Welcome

Twenty years ago Americans were praying that America might become the music centre of the world. Two years ago we were protesting that it already was that, but to-day we are overwhelmed with riches. The war has exiled most of the great keyboard artists of Europe, many of the foremost singers and some of the noted composers. For years a certain class of Americans paid annual visits to the European shrines of these men. Now let us be sensible. America is glad to be able to give haven to these teachers. Let us welcome them warmly and make them want to feel as did Joseffy, Emil Liebling, Thomas, Seidl, Campanari, Schumann-Heink and others who put their names and hopes under the stars and stripes. This is surely the land of boundless opportunity and we can avail ourselves of these men of genius in the great artistic expansion of our country. In the meantime we are brought to realize that our own native-born teachers and artists deserve equal rank, equal patronage, equal support with the best that Europe can send us. As the American Dollar has become the standard of the financial world let us have American integrity, thoroughness, industry and efficiency become the standards of the artistic world.