Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-22
Hats On-The Other Side.

The discussion Of when and where to raise
ones hat in Difference to the presence Of other
people seems destined to rage with consid-
cradle violence before truce is called. Speak.
ing to STAR reporter concerning the princi-
pies laid down in the interview with depart
ment official which appeared in The STAR
few days ago under the caption "Hats Or
gentleman said:
1.-THE remarks Of the department official inn
pute to every man who fails to remove his hat
In an elevator car containing q female pas
senger either boorishness or lack Of knowl-
edge. NO exceptions are made; therefore the
statement is general. No man is expected to
remove his hat when passing Q lady upon the
stairs or in the Railways of public edifce. 1t
would be an impertinence to thus thrust HIM
self into notice. An elevator in a building con-
tanning business Offices or in store Ii simply
machine to render the upper floors of high
buildings available to the owners, and but for
which no high buildings would exist All per-
sons enter upon the same terms and it is diff
cult to distinguish between such q vehicle and
street car. No more reason is seen for re-
moving the hat in one public vehicle than in
the other. As Q rule all the occupants of q
public elevator are in street dress and presum-
ably strangers to one another; there is, there
fore, no excuse for any Of them making any
demonstration or endeavoring in any way to
attract the attention Of the other passengers.
It's none of your friends business who is in a
public elevator with him. What right has he
to notify female passenger by removing his
hat that he has spotted her and wants her to
know 1t. Then, again, how is he to know she is
lady? Suppose be does not happen to think
80, what then? Will he remove his hat at the
sight Of feminine apparel and replace it if the
result OF his inspection Is not satisfactory?
You see that the question is not by any means
free from complication.
"Al women are not simpering idiots, and
have heard sensible, level-headed specimens of
the sex wonder at the performances considered
essential by your friend.
''THE GRAND EVERYTHING PRINCIPLE
governing civilized people is that no stranger,
male or female, has the right to force upon an
other an attention which cannot be responded
to- To complete the analogy, when q gen.
tleman removes his hat on account of the pres
ence of q lady she should acknowledge the act.
Unless she may it Is meaningless. The boast
OF the American 10 that a woman who minds
her own business can travel from one end of
our broad land to the other without molesta-
ton and that every man stands ready to help
her II needed, but he must make no sign until
then. II your friend would look to his own
conduct and base the same upon the principle
of minding his own business instead OF instruct.
ing others in that concerning which he has
taken but a shallow view he would not seem to
be quite SO much Of pharisee.
aside, however, from the all-important prin-
ciples governing our relation to one another
and which do SO much to smooth over the
rough places in the pathway OF life it is posi-
lively dangerous to expose the bare head to a
sudden rush Of cold air. A man might use an
elevator once a month or 80 and not realize
this, but where twenty or thirty trips are made
daily. as is frequently the case in all our large
cities, even the most punctilious would learn in
time that common sense and true courtesy both
say keep on your hat and fear not"