Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-22
IS KISSING HARMFUL7 ?
Opinions Expressed on the
 Question Pro and Con.
ANTI0sOULATIoN BAND FORMED

Claims Practice of kissing Is Nor
 ally and PhysicalIy Bad--New York
 Society Women Say the. Kiss Is n
 Rejuvenator and Its Abolashment
 Would Disintegrate the Universe.
 If kissing, be abolished it will disinte- grate the universe.-Mrs Cornelia Stew art Robinson. s
 New York believes ill osculation. It admits it not only on the basis of cus- tom, but on the ground of ethics. 1t finds an economic excuse for the prac- tice and defends 1t as an expression of good taste always allowing for the fact that there are kisses and kisses, says the New York World.
 Agitation on the matter was precipi- tated by the announcement of the re- cent formation of the National Anti kissing Society of America in Oakland, Gal. 1t has already 100 members, who declare themselves sof sound sense," who are pledged to abjure all forms of the kiss, from the amatory to the per functory, for the rest of their natural lives.
 They renounce the pleasure and grati-
 
 the art of osculation, commonly known as kissing" from heroic desire to promote and preserve the health and freedom of the human family general ly."
 The president is k. I. Sweet and the secretary M. Barley. A local secretary will be appointed for all branches, for it's organizers are positive that the world has only to learn of the evils of the kiss, physical and moral, to at once assume muzzle or its equivalent--a certificate of membership in the Anti kissing society A. $. Rutherford of Oakland, who is the general secretary, explains the mission of the society as cause" The antikissers take them selves seriously. He says:
 ''The practice of kissing is a menace not only to the morals but to tho health of the community. Thrc- X promiscuous contact of lips disease is spread, and the evil effects of such marks of affection cannot be estimated. Then just think what shield against temptation an antiosculation pledge must be. With such an ironclad reso- lution as that in his pocket a man is proof against the wiles of a Cleopa- tra.''
 It has remained for New York wom- en, however, to discover two aspects of the case that the "antis'' have ap- parent1y never considered. One is the relation of kissing to the whole scheme of nature; the other is its effect as beautifier.
 Kissing" said Mrs. Cornelia Stew art Robinson, the well known social economist, when asked to discuss the possibility of a New York branch, lis one of our oldest social amenities. It did not come into being without req son. It could not be killed without disaster. The law of psychic attrac. ton is the provision of Mother Nature. It runs through her entire plan. The kiss is its highest expression. Abolish it and you disintegrate the universe.
 ITO treat the subject economically, if 1t be true that the microbe is fos- tered by the practice of kissing it's cessation would put many physicians out of business and the pauperizing of the medical profession would be a seri- ous consideration
 
 l the actress, more than all the cosmet- ics in the shops is a rejuvenator. The French proverb, The lips which are often kissed never grow old,' describes the case exactly. A woman wants to know she is lovely and lovable, and no words can convince her of that fact so thoroughly as well timed kiss. It is l her natural right. The child and the woman were made to be kissed. once l heard man declare that the best gift a woman could have was to look kiss able, and broadly that seems to be the l opinion of the sex. < l If we could abolish the society kiss, which means nothing, should favor an antisociety at once. But as 1 for its bad effect upon health, do not think the microbes transmitted in a kiss weigh against the pessimism and l premature old age of those who lan- guish for kisses that they never re- | ceive."
 1 Mrs Belle De Rivera of the New York Equal Suffrage league said: Kiss l ing is relic of barbarism. We shook 1 our enemy's hand originally to discov- CT that he had no weapon concealed. | The promiscuous kiss is the thing to 1 go, but the abolition of the entire prac- l tice might have, political signifi- | cance."
 | "It is the habit of kissing in public and the kissing between women on ev- cry occasion of social sort that call for an antisociety," said Mrs. Harriet l Ostrom of the West End Republican club. ''In my opinion, the French l fashion of kissing on tire cheek should l be adopted"
 "In the matter of kissing said Mrs. | George Studwell of the Professional | Woman's league, ''the tantis' have l more to contend with than they reckon for. There are, for instance, the people born in the month of May, who are supposed to be constitutionally inclin- ed to this expression of their affections. believe that those who are not in- H-.s