McCORMACK AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1920, Page 3

McCORMACK AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

SYDNEY, Sept. 15. . Ever since the world-famous tenor, John McCormack, landed here from America a couple of months ago, there have' been little stories circulating about him, generally to the effect that his sympathies are more Sinn Fein than British. Mr McCormack is an American, of Irish birth, and it is indicative of the state of sectarian feeling that the stories about him were (given credence, and some embarrassing incidents occurred. The ultra-loyalists, in several places, wrote the tenor insulting letters; and the fact that he had not sung the National Anthem was taken as evidence aginst him. Mr McCormack met the stories by referring to them publicly as so much balderdash, pointed out that he was only expected to sing the National Anthem when Vice-Royalty were present, and con founded his critics by singing the Anthem at one of his concerts. But the stories alleging Sinn Fein sympathies followed him across the Continent. In Melbourne, the Governor being | present at a concert, the tenor sang the National Anthem. Immediately lie was deluged with insulting letters. I “One section of my correspondents.” j he said, “enquired why I had daired to 1 insult the national song. Another sec--1 tion complained that my singing of the British National Anthem ‘had added to the outrages in Ireland.’ ” i Then the badgered tenor went on to Adelaide, to give four concerts —on Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. He gave three concerts, the third being last Thursday night. After that concert, a section of the audience rose and fang “God Save the King.” No significance was attached to the incident, and the newspapers made no reference to it. But the singer considered that lie had suffered a studied insult. He did not sleep during the night, and the following day (last Friday), he cancelled his fourth concert, and returned .to Melbourne. “Various members of the community here,” said Mr McCormack, before 1

leaving Adelaide, “have been violently antagonistic to me on account of my I American citizenship, and are determinI ed to make my stay in the city as mis-; I crjable as possible. Their efforts culminated last evening at the conclusion of my recital when, without any warning whatever, they sang the Notional Anthem. They were not, I feel sure, 1 inspired by any patriotic motive, but I only by the desire to embarrass me by insinuating that I had refused to sing j it. It is well-known that the Anthem is never performed at recitals except ' when Vice-Royalty is present, and then not always. There is nothing left for me to do as an with some self respect, except to cancel my concert. I do so with, a heavy heart. I am, very proud to be an American citizen—as proud as I am to have been born in Ireland.”