The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-27

women"--n curious reason. certainly,
since O. man can take off his hat In q
surprisingly small allowance OF space
4 II he really puts his mind to 1t. Our
| own correspondent Is on much flrnor
ground In fnvoring a hats-on policy.
He says that he catches cold every
i time he takes off his hat in elevators,
which are undoubtedly apt to be rather
draughty. and he states, truly we
think, that Richmond women would
the courteous ceremonial than run the
risk OF being bundled off instantcr to
bed with grippe, chiils and fever.
From the bottom OF our hearts we
sympathlze with the situation and
complaint OF this gentleman, and gen.
timely desire that he should be pro.
tccted whenever the blasts OF winter
sing and roar into lifts In which he
may happen to find himself. But really
tho case is hard one We have no
desire to see Richmond suddenly take
on tho brisk ways of the metropolis
and wear like a proud badge that title
| of the New York of the South" which
several Southern cities seem to be con-
tending for with some anxiety. we
are not eager to see Richmond women
treated Gust like men in elevators
any more than we wish to see them
sway and stagger on the ends of car
lyt- .t,it ;al re
men are engrossed in their newspapers
to an incredible depth. But, then, nell
| thcr do we want to see our excellent
men martyred and invaded by what is,
sign of an inward and spiritual grace.
The grace is the thing that counts; the
sign makes comparatively little differ
ence. But the mischief Of 1t is that
when men neglect the symbols they
are apt to go on and forget the spirit
that they stand for. Taking off ones
hat is both an evidence and a reminder
Of the peculiar difference due to women,
and when men begin slurring over the
reminder the difference itself is haply
Thus, torn between two desires and
two sympathies. we begin to look for
compromises which shall preserve the
graceful ritual while Tending off the
a kind, and all of them bald, the wo-
men would understand their case and
would no more expect them to doT |
their hats in elevators than TO stand
ter of an hours talk But nine men |
out of ten. perhaps. are protected by
nature hirsute-wise from the dangers
of draughts. and the valetudinarian
be mistaken by the bystanders for
sheer want Of courtesy. The problem
grows increasingly difficult. We recall
that elderly men. peculiarly sensitive
to colds, solve it sometimes, as in
church. by wearing black silk skull
caps. The convention is thus observed, /
while the physical head is shielded. I
We fear that this device. however.
would prove impracticable for eleva- |
| tors on account of the brevity of the
! ride, etc. Men at funerals remove
their hats and hold them a bit above
their heads. thereby making a proper
compromise between reverence and
self protection. Is not this plan avail
able? 1t could quickly become under.
stood that men in elevators who firmly
| hold their hats just clear Of their
heads are men who are making the
utmost concession to courtesy that
their health permits, and who are con-
sequcntly entitled to the full approval
OF their fellows. Or will the elevator.
after all, gradually pass into the priv
ileged or outdoor zone, like the street
cars, where men keep their hats on
without censure? Or again, will what
Mrs. Deland calls "thc change in the
feminine ideal' sweep over this whole |
tradition and somo day bring us to
the idea that men owe no visible forms
Of courtesy to women that women do
not owe to men?