The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-15

ice of what is going on in our own coun-
 try with regard to American fashions 1 Tor American women, when the women
 of so many parts of the world are flock
 Ing to the new movement that is already
 pushing Paris so hard!
 Apropos of the above John Freund in
 Music Trades recently wrote:
 Tn any event the frightful conditions
 which now exist and their even more frightful consequences are going to give
 us American supreme opportunities to
 work, to become the savior of outraged, exhausted humanity.
 Among these opportunities not the
 least will be that we shall learn to be-
 come more self reliant, to understand
 ourselves better, to appreciate more and
 more the inestimable advantages and re- sources which We have right here at home. It is not merely that we enjoy
 the blessings of peace, of abundant crops
 of freedom from the burdens of the old world with their ever-present menace of race and religious antagonisms it Is not
 merely that our women will learn to set
 the fashions, instead of blindly and slav- ishly following those of foreign nations it is not merely that we shall develop our own manufactures and resources, that we shall learn to visit our own resorts and drink their healing waters; 1t is not
 merely that we can make the slogan
 Made in America patriotic catch phrase to indicate a standard of highest quality and efficiency, but that we have the grandest opportunity in our whole
 history to prove to the world that de- mocracy' means to human progress and human happiness"
 Already American women are leading in Rsi Cross work. Already our finan- ciers and business men are strengthening
 out the money, industrial and commer-
 cial tangle which the war has brought
 on. Already the noble duty of man to
 man rather than selfish exploitation of his misery and necessities is being ex- pressed by press and pulpit
 Thus this great democracy of over hun dreds of millions, as yet inchoate, in large measure unassimilated. with the gravest possible problems still before 1t,
 will hold out not alone the torch of lib- erty to the world, but will bring nearer the day sung by poets, toiled for by
 statesmen. prayed for and died for by
 heroic women, martyred peasants as well
 as martyred presidents. The day when
 we shall have something like Peace on
 earth, good will to men,"
 An exchange, sometime ago speaking of
 Empress Elizabeth of Austria's wonder ful suit of hair and the splendid care she takes of it. suggested that in this she | might be emulated by the American women. It said: That every thread of it 1 is carefully preserved by her maid after | the daily eombing. Hair is every day | becoming more valuable as marketable
 commodity, the supply being unequal to ! the demand. The average amount of hair combed each year from a womans head | is estimated at six ounces. This repre- sents several millions of dollars which | might be used to the advantage of some l charityg'
 1 It has been suggested that the Birining- ] ham Equal Suffrage league, or even the 1 American Suffrage or some philanthropic | society, might be aided from a pecuniary l standpoint as well as pretty reminder of their needs, If every woman were pro- | vided with a bag which would occupy a ] convenient place on the side of her dress | ing table where she could place her como | ings. In London the fresh air fund has ] for some time turned the idea to excellent account by sending on demand free of
 cost bags suitably stamped and ready for mailing to be hung in the dressing room. | When the bag is filled with combinss it | is confded to the post and sent 60 the | headquarters of the association in Bride street, London.
 l This as well as many other suggestions are daily being made, since the beginning | of the war and women are reminded in | many ways that instead of extravagance, economy might be used without a great | deal of extra effort. This is why hor- l rible and pitiful as it is in many respects, | the war may be brought to do good In ] many ways and may prove "a blessing in disguise"