The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-06-19
WOMEN ARE CONSTANTLY
MENACtD BY WASHERS ON
! CITYS DOWNTOWN STREETS
Woodward-Ave., Near Grand
Circus Park, Favorite Place
For Oglers
UNESCORTED NOT SAFE
Victim Tells Experience of Self
and Friend-Fine Chance
For Police Action
UNEscoRTED NOT SAFE


corted. respectable women, owing to
the presence OF an army OF mash
ers" increasing In numbers and bold
ness. Woodward-aye. near Grand Cir
Gus park, Is favorite stamping
ground for these creatures.
The experience OF two young north
end matrons walking up Woodward
ave, Monday evening, after the the.
alter, Is a sample or many similar
stories told by women
We were with our husbands, and
after leaving the Detroit opera house
We decided TO walk up the avenue a
snort distance before taking the car
home, one OF the women related to
The Times Our husbands walked to-
gether and quite naturally We women
dawdled along looking into the win
dows until our spouses were half
block or more In advance. We were
bdsily talking, but at the corner OF
Grand River-ave. east stopped our
conversation as We lodged around a
group OF six or eight men who seemed
bent upon taking up the sidewalk
AS we passed they made remarks
on our appearance and my friend, a
slim, pretty young woman, gowned
very fashionably. was singled out as
doll, chicken, etc. They followed
Us up the street We tried not to
notice them and two or three times
stopped 10 look In the shop windows,
hoping they would pass on, but they
immediately followed our example,
making smart Aleck comments on
The goods in the windows and apply
ing these remarks TO us and our per-
sonal appearance. AS We had our
eyes on our husbands strolling along
some distance ahead blissfully uncon-
sCious OF all this, We did not consider
y necessary or digniied TO call, run
or take any other actual notice Of
the mems rudeness and freshness
As We neared Grand Circus park,
where our husbands were standing on
The corner waiting for us, the men
started across the street but before
doing so, again surrounded us and re-
marked their Willingness to set EN-
~ 10 any length for two such pip.
pins and other things OF that kind.
Az the men reached the other side
OF the street we had caught up with
oar husbands, and the group looked
across at us. laughed boisterously and
waved their hands. evidently sure in
their own minds that while they
might have failed to make the desired
impression, the two men whom We
Joined. had done so.
Having no desire for street fight
We made no complaint TO our hus-
bands beyond laughingly relating the
circumstances as We walked along.
However. We remained close by our
husbands for the rest of the stroll be-
fore boarding the car.
The men we're apparently OF the
average class OF business men, abou,
30 years OF age or SO. and looked 10
possess "A higher order OF intelligence
than 10 lend themselves TO the IDLE
but none the less vicious and offensive
pastime OF MASKING women on the
street AS we walked up the street
We could not help noticing tina, al
most every other man who passed,
ogled and stared at us. We were
quietly and respectfully dressed and
strictly minding our own business
Il had similar experience about
two weeks ago when my husband and
| had, as guests, a young couple from
the country They wanted TO see che
shops after we left the theater, SO We
Walked up the west side OF Woodward
Aas far as the park In this case, also,
our husbands walked together slight
ly in advance We were stared at and
made che object Of fresh remarks
bv score OF different men standing
idly on the street corners and in front
of the shops Just In front OF tue
Grinnell building, while our husbands
we're lost TO view around the fence
a., ftfn n
building excavation at that point.
two very young men stepped up 10
us and asked us 10 accompany them.
We just gave them one look and as a
policeman happened to come around
the corner OF the fence at that mo
ment, they stepped quickly up to the
store window However. when we got
TO the other side OF the fence, they
we're again at our heels, but as our
husbands were there also, We called
out to them, and the youths walked
on, sheepishiy crestfalen.
My own observation has shown me
that the downtown streets at night
are filed with women OF all ages from
The little girl I'm the shortest Or
dresses 70 the woman old enough to
be her grandmother, all parading. in
more or less shoddy feathers, evident.
ly highly DESTROYS of attracting the
attention of men idlers. II seems too
bad. however, that respectable wom-
en-, who from business or pleasure,
arc nighttime pedestrians, should be
subjected TO insult because OF this
other RAPIDLY increasing class OF mis-
Guided women. Other women have
told me OF experiences similar to my
own. None OF us likes the idea OF ap-
pealing 10 a policeman for protection.
The 'mnions OF the law are apt 20
look on all unescorted women with
suspiclon. and TO think that The
mashing,9 Of which they complain Is
invited.
Personally. ! have small fear OF
molestation on public, well-lign;ed
ihorolghfare. and believe ! have both
the courage and the muscle TO take
care of myself in an emergency. Also,
! feel that the American man in the
aggregate is too chivalrous toward
Women not TO defend her when neces.
sary from the professional masher,
SO. il our husbands had not been with
us Monday night. and the men who
annoyed us had gone a step too far,
We would not have fesitatcd TO APP
peal to other men for protection
must not forget 10 mention also, that
i'm our short promenade. We had scy-
prat fnvftotious 70 get into automobiles