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The president of the Chamber of Commerce rose up last week from a 50-c- chair, clapped his hands and yelled. So did the Mayor and the owner of the Muehlebach Hotel and a director of the Federal Reserve Bank and a starch tycoon. Four thousand other Kansas Cityzens clapped as loudly, although the seats they rose from cost half as much--many of them as little as 10-c-. Result of all their yelling was that Chamber President Conrad H. Mann was able to say:

"That was the last proof that Kansas City is ready for a permanent symphony orchestra."

Which is what every sizable U. S. city has been attempting to prove as rapidly as possible.* But Kansas City's method of proof was different from most. Instead of selling expensive subscriptions and then giving a concert, it gave the concert first. The Chamber of Commerce and civic organizations persuaded Conductor Arnold Volpe, once a Kansas Cityzen himself, to recruit an orchestra of 88 musicians. Then it announced two concerts for last week, average price 25-c- so that no music lover would have to stay home on account of Depression. Few did. Four thousand of them made their way to Convention Hall in limousines, taxicabs, streetcars, busses, on foot. Curious, mildly excited, they piled in, made a good showing in the big, barnlike hall that holds 10,000 when packed. When all was over, Conductor Volpe got a surprise. Concertmaster Jacque Blumberg, using his bow for a baton, led three trumpets, three trombones in an encore written especially for the occasion, entitled, appropriately, "Fanfare."

* In the last decade U. S. symphonies have become the best in the world. Notable are those of Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Portland, in addition to those already well established in Boston, New York and Philadelphia.

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