a stotement made by one co" mpondent that Wellington had tin distinction of being ihe only town \vhe> o tho public had hot risen to the ©ccaeip., by wanding to the itrne of "The 6i#Spangled Banner,''. Mk teafllie qtiot*^ an extract from The Cosmopolitan. «n American magarftw, whioh, ia an article on patriotism, stated ihat at a publi, concert when 1 the air in qttestdon wn« played •'•*& leMt a hnndred pereone" wonW stand, which wtggseta thst *yen in the State* the usage is not «hi vetial.