The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-12
WASHINGTON HAS
 ANOTHER NEW FAD
Hatless Men on the Streets Seem Proud of Display
 ing Flowing Locks
By wALTER HAppER

Washington, May 1.-(Special.) )-TIuman fads, like many other diseases. are in- fectioius.
 A strange infection of this kind has broken out in Washington. There is no other section of the country. though it is liable to become common.
 And. strange to say. this fad is affect ing men. Women. bless their dear hearts and fads. too. have always been subject to these little "breakings out" but they are harmless in women. They really add to her many other charms Why. 1t can be remembered when to appear on the street attired in a hobble skirt was the next thing to disgrace. Now to appear in any other style means ostracism from society.
 But I intended to call attention to a strange fad that has broken out in Wash ington among the men, or some men at least, and which may reach us. This new fad may have an organic cause. It has not yet been analysed by the scientists, but 1t Is to be presumed that 1t is one of the fatal results of the high cost of liv- ing.
 The symptom of this new fad is to go bareheaded through rain, sunshine, wind and storm. The devotees do not carry hats in their hands even. They may not possess such an article. They go day in and day out, night in and night out, with out headcovering of any description ex cept their hair and they wear their hair long.
 Those in Washington who have become afflicted with this disease wear long hair. They seem to take a pride in their flow ing locks and there are some who are ungenerous enough to think that vanity in the possession of long curly locks is the germ that breeds the infection.
 So far as my knowledge goes only three men have been stricken with the malady.
 The first man to show signs of the in- lection is a government clerk He has worn no hat, 1 am told, for many years. His hair is black as a crow, long, wavy and very handsome. If it rains or the sun is very hot he carries an umbrella as other men do but otherwise he may be seen on the streets and on the cars bare headed.
 The next man to become infected was a hotel clerk. He is on duty at night and must necessarily sleep during the day. But he seems to get early to join the afternoon promenaders along the streets and avenues. What is the uso of a fad like this if you have to go to DcQ WlLH lLs
 This man has been broken out now for three or four months. For several months before that time he carried his hat with him in his hand. One morning he either found it time to buy another hat or forgot the one he had. Anyway, he came out without 1t and the people have forgotten whether he wore a silk, a straw, crush or a derby. It doesn't matter now, anyway.
 The third man fO heooroa fpfaofad discovered only a few days ago. He was first seen parading in the capitol grounds. His hair Is long and bushy like the rest. forgot to say that the second man Is the possessor of a shock of hair that look much like that of the late Mark Twain except that it Is much longer. It is handsome head of hair. So far as I have been able to discover this is the extent of the disease in Wash ington which seems to be its native heath. But the infection Is increasing rapidly. It promises to become epidemic.