The U.S. lend-leased a symphony conductor to the Commonwealth of Australia this week. He was the Philadelphia Orchestra's chunky, barrel-chested Maestro Eugene Ormandy. The lease was arranged (through OWI) at the request of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, which expects Ormandy to conduct at least 18 symphony concerts in big Australian cities, as many Australian army camps as he can reach in ten weeks of touring.
The Australian Broadcasting Commission tapped Conductor Ormandy because he is: 1) one of the youngest (44) and most energetic of first-rank U.S. maestros; 2) in the twelve years...