'FRISCO AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2610, 4 November 1915, Page 3

'FRISCO AND THE WAR

BETTER CLASS WITH THE • ALLIES 30,000 "GERMANITES PARADE" Among those who returned from San ifrancisco by the Marama yesterday was Mr. Harold Gregson, the talented Auckland organist, who visited San Francisco at the invitation of the executive of tho Panama-Pacific Exposition, to give a series of six recitals in the groat Festival Hall. So marked was the success that attended Mr. Gregson's efforts that ho was promptly re-eoigaged for a further six recitals, and on top of that again lie was engaged to give a series of recitals at a big exhibition that is being held at San Diego, in Southern California. Mr. Gregson states that the organ in tho Festival Hall (which hall seats 4500 people) is a four-manual instrument with an echo organ attachment, built and erected by the Austin Company. It is orcliestrally toned, and has 112 speaking stops. Mechanically the organ i 6. a ' marvellous structure, and though it has a vast variety of stops, he would not say that they could compare tonally with the Norman and Beard organs m Wellington and Auckland. At San Francisco Mr. Gregson was given a reception by the American Guild of Organists, and a like honour was paid him at San Diego, where he was the guest of Mr. J. D. Spreckels, who presented the organ there to the Exposition—the only open-air organ probably in the world. . Referring to the American mind on the war as he found it in San Francisco, ' Mr. Gregson said:—

"The day before I arrived' in. San 'Francisco there had been a jparado of 30,000 pro-Germans in the Exposition grounds, marching in military, style four abreast, many of them German reservists. Tliey marched through the grounds and pavilions. They even attempted to invade the French' and Belgian Pavilionß, but the guards closed the gates and shut them out. ■ Their idea was to plant'a German flag everywhere. The opinion I formed was that the better-class American peoplo were overwhelmingly with the Allies,' : and realised that tho British and the French were fighting their battles, but tho average mail in the street—and particularly the average man who read the Hearst papers as a habit—were proGerman, and without doubt there exists a strong pro-German feeling all over Western America, and the comment one heard in the streot was invariablv favourable to Germany. You will see in tho papers: 'Great German victory—British (Warship Sunk,' and find on reading it that a converted trawler had been Bunk, with probably all hands saved. On the other hand, if there was an action recorded favourable to tho Allies one needed glasses to discover it. "Without exaggerating in'the slightest it was not safe to air your opinions if favourable to the Allies —so you see how the land lies. Motive? Who can say? There has always been an antiBritish feeling in the West."

Reverting to the' -Exposition, Mr. Gregson stated that Canada had probably the best display of all the countries, but the works of art in the French and Italian Pavilions were a source of unfailing interest and delight. And the Exposition is a success? "Oh, yes! They publicly burnt the mortgage deed two months ago, and its ashes were taken up by an aeroplane . and dropped over the gleaming waters of the Golden Gate. They're quaint folks, these Americans! Up to the time' " ! left 15,000,000 people had passed through'the"turnstiles, and the authorities calculated on putting through another 5,000,000 before tho gates close 011 December 4.. There is a movement on• foot to retain- the ■ Festi va 1 Hall as a permanent structure. If they succeed the San Francisco people should see that the Exposition orchestra, controlled by' Mr. Max Bendix, is also retained, for, it is a fine orchestra of eighty performers, arid 1 would be a great;, aid to musical advancement in California."

Mr. Gregson's recitals alternated with those of Mr. Edwin Lemare, who remains on till the end, giving recitals every afternoon. ' •