The commonwealth., 1913-08-29

And by-and-by it shall come to the
social rrformcr that the new dancing
more than the low waco, is the cause
Of immortality, for men and women anc
girls and boys Of all social castles take
part in the dance, 1t is not only the
shop girl, at SO week. who rags
and "tangoes" with her male acquaint
ances; it is the society girl and million
aire 4 daughter as we'll
There are few things more beautiful
and few exercises more healthful than
proper dancing, And in like proportion
there are few things more detrimental
to individual modesty than some of the
modern dances that have become the
accepted fad of the ball room
A man. who Is not preacher. writ
ing in the MAN World" after decIar.
ing that only strong, cIearmnded peo-
pie can dance the hugs and tan
goes of the modern dance room andcome
out unscathed in their moral ideas. de-
clares that the menace for weaker and
| for ignorant natures is 80 imminent as
to be self evident, This is how he
views these travcstcs on the beautiful
art of Terpslchore;
"When hear the music to the Tur-
key Trot, the Tango the Grl22ly
Bear and the Bunny Hug. can see
the devil iddling in the band. A few
years ago, the police interdicted stage
exhibitions Of n less gross character.
Today, fathers and husbands and broth
ers 'trot' unblushingly in company with
mother and daughters and sisters the
spectacle is appalling.
THE minuet is stately and exquisite; !;
the waltz is poetry in motion; there is
pure rhythm in the schottische and the
polka; joy Of living in the mazourka
and churdash, and rolicking fun in the
Virginia reel But the 'trots' and
hugs and 'tangoes are heritages from
the bagnio gifts of the brothel
"New York has gone dance mad
The Broadway restaurants are crowdei
nightly with 'trotters' whose activities
continue until the closing hour. Road
houses advertise dancing for their pa.
irons, and halls devoted solely to 'trot-
ting and Raging are being op-
ened in all quarters
The seriousness Of the situation ia
intensified by the sale of drinks; and
between lascivious Music, lustful dane
ing and liquor, the toll of dishonor is
bound to be heavy
When men take this view of a social
fad it is certainly time for mothers and
fathers to call halt and put the ban
peremptorily on the offending amuse.
ment. In many of the large cities
there are movements on foot to have
these insidious dances made IA violation
of city ordinance. But the place to
start the reform is in the homes. and
the proper authorities to rule against it
are the parents.
The reply made to such suggestion
is that old cry of ito the pure all
things are pure" But this is silly
begging of the question. 1t is for the
of this moral whteness
tha, writer's like the one quoted above
are taking up their pens. No one can
20 on touching pitch and not in time
De smudged. even if it be ever so slight
y. The best way is not to touch it at
III.
1t would be a red letter day for the
Using generation if society would write
,ver its ball room doors. Dancing, but
10 Raging or bunny hugging' OF
turkey trotting' allowed" I
For what high society does the less
fashionable castles will initiate, and the
liscredted dances would stink back to
heir disreputabe native sources. $3.50
Commercial Appeal.