To the Editor of the "Nosrit-Cuixa Dany News"
Sim—t think there are many people! im Shanghai who feel the same grati-Aeation that I do at the retention by the Municipality of Maestro Paci and Lis orchestra. "It would, of course, be very presumptuous for an occa sional Visitor to enter a controversy among Shanghai ratepayers over a question of the disposition of the city's money, but it is certainly permissible to-express satisfaction at the Tam also going to venture a few! hewspapet wark here, Signor Paci hag, think, lately arrived. As I tndersiand i, he "was requested, Urged, to remain in Shanghai and oranize @ municipal orchestra, on-Instation which is an excellent. thing for any city. When I heard him for the Ast time, in the ole Town Hal, T recognized, of course, that he was artist and said so in my paper. T'was promptly rebuked. by" persons who declared Shanghai neither need-wished nor could. afford. "high-brow" music.
Personally, I am a low-brow with only" an. elementary knowledge of {food music but an ear somewhat Sponsive to harmonious sounds, I Rave listened to mast of the world's best orchestras, and 1 know how they function and the tremendous expense Involved fu maintaining them.
That expense can be bore only in two ways, by the municipality or by ubseription from wealthy citizens. Dut the latter must be assured, made cerialn by" ironbound "engagements. You cannot leave a. symphony chestra In the position of a band of {Unerant players, dependent upon the whims' and inclination of their occa anal' listeners, uncertain "of their night's lodgings.
Jin America. support comes. mainly from subscriptions, also endowments. The. famous, Boston. Symphony -Orchestra, considered one of the three best in the world, is largely maintained by the income trom.an endowent of several millions left, by the Gryanlzation's founder, Major Thomas Lee Higginson. Despite the fact that hig great band plays everywhere to Packed houses of two and. three Gollars a seat. It is a very long way {rom supporting itself. So with others America, several hundred in fact. America, often necused of locking tenture, "no doubt—st. you are. to believe' cur erties—full of crudities, uncouth people and low-brow tend: fendes generally, yet has, T think, a [desire to be something belter. There fore it' Imports many" artists who come with singular eagerness, probably full' of anxiety to improve our cultural standards.
The. point is, perhaps, that had Signor Mario Paci gone to America 18 of 18 years ago or whatever it was, he would very soon have secured what in our crude way of speaking Wwe call a good job. "He would have had "it yet. and, moreover, been a highly-regarded" and. well-treated rngmber of the community. And when the was no longer in case to go. conducting he would have been taken care of for the rest of his life. No one contends that he Isa Koussevitzky fora Slowkowski or a Bruno Walter, But he is well to the fore in the rank Immediately below those great ones, fand in uncultured but. aspiring America he would have received ante salary of $5000 year of the Towest together with numerous per~
"But he elected, for some reason that is his business, to remain Shanghai. Maybe it" was because of for the many fascinations of the place. Th any case he has stuck to Shanghai through thick and thin, often, 25 he works today, under physical handicaps. I do not want to Interfere in matters that are none of fu outsider's business but I do think Shanghai should stand by him to the fullest extent practicable. And T should like to add that, in the ease Stan artist and a worthy member of great artistic race like Paci, sneers ud Jeers and other evidences of per-1] sonal feeling ought to be condemned ieee Marx T. Garent.
Shanghai, Apr. 17.
Electric Shavers:
Cheap Transformers Locally To the Editor of the "Nowru-Cinxa Dany News"
Sum—An enquiry was made by a correspondent on April 13 concerning. the use of a 110 volt Schick Shaver on 220 volts. He stated that he was not willing to buy a transformer, as the agents sold them in US. dollars. This is not altogether accurate, for in Addition to. items in U.S. dollars, there fs available a good local made product at Eh $21, Srussue's oliernative ts to have his! Shaver Fewound for 220 volts, Avent.
Shanghai, Apr. 17.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.