Who are better educated, the poor, or the rich classes? Naturally the rich who have the time and means to learn and to seek education.

Who understands better, feels deeper and strives harder to obtain an education, the rich or the poor? Certainly the poor, the working people, although they never have the opportunity to satisfy their longing, to quench their thirst!

Science, it seems to me, is the best and most logical appraiser of knowledge in general. Yet the poor are also appraisers of knowledge because they always serve humanity.

Knowledge, however, cannot be attained without education; in order to know, one must learn, study and become self-educated. But dreadful and impoverished living conditions continue to bar the way to many who want an education, although not 2always in the same degree. Usually it is presumed that people without means remain ignorant, although their longing for an education may be great. Although those with means and ability to pay do obtain some knowledge they do so only for the sport of it, or to pass the time away, while for the poor, knowledge is a necessity, a pressing need.

This is an axiom in regard to general education, but is equally applicable to art in all of its various aspects.

For an education does not necessarily mean book-knowledge alone; it can also mean art--music, painting, etc.--they all teach, educate and purify the human soul to become a more fastidious, elegant and cultured person.

The language of art is understood by all, though not equally alike. Some understand it more, some less, yet it influences everyone who listens or observes it, and in this aspect alone lies the great accomplishment of art in the field of education.

These ideas about the value of art came to me yesterday afternoon at the recital of the famous violinist, Eddie Braun, in the Gymnasium Hall of the Hebrew Institute.

About 1,500 young men and women filled the big hall, absorbing like thirsty travelers in the desert, the melodious and robust tones produced by the fingers of our Eddie Braun. Truly it was a pleasure to watch the extraordinary enthusiasm displayed by the audience when it listened to the violin and piano accompaniment.

Eddie Braun came to the Gymnasium Hall, bearing the reputation of being one of America's outstanding violinists--a reputation resulting from his concerts in Europe and in this country where he appeared on several occasions as one of the famous pupils of Professor Auer, under whom many distinguished violinists have studied--Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Ephraim Zimbalists, Max Rosen and others.

This recital again proved the right of this young Jewish virtuoso to the acclaim given him everywhere.

Braun played about a dozen pieces. After finishing Bruch's "Concerto in G Minor" and Beethoven-Auer's "Chorus of the Dervishes" a storm of applause greeted the young violinist. It was easy to see that the enthusiasm came from people who not only listened attentively to the music, but felt it as well.

Eddie Braun is a master who puts his heart and soul into his music. The saying "a heart feels a heart" was clearly revealed upon the faces of that vast Jewish audience.

At the same time that Professor Auer played at Orchestra Hall before an elite gathering, who could afford the high admission price, Eddie Braun's violin was revealing the origin of human feeling, and the potency of human emotion; this it told the common people, the ordinary and the poor, who understand the language of the violin as well as, if not better than the others, although the admission price [for Braun's concert] was only fifteen cents.

And Braun realized it too, when he spoke of "the different and more intimate atmosphere [here]," as compared to Orchestra Hall where he had appeared several times. All were conscious of a holiday spirit: the artist as well as those who listened. It affected the violin and the piano where Mr. L. T. Greenfield sat and so sympathetically accompanied.

The recital was the first of a series of similar entertainments which the Hebrew Institute plans to present in the near future. Such great artists as Heifetz, Elman, Zimbalist, Rosen, Alma Gluck, Madam Blumfield-Zeisler and others will appear before the great Jewish masses. The low admission price of 15 cents charged yesterday will remain as the standard admission price for future recitals, thus enabling the Jewish masses to receive the aesthetic pleasure derived from these great artists.

This plan, for which Mr. Philip L. Sexman, superintendent of the Hebrew Institute, is mainly responsible, truly deserves the congratulations of every intelligent Jew in Chicago. It is the first attempt on a large scale to bring art to our people. It is a very sympathetic gesture, especially when one realizes what it will mean 6to the thousands of our young people whose deep musical understanding was shown at yesterday's recital.

This will also prove that art must belong to the people, because the people knowingly or otherwise, deeply appreciate that art which helps them to become educated and cultured.