Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-08
SH0RT,FAT men, TOO
Agitation Against High Can
Steps In Their Interest.
MORE SIGNERS TO PROTEST.
Current Topics Club Members Ap.
plaud Sentiments Of Miss
Janet Richards,
MORE SIGNERS TO PROTEST.

That tho anatomy of the human being
10 Of far greater Importance than ths
anatomy OF the Washington street car
Is the undivided opinion OF members q
tho Current Topics Club.
Having formed an opinion Of their Own
regarding the high steps on street caS1
In Washington. about four hundrsd
women met in the largo ball room ~
Rauschers today. and roundly applaud.
ed Miss Janet Richards. when sho o..
vercly scored the street car companies
OF the city for not furnishing ''reAsan.
able and hygienic cars that will con.
form alike to the comfort OF women ana
short. fat men,"
For IL is to the interest OF the short.
fat man." Miss Richards declared.
that the steps on the Washington
street cars be lowered" She told the
members OF the club that she had
numerous letters from men who COM
plain OF the high step, on the same
grounds az the women.
Many Sign Petition.
Miss Richards explained the purpose
of the committee - women organized
to night the street car companies In
an attempt to get this defect In the
cars remedied. and at the conclusion
OF her address a large majority Of the
women remained and signed the pc
tttfon that will in time be presented
to the street car officiaIs.
An important feature OF the cam
patgn that is being waged by the wom-
ans committee will be to enlist the
sympathies OF the men in the city.
Miss Richards declared that IL Is with
IN reason that the anatomy OF a human
being Is OF more Importance than the
anatomy OF street car. and that the
should be applied in the factosies
where the cars are constructed.
Makes Vigorous Appeal.
She made a vigorous appeal To the
women to stir up sentiment i'm the Die
trict against the present type OF pay-as-
you-enter cars. not only on account OF
the high step. but because of the lack OF
proper hygienic precautions. which
threatens the health Of passengers. Con-
ductors on these cars almost invariably
let the windows remain closed. she said.
which results In unhealthy and sitting
air.
Miss Richards ridiculed the argument
that the hobbie skirt Is largely responS
sfble for the protests against the high
step and declared that only q small ma
jorfty OF the women enlisted In the move
ment were advocates OF the tight skirt.
1.-THE fact that short, tat men are joining
I'm the movement 10 enough to Danish this
idea." Miss Richards said.
New Gar to Be Tried,
Street car officials. she sad. hsd a.
sured her Q new type OF cars Will b givsn
q "'try-out'' on the lines. aud thip. tha .1e-
clared, will be q forward step toward en-,
tirely eliminating the high step. That The.
new cars being SO much larger. needed
larger motors. therefore requiring the
body OF the car to b. higher than Or,
dinarily. she claimed 70 be no asUunsna,
In favor Of the high step. as the. stsp
could be easily lowered to meet the yss
quirements OF the shortest woman.
Miss Richards was applauded through
out her address. but took care TO mention
that the officials OF the company had the
interests OF the people at heart despite
their determined stand against the high
step. In other ways she complimented
the street car service as being up-to-date
and far superior to that OF many other
cities.