AMERICAN MEDDLING MANIA

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17127, 23 April 1921, Page 12

AMERICAN MEDDLING MANIA

HIGH-HEEL AGITATION. (rROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SAN FRANCISCO, March 25. Hundreds of busybodies are energetically engaged in attempting to reform the American nation, and it has been aptly stated that, in this period of readjustment the benighted I'nited States is undergoing a veritable meddling mania on the part of faddists who, with heaps of leisure at, their disposal, consider it their bounden duty to interfere with the liberties of their brother man, despite his opinion to tho contrary. The high heel still stands firmly and securely after the first serious attempt to have it legislated out of .existence. Its opponents had chosen the great shoe manufacturing State of 'Massachu. setts as the scene of their reform, since" if thoy could stop the source of supply there was no chance of the "iniquitous" high- heel reaching the, weareY. The hearing on the proposed statute, which was drawn broadly, and would have made it unlawful to manufacture, possess, wear, sell, or show a shoe having a high heel of more than an inch and a half in height, took place before the Committee of Public Health sitting at the State House. The urovision of a 500 dollar fine and thirty days in gaol at the end of the Bill gave to it a rather grave significance. The interest manifestVmay bo judged from the statement that the room was not large enough to accommodate those who sought to attend the hearing. One of the eoonsors of the Bill attributed any of" the present-day ilia to the high heel, summing up with the assertion: "We are dying slowly. This is the worst epidemic this country has ever known."- The Shoe and Leather Association countered with the declaration that in the shoe industry of the State there was represented 400,000,000 dollars, and that the industry would be ruined by such r. Bill, and Massachusetts would be laughed at. "In- fact, they laugh at us now," remarked the Association spokesman, "and wonder what kind of nuts we are."

The arguments in favour of the pro-, posed legislation were based on allegations of health requirements and the assertion that modish footwear for women throws the body out of its natural alignment, .thus producing numerous ills.

" At this point some one else joined in the discussion, saying: "Year, in and year out the legislative calendar is congested with silly bills by silly Billies, and there appears to be a manj. .in America for meddling with the people's business—an incessant badgering of the peaceful citizen, a consistent effort to make him more bedevilled and bughouse. The busybody-, having no business of his own, butts into the business of everybody else. "Fifty thousand new laws are added to our codes every' year. No man knows whether he is a criminal or a law-abiding citizens; Ignorance of human 'nature' is no bar tc legislation aria ignorance Of legislation is no bar to punishment, and so wo are between the devil and the deep sea." _ The committee lost no time in weig* in* the evidence, and in deciding i«> refect the bill. The question whether high heels for women are unhealtMul was not involved in the rejection so rfiuoh as the question-whether the time of the Massachusetts Legislature should be taken up in the consideration of "another dura fool bill."' "Blue Dynasty." Blue law advocates, organised nation-, ally, constitute a serious to the amusement business in the United States, according to William A. Brady, a prominent New Yorker, who has just returned to the American, metropolis after a trip across the Continent that took him through sixteen States west of Chicago. In every State he vurited blue law legislation was pending ajffect ing motion pictures, the legitimate theatre, baseball, sports, and, in fact, all forms of amusement. "I was amazed to discover," said Mr Brady, "that, no matter where I went, the arguments were identical, their mode of protection the'6ame.. In eyery, instance these self-appointed savi-, ours' oT the', public" soul fiadvthfe same; arguments.''' - '■- . '-1 ".'■''■'•'■; : ; „ ' ' "I saw legislators hooted in the halls of State capitals by organised bands, which seemed to me to have.rehearsed for the part they were playing. In ? Tactically every State capital I visited got the impression that every move made by these self-appointed guardians of publio welfare was staged in advance, and well staged. ', "No one who has not been out through the country recently can appreciate what these fanatics purpose, and what they are already to an alarming degree accomplishing. Their determination to be sole arbitrators of the pleasure of life goes further than any censorship ever saw. ''Those, things, in their master minds, are merely the beginning of on indigo millenium in which they see themselves crowned with blue halos. Recently in both North Dakota and Utah Bills were passed proh'ibiting men- smoking in. publio. That is an example." Tetrazzini's Views. Mme. Louisa Tetrazzini, the famous Italian songstress, has positive views pn the question of the so-called "Blue laws,'' as indicated m an. interview granted by her in St. Louis a few days ago. "If, as the advocates of the blue laws insist," said the renowned, soprano, ''it is sinful to' sing arid -piay musical instruments, or to listen to music on why are we taught in church that the perpetual pastime of tho angeb is singing and performing on haops? We are told in the Scriptures that the heavenly beings do this continually, so we must assume they do not remain silent on the Sabbath. Now, if it is not sinful to sing in Heaven on Sunday, surely it cannot be against the divine law to do so on earth." Such is. the logic that Mme. Tetrazzini brings to bear against the enforce-ment-of the blue laws, which. project is to-day engaging the attention of a number of earnest people, headed by the Rev. Wilbur Fisk Crafts, of Washington. Mme. Tetrazzini was remindea that the Rev. John Roach Stratpn, of New York, recently was reported to have said that the blue laws and the Ten Commandments were practically identical, and that breakers of one were breakers of the other. "The learned churchmen will, have to settle theological questions," stated the prima donna. "I am a singer and know little about the technicalities of. theology. But I am a philosopher, and I remember also that in the Bible we are enjoined in the Psalms of David to praise the Lord by playing various kinds j of musical instruments. I remember ■ this psalm perfectly, because, as a child, 1 used to sing it' in the chappl I in Florence at vesper service! It ill

not reasonable to believe thnt the good Lord would bo pleased to hear His praises suns on six days of tho week and omitted on the seventh. The Rev. Mr Straton will have to explain this to me, if ho can. But this I believe to be doubtful, for common sense has a had habit of being tho same in all questions."

Madame Totrazzinr was reminded that if the blue laws are enforced there will be no travelling on Sunday, as the advocates of the modern Puritan spirit desire to abolish all manual labour on tho .Sabbath.

"No railway trains will run on Sundav?" asked the diva, in amazement. "Why, how will the fanners bring theit wares to the Monday markots? I cannot believe that this is- tho same sensible United States that it was when I first arrived here twelve Years ago. But if the trains may not be permitted to run on Sundays, how about the Eteamshins ? Will they ston the enpines and drift about the ocean all day Sunday? That would possibly remove the vessels many miles from the ocean routes and entail great loss of time and. money. I cannot think that civilisation will ever adopt such foolish ideas. No: I am certain that the great body of American citizens will defeat this grotesque travesty of religion. 1 have been in all parts of the United States,'.' continued the singer, "and I have always found the citirons of this country most Jaw-abiding ami respectful to all authority, but they are at tho same time most sensible ot their rights, and love freedom. They will never permit their liberties to he taken away from theni to such a prenoslcrotu extent." ,

America is being overrun with reformers, who include a vat.t nrmy ol prohibitionists, anti-smokere, dross reformers, Puritanical faddists opposed to all forms of Stibbath recreation, \m\ a host of others, all bent on making life miserable for the average individunlwlio wonts to bo untrammelled and take his pleasure as >he sees fit. New laws an* peine passed with clock-like rcgulnntv in tho various. Legislatures of the States, but most of these now statute are promptly pigeon-holed, and 'mi a B mn/1 percentage arc enforced rigidlv. The daily Press is filled with vigo'roiu protests from thosb people rebelling against being dominated over bv a minority who almost invariably BcoV<tt> control tho majority by pucrifo restrictions which have no appeal to the crowt! in the present day. Some of the writers ''•? !i) c V l cs ? « ü ß» est *<> tho faddists (.hat if they,-find the'conditions not to thmi they are at perfect liliertv to depart from the country -uid seek clime* where they fancy their paternalism will be appreciated. They refuse to tako the hint! ■ ,

■■■') ■•■ vThe%airi part of St. George's C?«.pel, was closed on Easter Tues-. three years for : ; feitensive restoration. To a "Daily iMaiil'.' reporter the dean (the Very Rev. * 'Baillie) told story after story ;iich with tradition of the chapel,'but the- thost' interesting was'of King Ed- . iWjjfdi'and the heard of Charles-I. "I" ' :{th«,lime pf George IV. (18204830) the body of Charles I. ;i<he choiry'was opened," .''The"bodyfell'to.decay, and tho severed hone ':;qphi\neck remained. King Edward, '■[ of Wales, was anjiious '' .relics, which-were then at should be-put hack with ! .vthfeiotner remains. After'dinner-bno ;-.; the' Prince of "Wales, the dean, '■': .; .*jtfie:Surveyor, and one or two other peo- - '■'> jp'eJcame to the choir, the relics being in a box. The vault had been .:;'' Several, pocket-handkerchiefs : * knotted-together, and the Prince j lying face downwards on the tjiftwjr. lowered tho box by this impro.•?|Med rope, into the vault."