The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-09-30
az MARGARET moERs MARSHALL

~ MARGARET MoERs MARSHALL
II the war brings a soap shortage to
America we shall have time to scrub
our souls as well as battle our bodies.
Cleanliness may be next to Goodness,
but it's a long way to go!
DIR. James ]. Walsh is the first to
point out this silver lining to the cloud
overhanging our modern and metro
politan worship of physical daintiness.
II we do not obey Mr.. Hoover and save
the fats"-perhaps even If we do-the
United States will feel tho soap fam
Inc which now exists in Europe. Only
the other day the municipal authori-
ties of Paris forbade more than two
hot baths per person per week. and in
Germany there is a rigid soap allow
ancc in force. The time may come
when the New York dcbutante no
longer can remark with coy daring to
her dance partner this morning as
stepped out Of my little tub
But in Detroit the other day DR.
Walsh scoffed sturdily at the fetish of
ultra cleanliness. Psychologist, psy-
scholoEist and historian. DR.. Walsh is
ono of the most eminent Of American
scholars. For years he was dean of
the Fordhanl university medical school
and he is the author of Modern Prog
rcss and History" The Century of
Columbus" and many other books.
Short on Soap; Long on Souls
DO YOU really believe that if the
war makes us short on soap we shall
be long on souls? | asked Dr.. Walsh
Il think that We pay too much at :
fention to our bodies and their clean
1iness, and give too little thought 10
our minds and souls he replied In
the $50 years since Shakcspcarc's time
we have progressed from dirty bodies
and clean minds to clean bodies and
dirty minds-a doubtful hcttcrment
Shakespeare's London was a dirty
town. The people rarely took baths
and they slept In the clothes they wore
daHtimes But Shakespeare never
wrote a sex problem play. and a cit,
OF $4,000 people supported the plays II.
did write. We can't support his play.
IN New York with its five millions
and our minds are nasty"
In just what way?' ! asked
Preoccupied With Bodies.
Our minds are unclcan because the
are preoccupied with our bodies am
with all that relates to our bodies" h
returned. we think and talk ahor
sex novels, problem plays, birth con
oil, ,
cry and other TOPICS of the same ma
ture.'
Just then | had a memory of IL
roads over which people travelled
those middle ages of which y
Walsh writes with glowing cnthus
assn and which he insists on prefc,
ring to modern civilization. There W;
mud along the highways and brok,
holes and treacherous slouchS. to 50
nothing of Robin Hood and has,
frcebooters. AS / recall my histor
people rather Enthusiastically endured q
these things. The roads were n,
mcnded But does that prove the vi
tue of the citizens or their idlcncss a,
lack OF social initiative" And VIII;
is our modern discussion and consider
alton OF moral ruts and pitfall
through which the centuries ha,
stumbled blindly. except an honest.
often mistaken, attempt to mend Il
roads,
But , didn't say this to Dr. Walls
He Is an amiabic person and "A mo
scholarly one, but in a convcrsatic
with him argument is somewhat Glide
More Attention to Souls.
THE war has made a difference wi,
u.s." he continued his own train
thought. we certainly N e. dirti
Oodies--some of us-and | think v
are beginning to pay less attention
them. to think more of our minds ar
souls.
III You study history you will S,
that intense preoccupation with Il
body-thc personification Of all TIL
ID material-goes along with Il
atrophy Of the spirit. The cult OF Il
bath figured prominently in the civil
aation Of decadent Rome. In the mi
d. Ages less attention was paid
bodily cleanliness and more to spir
~ 6FowtA.
-lsbwadays any one who doesn't