The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-03
WOMEN WAGE WAR.
Bill Proposed to Bar Semi Nude Pic
lures in Advertisements.

lures in Advertisements
Pekin, ILL.,, Feb. 3.-The feminine form
is the subject of a new bill which some
club women of Illinois will introduce
into the general assembly. By it's pro-
visions the advertising model will pose
no more.
Bargains in hosiery will not be per-
mitted to be temptingly displayed hold
ing down the position in life to which
they are ordained by course of manu-
facture. The fit of the corset cannot
be given practical iIlustra tions. The
cool delights of the spray bath will have
to be left to the medium of unrelieVed
English for exploitation. The bicycle
girl will be obliged to sew on a yard
or two OF cloth to the skirt she exhibits
in advertisement and to sit up. The
club women have cried "he" upon the
smiling girl who holds up the richness
of her lingerie to natural feminine and
uncalled-for masculine admiration. As
to the young persons who disclose the
secrets and merits of hosiery fastenings
they must shake down their skirts or
suffer the wrath of the law upon their
heads.
Mrs. Grundy has been silent too long,
the club women say. There are some
things in the commercial world which
will not do.
A few of these are to be corrected by
the provisions of a bill which Miss EN-
ma r. Strawn, an attorney of Lacon,
clubs at it's meeting in Pekin today.
The federation approved the bill and Is
now looking for senator and a repre-
sentative to present 1t TO the leg1sla-
ture State Senator Robert c. Fort
and Representative E. D. McCulloch
have been requested to stand sponsor
and the club women hope to have the
bill introduced next week.
TO PRESERVE 1DEALITY.
Its general purpose is to preserve the
ideality of womanhood and to save the
femme form from the desecrating hands
of the pictorial advertiser. The fedora
ton today appointed a committee of
LOBBYISTS who are to carry the reform
to Springfield. They are: Miss Emma
r. Strawn of LacOn, Mrs. l. a. II:
Frazer of Peoria, Mrs. James Patton OF
s"The Venus de Milo" said one club
woman may be all right in an art
gallery. but when she goes TO trying on
a corset she must be kept out OF the
newspapers and Apollo BelVedere IN
union underwear must be tabooed.
The bill aims at theatrical posters and
cigaret pictures. The PROPOSED ~ a -
will keep the Autographs off the street
1--WE can keep our sons out or the the-
ater.' said Mrs. I. u. H Frazer, put
how else can we prevent their demorall-
cation by these pictures? Legislators
owe it to the thoughts of their own
mothers to pass this act Inc luedi %
womanhood is being lost on account OF
ssTbe bill is not specific, sald MIS-.
clara. Bourland of Peoria, the honorary
president of the Illinois state Feoera-
ZION of Woman's Clubs. 1T leaves II TO
nc individual Judgment as to what con-
sritutes an immodest display Ihe race
and form of a woman can De useu :" =
cording to the bill so long as the use ID
.sThe worst degradation to which
woman has been subjected" SAID mrs
Frazer. sis that of having her hgure'
clad in tights. scattered over the coUiA-
TEXT OF THE PROPOSED BILL.
The bill as drafted by Miss StraWn
reads: sa of
A bill for an act to-restrict the use "a
the likeness of woman's face, 1orth anu
figure as an advertising medium
Section /. Be it enacted by the PEG,
pIe of the state of Illinois, representeIui
in the general assembly, that IL snal
be unlawful for any publisher, traces
man. manufacturer, PUBIC ehleI Iei1Aiot,
manager of theater, variety SHOW, u
circus to use any drawing nt1osra ~
engraving, daguerreotype, photogrdpI,
or likeness of the face, form ana nsufN
of woman as an advertising medium: IN
either a suggestive, immoral OF iii
modest manner. ,
turers of or dealers in liquors, peers,
maIts and tobacco, in whatever shape
produced, these RESTRICTIONS snall pe "
solute, they being debarred the use VI
any drawing, Autograph, engraving,
daguerreotype, photograph, or likeness
of the face. form, or figure of woman
as an advertising purpose in any man
ner or method whatever
Section 8. Any person convicted OF
violating the provision of the foregoing
sections of this act shall be fined not
more than 800 for each offense, one
half of said fine to be paid to the IN
foryoer 11non whose evidence the person
so So OFFENDING d shall be convicted and one
half to the school fund of the county
in which the said conviction as oo-
tanned.
The district federation which mothers
the bill is composed of the woman,s
clubs of Peoria Tazewen, Marshall
Lacon, Fulton and Putnam countleS, an
-oenohers of the state federation. Mrs.
Gertrude E. Wallace of Havana is pres
ident of the federation.