That song was aimed at England a century ago; but it does not necessarily follow, with the history of the song and with the history of our own country, that those words to-day have the same connotations and the same meanings and associations they had a century ago.

There has clustered around that song and there is attached to it entirely different associations. They do not mean any particular foe. "The foul footstep's pollutions are not Albions now. What was particular then is only general now, and for that reason nothing now is aimed at England at all.

I would be the last person to do anything that would mar our friendly relations by the adoption of a national song which would have for its purpose something derogatory of England.

But I do not think it has that purpose. It is entirely changed and I think the lady is quite mistaken with reference to the present import of those words.

The CHAIRMAN. You believe now that this has become a patriotic allusion to any foe that may attack the welfare of our country? Mr. CELLER. Correct.

The CHAIRMAN. And that their footsteps would be the ones that are being wiped out in this section?

Mr. CELLER. You have got my answer to it correctly, sir.

Mr. Bores. Let me ask you this question: If the liberty-loving people of this country can stand for any country adopting a national anthem which sings to the Almighty the same hymn we do here, the English can stand for this national anthem?

Mr. CELLER. I think so.

The CHAIRMAN. You understand, I am only calling your attention to this communication, so that you may say what you have already said about it.

Mr. CELLER. I am glad you reminded me of it, because I intended to revert to it, and I might have forgotten.

Mr. SUMNERS. May I ask you a question? You said if we had written this song during the war with Germany, we might have put such language as this in it. Suppose we had written it and 25 years afterwards we go over to Germany, after we have become peaceful with Germany. Our band would play that song and our musicians would sing that song in Germany. Do you think possibly they might not appreciate the fact that we were using what you call patriotic language?

Mr. CELLER. I suppose after 25 years the memories would still be fresh, but after

Mr. SUMNERS (interposing). One hundred years.

The CHAIRMAN. One hundred and fifty years.

Mr. CELLER. I do not think we can say those words mean or convey a feeling of hatred and venom against England. If you examine any patriotic song, it has similar words. If you examine the words of numerous national anthems they speak of venom and hatred against enemies, and those who are attacking its land and its sovereignity.

All patriotic songs are born of some mighty endeavor.

Mr. YATES. It is true, is it not, Mr. Celler, that the British national anthem mentions the enemies of the country? It is true, isn't it, that there is a verse in the national anthem of Great Britain, which reads:

O, Lord, our God arise,
Scatter his enemies,

And make them fall.

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks,

On thee our hopes we fix,

God save the king.

Mr. CELLER. The Britannica Ruling the Waves, which is a national song in England is the acme of self-aggrandizement and says anathema to its enemies.

You will find that situation in every country and I do not think Miss Kitty Cheatham, who, I think, wrote that letter, or Mrs. Stetson is wholly right or is following the right track.

As to the origin of the song, I do think, from what I can gather from data and from a very interesting book on the subject which I got from the Congressional Library, written by Oscar G. T. Sonneck, that the music was written by John Stafford Smith. The music comes from an old English song, a very ancient English song "To Anacreon in Heaven," a song which became very popular during our colonial period.

The CHAIRMAN. Some people say it was a barroom ballad.

Mr. CELLER. "To Anacreon in Heaven" speaks of Bacchus and Venus. These same people voice this objection you adverted to, and say, "Why should we have a song which will pollute the minds of little children when they sing it? There will be aroused in their minds the idea of Venus and Bacchus and the old gods and demigods of the old Grecian days, because the song harks back to an old drinking bout song of some roustabouts in London of the Anacreon Club."

But that, of course, is far-fetched, and, as a matter of fact, we are told by a great many musicians there are no original melodies. Every melody can be traced to some other melody, and if we are going to yield to that absurd argument, we will probably find even America" or our favorite church hymn can be traced to some roustabout songs. I do not think there is anything to it, because it is so far-fetched.

The CHAIRMAN. I do not think So, either.

Mr. BOIES. Isn't it a fact that the churches some years ago came to the conclusion that the devil had the best tunes and they have adopted some of them?

Mr. CELLER. There isn't any question about that. To carry that out a little further, I will read to the gentleman the lines of the old English song, "To Anacreon in Heaven," set in juxtaposition to lines of the Star-Spangled Banner, and you will see the exact similarity in rythm and meter:

To Anacreon in heaven, where he sat in full glee:

Here is the first line of the Star-Spangled Banner:

Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light.

Few sons of harmony sent a petition.

What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming.

That he their inspirer and patron would be.

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight.

When this answer arrived from the jolly old Grecian,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

Voice, fiddle and flute, no longer be mute.

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air.

I herewith set forth the first verse of each song:

TO ANACREON IN HEAVEN

To Anacreon in heaven, where he sat in full glee,

A few sons of Harmony sent a petition,

That he their inspirer and patron would be,

When this answer arrived from the jolly old Grecian:
"Voice, fiddle, and flute,

66

"No longer be mute,

I'll lend ye my name and inspire ye to boot;

"And, besides, I'll instruct you, like me, to entwine

O say, can you see by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous flight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rocket's red glare,

The bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;

O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

In the sweep of the words and rhythm and meter of the two songs there is an exactitude that is unmistakable.

I was going to say before, this song "To Anacreon in Heaven," had a great vogue during the colonial period, so much so that we are told, for example, Thomas Paine had written a poem called "Adams and Liberty" and set his words in that poem to this very same music which we now sing in the Star-Spangled Banner.

In conclusion, I simply want to state, whenever you see the flag you always speak of the Star-Spangled Banner. The very name of the anthem is the name of our flag. We have taken from the anthem itself the words "Stars and Stripes." They are inseparable. When you see one you hear the words and the music of the other. The song is sung at all occasions at the grave, in camp, on ship, in the lodge room, in the church, in the school room; whenever there in some patriotic inspiration its inception always is in the StarSpangled Banner.

Mr. HERSEY. Do you think that if we should adopt this bill or resolution making this the national anthem that it would detract anything from the flag?

Mr. CELLER. I do not think it would detract from the flag.
Mr. HERSEY. Would it add anything to the flag?

Mr. CELLER. No; it would not add anything to the flag. I simply tried to show by a few words that the terminology of the flag to a great extent has really come from the Star-Spangled Banner.

Mr. HERSEY. I want your opinion on another point. This is a military anthem, of course.

Mr. CELLER. I should say it would be; yes.

Mr. HERSEY. In the age in which we live, striving for peace with all nations and peoples and among ourselves, do you think it is exactly proper to adopt a national anthem which is a military anthem?

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Mr. CELLER. It is not military in that sense. It is not military in the sense that it arouses military furies or military passions. Every song of patriotic spirit is military.

Mr. HERSEY. Oh, no.

Mr. CELLER. Every national anthem is military in a way.

Mr. HERSEY. You mean of other nations?

Mr. CELLER. Yes.

Mr. HERSEY. That is no reason why we should adopt a military anthem.

Mr. CELLER. I do not for one moment imagine that if a child were to sing the Star-Spangled Banner there would be aroused in its mind feelings or passion akin to war.

Mr. HERSEY. I just want your views.

Mr. CELLER. I do not think it would have that effect. There have been a great many other songs. For example, we know "Dixie " was a national air in a way, but it is too sectional to adopt. During the Spanish-American War we had "There will be a hot time in the old town to-night." That seemed to have died by the wayside.

During the World War we had "Over there," but that was only ephemeral and lasted for a short period of time. But somehow or other this song simply endures. It is deathless. It keeps on and on and on and I am sure that we would do well by giving it official recognition as our national anthem.

To conclude: I have communications of indorsement of my resolution from these national organizations: the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans of the World War, Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the War of 1812, as well as letters of approval from State chapters, posts, and departments of these national societies.

The CHAIRMAN. I want to say that there has been no limit of time put on the gentlemen who introduced these resolutions, but we must limit the addresses of the others who are to follow.

Mr. LINTHICUM. Mr. Chairman. I want to answer two or three questions. I want, then, to call on Representative Hill, my colleague from Maryland.

As to the music being written by John Stafford Smith, I have the music and the words before me. It says, "Words by Francis Scott Key and music by John Stafford Smith." John Stafford Smith lived from 1750 to 1836. That is why I have inserted it in there, because it is correct.

Mr. MONTAGUE. The point made by your colleague is that while he may have written that music, he did not originate it. He simply took it from another song.

Mr. LINTHICUM. My colleague also said that there are no new melodies; that all melodies originate from the history of music from a combination of various melodies. I imagine there is just so much music in our souls and it comes out in various songs.

Another question I want to answer is the question asked by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Sumners, that if the Navy has adopted this as the national anthem and the Army has, why should we proceed further?

Mr. SUMNERS. It was hardly that.

Mr. LINTHICUM. Suppose we should get a Secretary of the Navy who did not believe in the Star-Spangled Banner. He would change it. Suppose we get a Secretary of War who does not believe in the Star-Spangled Banner. He can change it, and we might have two national anthems.

Another point raised was whether it ought to be an act or a House joint resolution. I think the recent practice of the House is that the House joint resolution and an act are the same thing. In fact, the State Department used to put the resolutions in the back part of the book and the acts in the book itself. Now, they just put them in as they are passed. I see no difference between an act and a resolution.

The flag, when it was first adopted in 1777 by the Continental Congress, was adopted by a resolution, and when it was made the flag that it is to-day, in 1788, it was by an act of Congress.

Mr. Chairman, I wanted to ask my colleague, Mr. Hill, from the third district of Maryland, to say a few words to us.

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN PHILIP HILL, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND

Mr. HILL. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States. The purpose of this legislation is to recognize that fact officially, and I hope one result of this legislation will be to protect the national anthem against the unpatriotic attacks that have been published as advertisements in the newspapers, which are totally unfounded and which seek to drag in extraneous matters with reference to the Star-Spangled Banner and bring it into contempt in the minds of the public.

The Star-Spangled Banner came. out of the war of 1812 into the consciousness of the American people, just as any other great national anthem arises. It stood the test of over a hundred years, and I care not where it came from. I am very sorry that there has been any reference made to any song or hymn or anything else on which it is based.

I do not care where the Star-Spangled Banner came from. The Star-Spangled Banner is essentially American. It belongs to the American people. It is the only American anthem, and whenever I hear the Star-Spangled Banner or think of the Star-Spangled Banner, I think of the men who died in France, the men who died in the War of the Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the men who died in the War of 1812. It is inseparably bound up with the ideals of the American flag and the ideal of American nationality.

As to the suggestion that it would be taken as an insult to England, the chairman and the members of the committee entirely dispensed with that thought. The war with England is an incident. The patriotic impulses and the patriotic expression of the StarSpangled Banner are the national spirit, and I agree with Theodore Roosevelt that the man who does not raise his boy to be a soldier is like the woman who does not raise her daughter to be a woman in America.

You can not have a national anthem that has not got a militant spirit. We do not want a national anthem that has not a militant