THE HEART OF HARRY LAUDER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 47, 19 November 1917, Page 8

THE HEART OF HARRY LAUDER

HIS SERVICES TO THE SOLDIERS

A TOUCHING ACCOUNT

A touching and intimate account of Harry Lauder, the great Scotch entertainer, .has recently been written by JJr. George Adam, a staff officer of the British Ministry of Munitions, who lias spent 1 much time at General Headquarters and. on MO miles of the front. He says: "A light heart and a serious mind i.re not incompatible. This I learned. when I met Harry Lauder. All the experience of many years of friendship has not dulled, but rather brightened, my first impressions. The rich resonant voice, the inimitable laugh, the quick grotesque movements, the simple unstrained human fun, make such a quaint and rare ccmbiuation ns to give Harr.v Lauder the pla-ie which he holds without challenge. Believe me, this is not all the real Harry Lauder by a long, long way. He is more and better. His serious roindedness marks him to be as a man in a million. I am not prepared to attempt a psychological analysis: the personality of the man is too profound for that. My intention is merely to speak of some few incidents in my intimate association with my friend that will enable many of his admirers to know him better and to love .him more. You remember how the world wept with Him when his only child died upon the field of honour and left him childless. The Sunday after the announcement of that tragedy I happened to b9 preaching in the City Temple, London, and Mr. and Mrs. Lauder were in the congregation. After the servico they oame into the vestry to see me. My heart went out to them both, but the courage of their bearing conquered much that was sympathetic I felt liko sayinj. Words of admiration rose to my lips instead. "Harry, we are all proud of the wonderful way in which you have borne this heavy blow." The answer came quickly: "When a man has been hit as I have been, there are only three ways open to him—drink, despair, or God; and I am looking to God for the consolation and the courage I now need." ' „ Surely an epic utterance. Would we could get it j>n the gramophones of tho world—it would mean much to mauiciuu. You may feel thut this is one of those flashes of inspiration come to a man once in a lifetime, but.it is not so; it is simply characteristic of the man and his attitude of life. Let me tell you more. Interest in England is in her soldier and 6ailor sons exclusively theso days, not only because so' many have their own_ among them, but rather that all realise that these are the men who alone stand between them and invasion and I even worse. The great instrument of the expression of this interest is tho Young Men's Christian Association without ft doubt. This is obvious to anyone who knows how the association's war work is supported by influence ana aided by money. All the leading personalities in the churches have enlisted for service under the sign of the Red Triangle. Business men of every kind have now beon striving for years to give the maximum of financial support. Ladies of every social grade from the Queen to the cottager are co-operating in this mighty enterprise; public entertainers vio with one another in offoring help and arranging concert parties, and the Young Men's Christian Association provides the facilities for reaching the men. Among the others Mr. Lauder has done, and is doing, his "bit" in this direction. On a recent Sunday, although working at full pressure during tho week in the play "Three Cheers" at tho Shaftesbury Theatre, he gave up his rest gladly to go down to two of the Canadian camps with me. At the Battlefront.

During a visit to France, and in conversation with one in high command in the Army, talk turned to the high place Lauder had in the affections of his countrymen, for we were botli Scots. A strong desire was expressed that ho should be got out among the soldiers in the battleline, just to give them tho cheer ho knows so well how to impart. 1 promised to endeavour to arrange it, with trepidation, you may be 6ure, for you know what is so often said of Laudov and his money. However, with courage in both hands, I asked him to give up the week that meant so many thousands ot' dollars to go out to the boys. The request seemed to stagger him, and for a minute I felt I was to fail, but it was my good fortune to receive such a request that took my breath away: "Give ine a week's notice, and 1 will go with you, and glad to go." I replied, "I give you notice now." "Tom, I quit in a week," and lie did, and off to the war zone ho went. My pen is unequal to the task of describing that wonderful tour and the amazing rosults of it. The men went wild with enthusiasm and joy wherever' ho went. One great meeting was apparently seen by some German airman, who communicated the information to ,one of their batteries of artillery. In the middle of a song—whizz, bang! went a big shell very close at hand—so close, in fact, that pieces struck but a foot or two from whero wo both stood. There was a scatter and a scamper for cover, and for three-quarters of an ho.ur tho Huns hammered the position with 200 big guns. When the bombardment ended, Lauder, of the big-hearted Scottish courage, must needs finish his concert. Do you anything; about a spirit like that? One other incident and I have shown the heart of Harry Lauder as it has been revealed lo mo.

One day during our visit I was taking Harry to 6eo the grave of his only cnild, Captain John Lauder, of the Argylo and Sutherland Highlanders, as fine a, lad as ever wore a kilt, and as good and bravo a son as ever father loved. As we were motoring swiftly along, we turned into the town of Albert, and the first sharp glance at tho Cathedral showed, the falling Madonna and child. It is a startling and arresting sight, and wo got out to have a good look. The building is crowned by a statue of Mary holding out the child Jesus to the world; a German shell had struck its base, and it fell over, not to tho ground, however, 'but at an acute angle over the street. While wo lingered, a bunch of soldiers came marching through, dusty and tired. I.auder asked the officer to halt his men. for a rest and ha would sing to them. I could see that they were loath to beliovo it was the real Lauder until lie began to sine. Then the doubts vanished, and they abandoned themselves to the full enjoyment of this very unexpected pleasure. When tho sing-song begaa the audience would number about 200; at tho finish it was easily moro than 2000 soldiers cheered him on. his way.

At the Gravp. of His Son. It was a strange fend-off on (ho way that led to a grave—the gravo of a father's fondest hopes—but it was so. A little way lip the Bapaume load the cat- stopped, and we clambered over the embankment and away over the shelltorn field of Courceletle. Here and there wo passed a little cross which marked the grave of some unknown hero; all that was written was "A British Soldier." He spoke in a low voice of the hope-hungry hearts behind all those at home. Now we climbed a little ridge, and here a' cemetery, and in the first row facing the battlefield the tross on Lauder's boy's resting place. The father leaned over the grave to read what vas written there. He knelt down, indeed he lay upon the grave and clutched it, the while his body 6hook with the grief he felt. When the storm had spent itself he rose and prayed: "0 God, that I could have but one request. It would be that I could embrace my laddie just this once, and thank him for what he has done for his country and humanity." That was all; not a word of bitterness or complaint. On the way down tho hill I suggested gently that the stress of 6uch an hour made further song that day impossible. But Lauder's heart was big and British. Turning to me with a flash in his eye, he said; "George, I must bo brave; my boy is watching, and all the other boys are waiting. I will 6ing to them this afternoon though my heart break!" Off we went again to another division of Scottish troops. There within the hour he sang again the sweet old songs of love and home and 'country, bringing all very near and helping the men to realise the deeper what victory for tho enemy would mean. . Grim ana determined mon they were that went

back to their dug-outs and trenches, heartoncd for (ho Insk of war for human freedom by Harry Lauder. Harry's little kilted figure came and wont from tho war zone, but his influence romainfi the influence of a heroic heart.