Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-15
Lays 'Masher' Evil
 To Women's Dress
Chicago Minister Say> Women lntite Trouble, and That rhe9 Would
 COrrPst "Indecent" Clothing.

dispatch from Chicago appearing in Sundays issue of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says:
 The Rev. Walter T. summer. chair man of the Chicago vice commission, member of the board of education and dean of Episcopal Cathedral SS. Peter and Paul, entered the campaign against "mashers'' today with H warning to Chicago women to re- wise their dress as the first step in the movement.
 indecent and built along the lines which contribute to aensuality," vas the way he described thc present day fashions. He declared the nation was passing through the "era of suggcs- tive dressing and that this was the main reason Chicago's streets swarm with insulting and obnoxious mash CTS"
 My opinion is that men generally persist in accosting women only as they receive the impression that they are being given some sort of encour- agement to do so, said Dean Sum Her.
 'lf there be an increase in this annoyance to women I am inclined to think it can be traced largely to the dress of women of today. We are going through a period when wo- men are making many efforts to ac- centuate those lines which contribute to sensuality.
 "The average working girl today is taking, no doubt ignorantly, as her standard of dress that of the demi- monde. 1t is no wonder that she consciously or unconsciously invites mems attention
 "The pity of it is that many of the women who should have the instincts 1 of modesty and refinement-the eff feet of good breeding-to whom we should look to set the righ standard for society, are no freer from criti- clsm. They are quite as fragrant in suggestiveness of dress as the work ing girl.
 When the press generally, a judge of the Chicago municipal court. a high dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church, three clergymen of national reputation and army officers of the national guard have protested public ly within one week against this free dom and encouragement to immorali- ty, has not the time come for some dress reformo
 If girls do not want to be accost- ed by men, then let them select such clothes as have less the appearance of those worn by the women of the under world, whose lives, alas, are spent inviting such attention from men.
 NO Influence is more inspiring than that of a good and beautiful wo- man-whether wealthy or poor. How regretable, therefore, that unsophis- ticated or careless or thoughtless can not believe it is vicious-she should lose that charm which is hers alone and become an object of temptation to those who should adore and res pect her."
 Lena M. Roche, suffragist, took is- sue with Dean Sumner as to immod- est fashions being the principal req son for the increase in 'mashing."
 eff the chief of police would ap- point few public-spirited women on the police force for a month or two, he would soon see how the 'masher' nuisance would be abolished,' she said. While no real suffragists up- hold anyone in the ancient practice of painting the face, nor do they ap. prove of immodest clothes; yet by what right does man approach a woman and insult her because of the clothes she wears? After all, it is the vileness of the masher' mind"