El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-03
El Pasos New 'Burlssqus Show Brings Out
Discussion OF What Is Propriety and VVhas IsD t

for which Ell Pasoans pay 81 a seat at
another thearer. and which they never
think TO criticise in hostile fashion
The printing OF the account OF the
burlesQue in parallel column with the
account Of the fine presentation Of the
sacred cantata The Seven Last Words
OF Christ at the Presbyterian church
the same evening was an accident OF
the makeup. but IL was fortunate
none the less. 1t just went to show
how many different kinds Of life and
people 1t takes 20 make up a modern
or The coarse dialoE in the burlssque.
nothing need be said in addition to that
which was said in the original criticism.
except to remark that bad taste IS
sometimes a crime. and it can claim
neither right nor privilege 70 give pub
lie offence The talk OF low resorts
has no legitimate place on the variety
stage. or on any other unless intro
duced 10 point a moral or TO depict with
sincere artistic purpose a certain I'M
fortunate II common phase OF life. But
another phase justifies discussion
There need be nothing vulgar or
harmful about the display OF the hu-
man form, in itself. and its public display
in q state OF more or less complete
nudity is not TO be legitimarely OBJ
1ected TO under right conditions Even
perfect nudity displayed in public might
yet be refined artistic, In good taste,
and subject 70 no legitimate criticism.
II done with a legitimate motive and
under right conditions OF its presen-
tatiOn- We have mighty little patience
with people who put their hands up 20
hide their bushes whenever they see
bit Of bare skin beyond the line OF win
ter sunburn. and indeed We are very
much inclined TO doubt the moral
stamina Of such people The Americans
and the English are the most prudish
on earth In this regard. but il is not
recorded that they are the most moral,
or anywhere near it.
-
be served IL there could be brought
about a larger degree Of familiarity
generally with the nude or partly nude
human form under any conditions eX-
cept those expressing or promoting vul-
saEiLy through coarse suggeStlFeneSS
and shamelessly bold sexual appeal
What most people mean by NOR
atty IS really only -cOnFentiOnality.
sentially immoral in its assumption that
evil mindedness is the rule and that a
cloak OF hypocrisy must be put ION 10
make physical charms a little more
charming by reason OF their elusive
ness while pretending to protect limo
cence from vulgar gaze Some women
would be essentially vulgar and sug-
Eesrive in their ways among men even
II they wore the costume Of a nun.
" lille other women would be IS modest
as an infant II they wore nothing at
all in company Sometimes there is
more indelicacy in half concealment or
attempted cOncealment than in frank
admission
Neither decency nor modesty has the
slightest relation to the degree Of COW
ering or nudity OF the subject 1t is a
state OF mind. an attribute Of character
Many noble women appear on the
stage IN tights Pruriency not sell
dom moves in sober garb. while a deli
cate minded woman could not be in
delicate II she tried. And the fine line
drawn by stage censOrs between gross
vulgarity in a full suit OF fleshings
which is almost everywhere permitted
BY the police. and the still pose in bare
skin. which is commonly frowned upon
as sinful. is a little too fine a line TO
take serious note Of 1t is just another
demonstration OF or national or racial
hypocrisy
After al. il is the motive and the
manner-the underlying idea and its
ssiOn-that really make the dif-
ference, and the prude is not one whit
less immoral than sexual degenerate
Of any other type But vulgarity is vul-
garity, whether clothed in furs and
street costume covering even the ears
and the bottom OF the SHOES. or clothed
in tights. or clothed only in bare skin
from crown TO heel And vulgarfty need
not be publicly tolerated, under any
conditions
In justice TO the girls and women
participating in the show itself IL is
only fair TO say that they were them
selves responsible for little OF the vul-
.garity Of the show. which was the