The morning call., 1892-03-27
HATS ON At FUNERALS.
Progress of an Agitation Against
an Ancient Custom.
Captain George a. Raabe Talks Of His Cru.
SADIE to Abolish the Practice Of Remain
ing Bare Headed at the Grave

Captain George A. Raabe, who for a num-
Der of years has devoted much Of his time
to bringing about reforms with view to
benefit his fellow-men, was seen yesterday
at his residence by representative of THE
CALL, who interviewed him on the subject
of his latest agitation, that of male mouruers
not removing hats at funerals.
The work goes on WELL" said the captain
in answer to preliminary question, land
from the notices that / have seen in the
papers, and the number of letters that
have received recently in reply to circular
that sent out In the early part of this
month, find that the movement is gaining.
About two years and half ago gave this
subj ct serious thought. l attended a
funeral, that Of q member of q lodge to
which belonged. and while we we-s walk
Ing ahead of the bearse many of us became
very much warmed up by long march we
had TO take before we reached the point
where the command open order was
gwen TO allow the hearse containing the
remaius to pass. AS the hearse passed, each
member in accordance with a time-hOuored
Custom removed his hat, remaining bare
headed until the order to cover was
given. We then got into cars and carriages
and went TO the cemetery, where the serv-
ices were held, and there we had to stand
en- damp ground, uncovered, strong chill
wind blowing over our heads. and as re-
suit of attending the funeral half a d zen
members of the lodge were laid up with
severe colds. One of them was so seriously
i'll that within week we were called upon
to place him under the sod. That set me to
thinking and concluded to agitate, to start
movement against a custom that in my
Judgment Is as senselesS as 1t is old. /
viewed the subject from all points and asked
myself, Would God be offended if we were
to attend funeral and not remove our hats
as token Of respect% i eonversed with a
number of prominent people and obtained
that when a military funeral takes place the
soldiers do not remove their hats. There
was an answer. A soldier Is but man.
NOT A MARK OF DisREsPEcT.
"If il is not mark Of disrespect for SOL
| der to remain covered while at funeral
why should 1t be mark Of dIsrespeet for 9
civilian to keep his hat onY That furnished
me an argument to present, and 1t told me
| that God would not be offended, for it Is
| certain that he does not want US to endanger
| life or health while we worship"
Captain. you spoke OF this as an ancient
| custom; now, as you have made study OF
| it. how far back do You trace it?"
II cannot trace it further back that the
| middle ages. AT that time the Romans
| had their slaves, and they required them to
| crop their hair while the masters allowed
| their own hair to remain long. The slaves,
| whenever they came in the presence of q
| superior, had to doff their head-covering to
| show they were slaves, not as mark OF
respect We Of this century follow this old
| idea to show by removing our hats--when
| by so doing we endanger health and Sow
| the seeds Of disease which takes away life
that we are slaves to a pernicious CUSTOM
| one without sense or reason, one that Ger
| tainly does not benefit the dead.
| you ask whathas been the result Of this
| agitation. Well, / will tell you in as few
words as possible. The first direct result
| 0f my conversations was on the 9th Of
! March, 1890, when the Verein Eintraeht O!
| this city discussed the matter and admitted
| the force OF my arguments by adopting
resolution to the effect that from that tim,
| henceforth no member of the organization
| should remove his hat while out Of doors II
attendance ON funeral. The action of tn,
veren was the subject of debate in societies
in this State, then in other States and II
Germany. 1t was not long before heart
from seven towns In Germany, where /
was resolved by prominent societies to re
main covered at funerals. With this en-
couragen.ent sent circulars to every min
lister on the coast and to the officers o