The Washington herald., 1909-07-11

NOTE-The Arbiter viii be glad to
answer any question Of a social nature
that may be submitted Such dues-
ton should be addressed 20 The Arbi-
ter. care The Washington Herald
There has been adverse discussion Of
the fact that some Of its members ap-
peared IN the Senate the other day sans
collar and. IL must be confessed, that
DESPITE the heat and the steaming at
mosphere. It was not an altogether pleas
ing or inspiring sight TO see those august
solons IN such dishabine. II there had
been no other way of meeting the intol-
erable conditions II would have been ex-
cusable. but there was a simple and
practical way, which some of the Sena-
tors sensibly adopted at the beginning
Of the summer. that Of wearing loose,
unstarched skirts, wiz. low, rolling col
lars. There is nothing more absurd than
high. starched collar on day so hot
that old Sol would convert an iceberg
into a boiling geyser in less time than II
takes 10 write about IT, with apologies
70 Baron Munchausen. but the Senators.
especially the new ones, take themselves
and their positions too seriously. They
insist even in summer. on wearing the
dignifled and uncomfortable toggery that
has come 70 be connected with their
high estate until the blazing weather
makes Il intolerable, when they throw
collar and sometimes coat aside with as
much nonchaiance as a school boy sheds
his superhuous clothing al an impromptu
baseball game.
There is no reason under the sun why
a member OF the United States Senate
should dress differently from any other
gentleman, and among the latter It is
the custom 70 wear the lghtest sort OF
clothing In hot weather; iannels, light in
color and in weight and cambria shirts
with the softest OF collars and the least
Calling Of ueckties. for II is the tie, rath-
er than the craVat. that is the fashion
able neckwear for midsummer. The Sen
ators so dressed did not find It necessary
TO discard their collars when the mer-
curry went above the 100 mark. II was
only those who remained faithful 70 the
Old-fashioned detachable collar and cuffs
who made themselves conspicuous by
throwing them aside.
Apropos of the detachable collar and
cuffs / am moved 10 quote a paragraph
from one OF the delightful books OF that
inimitable humorist, De Morgan. to whom
this and future generations owe an un-
payable debt. Explaining that a certain
bank clerk had no difficulty in affecting
confidence in a new client he says:
Scarcely. perhaps. the respectable con-
hdence he would have shown 10 a real
silk hat-for the applicants was mere
soft felt, though IL looked new for that
matter-and a real clean shirt. one in
elusive of its own collar and cuffs. Our
friends answered this description, but
then II was blue. However. the conf
dence would have wavered under an in
.fT1 eF arrnE
hesiveness IN such a garment means that
its wearer may be an original genius;
compositness may mean that he has 70
economic. like us
It seems absurd that a man should be
judged by his clothes. yet he is con-
stantly young woman OF my acquaint-
ance recently confessed to me that the
other day in a railway car she needed
the advice OF a man 20 help her out OF
a dilemma and that she looked over all
Of her feIlOw-p passengers until she found
one who wore such a shirt as De Nor
gan describes as cohesive" and him she
selected. because I knew" she explain
ed, that he must be a gentleman" Her
Judgment proved good in this instance
but it would be unwise 10 always judge
a man by his shirt.
Speaking Of clothes. II has become more
and more the custom. 2or the thinkers and
the workers, the people who really con
tribute something worth while in the
world. TO go for their vacations as far al
possible from form and convention, from
strenuous social doings and duties, and
all through New England summer settle
nents have grown up where the evening
coat IS tabooed. The big men and tht
l.
there 10 calm and refresh themselves
for the work Of another season. Fol
several years before he died Mr. Cleve
land hid himself away in the village Of
Tamworth, in the foothills of the White
Mountains. and in that isolated country
five miles at least from any railway sta
ton, he had as neighbors. miles away. q
be sure. but still neighbors Prof VIII
lam James, and DR.. Cummings, Of Har
ward University; DR.. Crothers. and {
number Of other less noted brain workers
who have come 70 realize that il thel
wish 10 give a good account of them
selves IN winter they must rest bOdl
and brain in summer. In this settle
nent, evening clothes were not allowed
light hannels being the accepted costum
for the supper parties, which were abou
the only form OF entertainment indulge'
in.
At one OF these a scientist from New
York had the temerity TO appear il
evening dress. whereupon the other dis
tinguished gentlemen present lifted hin
bodily out Of the house and set him dow
on his road home telling him to go ther
and shed his senseless garb for a NOR
appropriate one, threatening him, II h
refused 10 obey, with a ducking in tn
horse pond. He soon returned clothed Il
white hannels, a Ia Mark Twain. an
since this episode no resident or tran
sient guest has had the courage 10 effec
a spiked tail coat. as our grandfather
called this article of apparel and
lched shirt.
Change Of scene and air and freedoi
from work Is not all that constitutes
vacation, for it is just as nerve rackin
TO be on dress parade fror: morning "
til bedtime as it is 10 sit in an Office a
day. A vacation should mean freedoI
Of body, spirit. mind. There is no relaxs
ton for a man who plays the game a
winter. TO go on playing it all throug
the summer The sameness is whs
pals Il is the farmers wives who fo
low one routine day after day. mont
after month. year after year. who Fl
the insane asylums. and no one under
stands this so we'll as the European
When the brain workers on the Cont
nent go for their vacations they plan [
get the most out Of II they possibly car
Their portfolios are packed away tC
eether with their uniforms. their couI
costumes, their evening toggery. an
they turn their back on the city 10 I'm
relaxation among the mountains or g
the seashore, and for time the wise.
Of them become peasants, wear the peas