When America finally entered the Great War I was, like most of my fellow
citizens, anxious to do something to help, and therefore shared the
restlessness and discontent which most men of maturer years felt because
they were not “too proud” but too old to fight.
A number of music lovers had formed an organization, “American Friends
of Musicians in France,” the object of which was to collect money with
which to help the families of musicians in France who were suffering or
destitute because of the war. Through my French colleagues we had heard
of many such cases—some of the most famous musicians were at the front,
in the trenches, and in the hospitals, doing their share just as did the
men in all the other professions and callings. Several organizations had
been formed in France to help toward maintaining their families, but
much remained to be done, and through our society, which aroused
immediate response in America, we were raising considerable sums and
expected to continue this work until the end of the war.
I had been elected president, and while discussing with our committee
the best ways and means of helping the older French musicians, it was
brought out that many of them were too proud to accept alms. What they
really wanted was opportunity to work in their profession, as the
constant air raids and bombardments of Paris had almost entirely stopped
the giving of lessons and concerts. During our discussion Henri
Casadesus, a French musician who was then on a concert tour in America
with his Society of Ancient Instruments, and who had given us much
valuable information regarding conditions in France, suggested that an
orchestra could be formed of such musicians as were still in Paris,
which might be used to travel around the country to the various camps in
which our huge army was forming and drilling, and to give our soldiers
good popular music during their hours of rest and recreation.
It was suggested that a French conductor be engaged to lead this
orchestra, but Casadesus asked whether it would not be possible for me
to go over and take charge personally. He thought that the French
Government would look on this idea very favorably, and through the
Ministère des Beaux Arts would give us every assistance possible toward
the forming of the orchestra and its transportation through the country.
Needless to say, my heart leaped with joy at this suggestion. One step
led to another, and Mr. Harry Harkness Flagler immediately and with
characteristic generosity donated a check large enough to pay the entire
expenses and salaries of a French orchestra of fifty men for six weeks.
The plan was outlined to the National War Work Council of the Young
Men’s Christian Association, who accepted it with enthusiasm, and to the
French High Commission in Washington, of which Mr. Tardieu was at that
time the chief. He sent one of his staff, the Marquis de Polignac, to
New York to discuss and arrange details, and immediately cabled to Paris
to obtain for me the necessary authority to enter France and to proceed
with the plan. The acting director of the Ministère des Beaux Arts was
at that time M. Alfred Cortot, the distinguished pianist, and within a
week he cabled us that he could place at my disposal the Pasdeloup
Orchestra of fifty men who would be ready on my arrival to travel
throughout our recreation centres, camps, and hospitals.
As no civilian who was not in government employ could sail for France
except under the auspices of one of the welfare organizations, I was to
sail as a war worker for the Y. M. C. A., whose entertainment division
was under the direction of Mr. Thomas McLane, an earnest, patriotic
citizen of New York who gave his entire time enthusiastically to this
arduous work. A few weeks before sailing, however, the war situation
became so serious that the possibility of carrying out our scheme seemed
very doubtful, but Mr. McLane and his chief, Mr. William Sloane, felt
strongly that I should go over anyhow, look over the field, and make
myself useful in one way or another.
The regulations of the Y. M. C. A. demanded that each one of their
workers should submit an indorsement by three well-known American
citizens, and as I had the honor of many years’ acquaintance with
Theodore Roosevelt, I gave his name as one who might be willing to
testify to my Americanism. The letter which he wrote is so
characteristic that I am vain enough to reprint it here.
Sagamore Hill, May 4th, 1918.