Connecticut western news., 1917-11-29
Letters From the People.
A PLAIN TALK TO THE COMMU.
 NIFTY.
By one of the units.

Canaan, Nov. 25th, 1917. Editor News: ra a Please permit publication for the good, and much needed enlightenment of the whole township. Dr. Valeria Parker is a member of the State Council of Defense and has had wide and varied experience in social and civic welfare work and speaks from practical knowledge of her subjects. She is a graduate physician, wife and mother, has acted as proba- tion officer, member of executive board of Connecticut Prison association, Field secretary of the, Connecticut Society of Social Hygiene. She is also member of State Council of Defense, and under the auspices of, as we under stand it, the War Camp Community Fund or Service, she is giving a state wide series of talks on this subject, at no expense to the communities, unless it be carfare, and so it seemed good thing to unit of the Canaan commu- nifty, to get her to come here.I Some three years ago. Dr, Parker came to Canaan to give two talks; one, in the afternoon to girl and women, and one in the evening on the Double Standard of Morals. The afternoon talk was | largely attended-girls a1d women need talking to, you know, but men we'll, that's different matter. Society women, went off on fox trot dante that night, a few brave men and women came to hear one of the finest talks ever given in Canaan Not word, not sentence that could possi- guilty or foul minded. Afterward, pr. Parker spoke at the home of Miss Sarah Adam to the club ladies of the town and was voted most gifted and admir- able. The Canaan unit felt some degree of cynical amuse inent as they heard this noble woman give practically the sane talk that society was afraid of listen. ing to, so short time ago, aud there was a gleam of amused understanding between said unit and the speaker. i Now l want to speak or write as res. trained and temperately as possible over situation that is most weary and exceedingly unjust.
 There are people who HOW infer as they did three years ago, that Dr. Parker's subjects are unfit to hear This is false, absolutely false, and I ask the public why do you not come and hear th.s woman yourself and be. come our own judge? Who is it, that should decide for you? Is talking about the necessity of clean moral surround. ings for the good of all our American soldiers, in the communities, near their camps is that 8 subject unfit for the public ear? Yes, the Y. M. 0. A. is doing splendid work in the camps, but the outside, that is, the community surroundings must be made morally clean and safe too from vice inroads, hence there has sprung up the War l Camp Community Recreation Service A member of the Business Mems Association is reported to have said "It is not fit subject to bring before the public". Where shall it be brought before, the inmates of an Old Ladies Home or school for imbeciles? Are not the great leaders of this great work, the best judges of what the public should, hear and know concerning our boys in the Camps? Mark this, I am not out after public money. Had I been, should lave hunted up 8 vam- pire woman somewhere and advertised that she would appear on the stage in several stages of Theda Bara naked ness. No need to beg the public to please stay at home then for fear of
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