The Washington times., 1910-03-16
HAT.TIPPING IN LIFT
ADVOCATED BY MEN
Women Not Such Stcklers
for Elevator Rule as Op-
posite Sex.
BY SELENE ARMSTRONG

add bit shamefacedly. but Il is also
the land of the free"
Iheir embarrassment comes from A
Sign which some brave man, at dead
OF night, hung In an elevator IN one
or the newest and handsomest Of At
ianta's office buildings When business
men strolled down to their offices next
morning some such flaming words as
these painted in red on white card
BOARD, met their startled gaze as they
entered the elevator:
This elevator is a public convenience
Gentlemen need not remove their hats"
Hats OFF, Same As Before.
II Is said that the men OF Atlanta are
rot living up to their privileges. how
ever. The sign still flaunts It's red let
tering before the public, and men are
both embarrassed at II and proud OF II
But enter a woman. and of come the
hats.
Just the same, the story OF the Atlanta
sign has gone abroad. and rumor says
u is approved by the men Of many
cities throughout the land.
The theory OF the new movement IN
Atlanta Is that an elevator in a public
office building is no more private than
the hallway OF the sidewalk and men
would look ridiculous braving the chilly
blasts ba.eheaded in these latter places.
Two Sides to Question.
Is the time honored custom then which
DEGREES that a man in a crowded ele-
vssor shall dexterously wedge his elbow
into his neighbors ribs, swear softly
under his breath. and finally succeed
IN raising his right arm as high rs his
head, and remove his hat when a woman
enters the car--is this custom TO be
relegated to the golden past2 Are the
men whose bald heads have been barred
20 elevator blasts To- these many years
10 be told that their chivalry was in
vain, and that those who come after
them will not only remain covered, but
may even smoke a cigar as the car
Nhizzes from the first story 10 the
tenth7
That is only one side Of the question,
declare a number of men who were
this morning interviewed on the subject.
rs a shop girls face never to bright
cn any more?" asked one OF them, in
dignantly. when a gentleman steps in
the elevator, and raises his hat in defer
ence TO her2 Is a man weighted down
with business cares TO be no longer re-
freshed by the little diversion Of re-
moving his hat whenever a pretty WO-
that the men Of America viii raise en-
masse 70 protest
Judge Bears Reverence.
Judge William II. De Lacy was one Of
the welI-known men who found time TO
express mis- reverence for the good old
fashioned custom Of a mans removing
his hat in the elevator. one Of the most
chivalrOus men in Washington. his in
terviewer could have foretold what his
verdict would be.
While a man need not remove his
hat. he should do IT," said the judge.
with conviction. Life is made UP of
trivial matters, and If We disregard
them all. we shall soon be a hardened
lot"
Mrs. Alfred Clifford Barney. a leader
in Washingtons smart set, is as con-
WINGED that men are victims Of a foolish
custom as the men are set against abOl-
lshlnE this custom. In a few decisive
sentences. She set herself on record as
a champion Of mems rights.
Why, / think ii is ridiculous that
T1en should be required TO remove their
hats IN an elevator. Poor thinEs" she
exclaimed. 1t seems to me that an
elevator is as much a public place as =
hallway, train. or a street. or course.
] believe that men cannot be too pune
tilious IN the small courtesies Of life.
draftv elevators Is too much Pshawr'
Fine Art of Courtesy.
Captain Archibald Butt is a man who
has made a fine art OF courtesy and
whose courtly manner has won for him
the title Of Washington's Beau Brum-
nell II a mans removing mis- hat in
an elevator were considered A miSde-
meanor. with fine attached. Captain
.,sF1.-
when a woman entered, and take the
consequences
IF people thought more oi 'he cour-
1esies OF Efe and less of its con-
veniences," he said, when asked for his
opinion on the subject. 4 think the
world would be happier for Is all"
John Temple Graves, of New York,
lecturer, author, -ditor, and a great ia
NUrite socially in Washington where
he IS living during the Congressional
session, has soEe strong convictions on
the pToprieties Of life. Colonel Graves
is a gentleman Of the old Southern
school OF manners. and down in Georgia.
his native State. has always been known
as the most chivalrOus of men When
asked whether he approved or abolish
ing the custom OF a mans removing his
hat I'm the elevator the colonel straight
eued up Indignantly:
Absurd Perfectly absurd he ex-
claimed. Just say for me that ] don't
think any exercise is better for q man
than that OF raising mis- hand 10 his
head. IL gives him strength Of muscle.
and a grace Of movement which dane
ing lessons and hewing wood combined
couldn't give.
Bughtens Her Face.
"A man ought to remove his hat for
any woman in any station Of life II
YOU don't believe #, Just see the smile
that brlghtens a tired shop girls face
iu a New York elevator when a man
lifts his hat in Difference to her"
Representative James H. Cassidy OF
Ohio gives valuable testimony, mas
much as he halls from the city of
cleveland, where. he says man has
been emancipated for a number OF
years
I'VE don't do II out in Cleveland" "
saws Representative Cassidy, "aud !
don't see that the women's feelings
have suffered any. But when ] come
10 Washington you may be sure
Conform to the custom of the place
Tor a Cleveland man does what the
women expect Of him"
And the question arises. il the men
are resigned to removing their hats
Ivho started all the trouble?
LOCAL MENTION.
r. uFvr,ro E,-e Dar,o5-