The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-15
SAYS UNCLE CAV

The longer you look at the rampant
evils of the social and industrial stu
alton, the more strongly convinced
you'll be that nobody is altogether ana
exclusively guilty. There's a reason for
everything-even "dynamited SILK
And that reason is the other fellows
share of the guilt.
There's something peculiarly fllumi-
mating in that adulterated fabric incl
dent before the congressional inves-
tigating committee the other day. Most
of the ills of the time get back to the
weaknesses of society at large, and
| that without following a chain of rea-
soning so far as to make it confusing
to the simplest mind. Also, there's
nothing that gets closer to human
nature than "dynamited silk" When
the committee not long since hauled up
manufacturer. went through his
clothes to discover the unearned incre-
ment, rolled him over a few times to
show him the power of the people in
| congress assembled and then made him
admit that he had been doing things
to silk that do not look well in public
prints, it appeared that the committee
had at last caught a guilty man. But
while the manufacturer may have been
ignorant of the habits of public sentf-
ment when aroused upon political mat
tiers, he knew thing or two about
human nature and dress goods which
go deeper. So he blurted out the
good for his side of the argument.
I'VE make dynamited silk because
that's the kind of silk the women
want" he told the committee. ''They
can get the other kind if they pay for
it. But they want the kind that will
last less than a year, so they'll have
good excuse to demand a new gar
ment''
These are not the manufacturers ex-
act lords, but this is the exact mean
H. -.
And million or two hardworked hus-
bands who are buying silk dresses for
wives who should be wearing cheaper
fabrics sat up and exclaimed, II guess
there's something in that?'
The manufacturers defiant state
ment may not be a complete answer to
the implied charges brought against
his business by public sentiment, but
it is true and troublesome indictment
of the average American. This parti-
cular shot hit the feminine half of the
partnership, but it is almost equally
true of the masculine half.
"Dynamited silk and a thousand
other adulterated fabrics, foods and
articles of the same character came in
to existence to meet the demand OF
the millions who habitually live beyond
their means. People who wanted silk
couldn't get it at the prevailing prices.
So the manufacturer adulterared it by
soaking the threads in a solution OF
iii SdllS. 1He SILK TOII0u ana SWelleQ-
was blown up-dynamited. 1t looked
like silk but it was quite as much tin
as anything else. And it found eager
buyers.
Not only did the adulterated product
permit lovers of ostentation to make
a showing, but it gave the millions of
style fiends'' an opportunity to keep
up with the fashions without the du-
bious expedient of making last years
clothes over. OF course, if the silk
wears out before the fashions change,
as ''dynamited silk" WILL it is easy to
make the family provider consent to
the purchase of q new garment. On
the face of things the manufacturer
has at least a good excuse.
Let it be said again that it is not
the high cost of living but the cost of
high living that is making most of our
trouble for us. The vulgar ostentation
of the rich begets a fever of flashy
imitation among the poor. The maid
must have something that looks like
the garments of madame. The clerks
wife envies the gowns and her en-
ployer's wife, and tries to keep the
pace.
We accumulate a long list of irate
creditors in buying dynamite silk
with money that should have gone for
Bingham and union suits.
The evangelism of the great god Os-
tentation is as effective as 1t is in
sidious And "dynamited silk" is but
on of the offerings upon his altar
Copyright 1918, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)