The Washington herald., 1911-02-27
LINKED WITH "CAUSE.o

LINKED WITH "CAUSE.o
But the truth of the, matter is, in the
minds of many of the supporters of
woman suffrage, the harem skirt, with
the masculine freedom of movement
promised for it, is closely cemented with
the cause" Woman's right to un-
hampered limbs and woman's right to
vote are not too far apart to be bridged
by the harem skirt, they say. And Con-
necticut avenue, of a Sunday afternoon,
or F street, most any afternoon, may be
set agog and a-flutter by the appearance
of the much be-written and discussed
harem skirt.
At least one suffragist had the courage
to come out with a plain statement in
support of the new creation" yesterday.
Mrs A l. Barber, of Belmont is in
favor of the adoption of the harem skirt
by all sufrragists- AS Mrs. Barber is a
national as Wen as a local figure in the
suffrage movement, her Endorsement is
expected to carry much weight in the
ranks.
''I think it would be one of the best
possible moves on the part of the suffra-
gists to adopt the harem skirt" said
Mrs. Barber yesterday. 1T would only
be matter of a short time before we
would become accustomed to the change
and there is no reason why immodesty
should play part.
The harem skirt could be made as
pleasing and artistic as any other style
of womens dress, and it would only be
a matter of education to convince the
people that in the wearing of a harem
skirt one should not be made the object
of comment.
Hampered in Dress.
Women are very much hampered and
at a continual disadvantage by the pres
-ent style of clothing. In a high wind or
IN any bad weather they are greatly
handicapped by the present loose skirts,
Tapping and pulling the wearers back
or drawing them down. Women are un-
able to accomplish many things that
should be well within their reach because
of the present mode of dress.
The change can be brought about
without any idea of fmmodesty, and it
would be most beneficial. certainly am
in favor of it,
As q possible offensive weapon in the
fight fos woman suffrage. the latest
wrinkle looms large. If Washington suf-
fragists espoUse the cause of the much
ridiculed offspring of fashion, it will or
taken as an indication of further lean
ings TO the militant or suffragette school
The unique, if illegal, method employed
in advertising one of the most militant
of the English suffragettes-Miss Sylvia
Pankhurst-recently, when Capital en-
thusiasts wrote the announcements of
her lecture all over the downtown side
walks, seems to point in the same direc-
ton In the opinion Of many, the mil
liant methods will enter by the same
door by which rats for the hair and loose
skirts leave the general scheme of things
suffragfstic.
The 7harem skirt has caused a near
riot in Broadway, and has borne the
brunt of a fusillade of metropolitan
eggs in Paris. Who can tell what will
happen the first time the near-trousers
walk down fashionable F. street? The
minions of the law may we'll tremble.
May Have Opposition.
If Mrs. Barber is not without support
in the ranks of suffragists for her ad-
vOcacy of the new skirt, neither is her
stand to be free from opposition Those
who are ready for such radical measures
are more than ready to fire away
few rounds of arguments against the in
novation. After reading of the recep-
tion accorded the new skirt in New York
and Paris, many opponents of the change
aver that Washington equal-rights ad-
Vocates, being still suffragists-not suf-