New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-17
HUNGER FOLLOWS HOBBLE
Town Starving Through New
Fashion in Skirts.
LESS MATERIAL REQUIRED
Twenty Thousand Workers Idle
in Roubaix, France-Lose
Millions in Wages.

Paris. Dec S-Those wonderland they
arc numerous-who sacrifice so much 10
fashion that they are mpeded In tneir
movements aud run the risk OF topping
over with every step they take are not
the only victims of the hcbble skirt. From
Roubaix comes a doeful cry. The "Peut
Parisien' has sent a special correspondent
to Investigate the matter, and he relates
tale for profitable reflection Inc "hoI0
cause Of the trouble lies in the fact that
whereas I'm ordinary times eight yards Oh
material were needed for the making OF
"A dress. three or four yards now suffice 10
envelop "A body, however amply tralneu'
The chairman of the manufacturers syn
dictate explains that the textile Industry OF
the town mas never known such crlSl9'
As only half the usual quantity Is re-
CURED production has decreased In proper
ton. and there is no exaggeration in say
ing that twenty thousand men and women
az Roubaix have been compelled TO re-
main idle. The money thus lost to earn
or. during the last year must amount 10
something like S,99cpo.
Another trouble has been that OF iate
n number of foreign markets nave pee"
closed 10 this trade owing to the rlSo III
customs tariffs, and with regard 10 tilIs
point the chairman Of the local ChainOei
Of Commerce adds that the tariffs III the
United States and Spain, which were Io' 70
merlv excellent customers, are now Nirtu-
allv pronioitiye. lie is inclined TO make
the vulgariZation Of sports" responslpl"
for these new fashions. As women no"
20 i'm much more FOR physical eNerclst,
they want To dress like men, or as utdIis
80 as possible. This accounts for the ,taStt
for tha tailormode costume ard for the
adoption through exaggeration OF tne llsIC
skirt Tin which women can neither JUMP
nor walk, nor. IN a word, move about
Suppression Of the Petticoat.
Then. as the hobble skirt necessitates
the suppression of the petticoat, which mas
not been worn for two years, there mas oeeh
decline i'm the manufacture Of this 'ac-
cessory." and lit further aggravates the
crisis of the dress"
Another authority on these delicate mat
ters. the chairman of the Syndicate OF the
Dealers In Textiles. says:
To-day, I'm order to make the sack which
serves as Il skirt. one yard OF material
is enough, instead OF several yarus; az VIC
formerly the rule. The parslmony III mate
rial has also SDTedu " lll' ~.
short sleeves. called a "kimono A square
yard of material, instead of two as hereto
fore, is utilized
The dressmakers of Paris have found out
that 'le hv' oclocque' (as Parisians viii
call tea at p. M has trade potentiahties'
and send their pretty manikins or living
models TO the great hotels at tea time
dressed in their very latest novelties. one
eli; hesitation in TPcO3-
MIXING the manikius-they look so much
more aristocratc than the real aristocratS'
and they are ever so much pretter. 100.
During one Of these teas recently stran-
ger arose and made an appeal in which he
said:
Because Fashion Bids.
These narrow skirts which you insist on
wearing mesdames, not because they are
graceful and pretty but because FASHION
bids YOU wear them, are causing unimag
Unable misery in many countries ana IN
many towns tais winter For 1t Is not only
the makers Of dress tissues who are sur
ferlng The narrow skirts have done away
with-pardon me-the use Of petucoats
You need not be told figures. could give
you statistics, but the plain fact is more
than sufficient. There are % per cent OF
the pettcoat makers out OF work all inc
world over mesdamcs.
They took to blouse making at first.
The pay was less, but it was something.
Now the kmono blouse has come in. \
yard square of material instead Of two
yards. as before, hole for the head, two
seams at the sides for the big sleeves, a
hem at the waist. and that's ALL, the
blouse makers are starving as well. or
the fifteen thousand looms in RoubaiX,
mesdames, eight thousand are silent now.
The manufactures are closing down. There
IL a cry Of famine. There will be riotinS
before long.
Mesdames ! ask YOU for nothing except
a little pity. DO not send money to Rou-
baix or elsewhere. Think. now that the
Christmas season draws 80 near. Of the
poor women aud tho children who are
starving. DO not be slaves Of fashion
Give fashion your orders. IF YOU all wear
full skirts again, full skirts will once again
he beautiful.