The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-09

q
y whose tortured and jaded
nerves are stimulated by the
sight Of two human brutes bca,i ing
one another black and bloody, YOU
are menace to our race.
Spoiled daughters Of society. who
combine the cruelty-loving instincts
OF the savage with an inordinate love
OF the costliest luXurics and display.
you are a peril TO our womankind.
Three recent prize fights in Europe
have been made remarkable by the
attendance Of a large number Of
women Of the arlstocracy. many of
them young and attractive. wearing
: Jewels and moolsh evening dress.
They made coarse and brutal con.
test the excuse for a brilliant social
gathering.
The prize fights thus distinguished
we're those between the negro, Jack
Johnson, and Frank Moran, in Paris:
between Freddie Welsh and
Willie" Ritchey, in London. and be.
tween "Gunboat" Smith and Georges
Carpenter. also in London.
In this unblushng patronage OF a
brutal spectacle by those who should
be the most gentle and refined ele.
ment OF society, we see not merely
a display of bad taste, but an unmis.
. taxable indication Of social corrup.
ton, a warning that an upheaval Is
coming III the communities where
such degraded taste prevails. When
ever in history the women of the up.
per classes have succumbed TO the
fascination of cruel and bloodthirsty
spectacles. the downfall OF n civiliza-
ton has been surely decreed. Thus
it was iii ancient Rome. Ia. Babylon,
in Carthage, in Egypt, in Greece. in
Spain The psychologist who studies
the news about the recent priZefishts
is forced to conclude that France and
England are doomed to pass through
q upheaval like those which befell
the earlier civilizations.
We in America are closely affected
by these occurrences. for a consider
able number OF American women
were among those who witnessed the
prizehghts. Moreover. the tendency
of our socially conspicuous class 10
initiate the society OF England and
France is so strong that there is nee
essarily grave danger that the Goa.
tasion OF such social customs. VIII .
spread here.
Listen 10 newspaper report OF the
fight between the negro Jack Johnson
and Frank Moran in Paris:
The singular spectacle was pre-
scented of several hundred women in
beautiful gowns applauding the two
pugilists as they struggled up and
down the ring, feinting and lodging
end punching each other.
Among the women were those
that bore such great names in society
as Baroness Henri de Rothschild, the
de Rohan, Countess Matthew de No.
allies, the poetess Princess Morou.
Zief, and Countess de Proumiers.
>. "Johnson's white wife occupied
prominent position. wearing many
diamonds"
/: Before the fight. we are told, the
loveliest women OF the French arts.
tocracy bearing names that have
been famous since the crusades felt
the ripping muscles of the colored
gladiator Johnson and thrilled with a
brutal joy in the contemplation Of his
colossal development
In a misplaced enthusiasm for the
. triumph OF the WHITE race, the al
traCtive Mrs. y. ~.'-r OF New
York, richly gowned, planted kiss
full on the lips OF the Pittsburgh
puglist Frank Moran. During the
encounter the women became fran.
tically excited and applauded wildly
whenever the fighting seemed vicious.
Similar scenes occurred at the fight
between Welsh and Ritchey in Lon
don. The Earl OF Lonsdale, lead.
ing English sporting nobleman. Was
there, and with him was his wife.
one Of the hanGsOmest women in so
ciety, and many other women OF the
English aristocracy. Tail, fail-haired
maids and matrons, who should have
been attending 10 their duties in the
stately homes OF England, sat by tho
ringside and cheered the fighters.
Among them, TOOL regret 10 say, was
prominent Anglican clergyman, the