The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-03-04
A SANE UTTERANCE
ON MODERN DANCES
Religious Newspaper Cites Objections
and Appeals to Public Opinion
Argentina Tango Decent.

Much has been said and written !
about Objectionable dances; but one Of
the sauest utterances on this topic is
in editorial in the last issue OF The /
Cungrcgationalst, under the heading, |
Pcrlous Dances Of the Hour. 1t is as
follows
The Ministers Union of Brockton, |
Mass, recently adopted resolutions Of |
appreciation for the efforts Of musical
sunions ana other organizations in cou
dcmning undesirable forms Of dancing. |
WIN they are unadvisablc the union
further defines by calling upon mem
hers to use their personal influence to
countcract such prcscntday practices
in dancing as tend TO encourage I'M
morality in thought and conduct. \
.rcceut outburst of alarming lawlessness
in another Massachusetts city is said
among other causes, to be due to the
prevailing mode OF dances These
are only instances Of the general con-
demnRtlon by thoughtful people OF GER
tain modes of dancing which have be-
come the rage of the hour with thought
less and reckless pleasure seekers.
True Tango Entirely Decent.
The objections to dances of this sort
are of several kinds. but the radical
objection which outweights them All is
that they tend TO encourage immoral,
ity. The Tango, which has been con
dcmncd by secular and church authori-
ties in many lands, is we understand.
native dance Of Argentina aud in its
true form difficult 70 execute and en-
tirely decent Pope Plus \. who re-
Gently had it danced before him-an
advantage for judging we have not had
was struck especially bv the hard
labor involved and out OF the recolcc-
tOns Of his fouth recommended the
Fuflaua. Venetian dance which he
thought more graceful This hard
work, in crowded public halls. we
Judge becomes an unrestrained excite.
men1 IN forms of personal contact
which lend themselves to the eucour.
agcmcnt Of sexual immortality OF
thought and Iced. 1t cannot be other.
wise when an art like dancing IS cut
loose from that personal self-restEaint
which is the secret OF all good arA
Indiscriminate Dancing Degrading
These excuses should he RESTRAINED
hy all good Christians and all good
citizens. Where the dances are held in
public halls, with a paid or otherwise
indiscrimiuatc attendance. they SHOULD
De under the oversight and restraint OF
the public authorities. These public
balls are dangerous in themselves
Knowing the few resources for pleas
IRE Of the POOR il is difficult to assert
that all of them should he forbidden
But 'indiscriminate dancing in any
place seems TO us to have an inevitably
degrading element in it, To allow til,
close personal contact which almost nj
modern dances requires TO any stranger
who happens along and asks or offer.
for il is n stepping down from tn,
heights of personal reserve becoming il
man or woman. Many Of these modcrr
dances in their perverted and uurul1
forms are called ''auimal dances ,
But surely that is an insult TO the ami
mai, 1t is only man who makes hi
capCring Il direct incentive TO immor
ality.
Time to End ExccsScs
1t IS high time that public opinion
asserted itself. in these matters. I'm
less our civilization is ON the highroa
20 ruin, il VIII assert itself and put n
end to these excuses, both among tn
rich aud poor, the cultured aud the IL
~horant. But we fear that there will b
many wrecks along the way. 1t vii
not be enough TO forbid We must ais
be interested to supply innocent amuse
,ments for those whose opportunities o
pleasure are few. And we must not b
too censorious in our judgments. Their
Is range of experience which as We
has little power to respond to what "
call the higher pleasures We must no
expect TO build taste faster than W
build character. Our business as wit
nesses for Christ is directly with char
aeter, and taste for the moment mus
be left to the Indirect influence q