Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-06
WHAT SAVIDGE SAW
AT THE DANCE HALLS
Pastor Says Omaha Is Suffer
ing From an Affection of
Devils Trio of Plaques"
VISIT TO THE Low DIVES

"On with the dance, let Joy be I'm.
refned!"
This sentiment and others much
worse, reflect the tendency of the
modern dance. according to Rev.
Charles w, Savidge, pastor Of the
Peoples church. Sunday night he told
a capacity congregation all about his
experience Saturday night on little
tour Of investigation to local dance
halls, which ended with his being
elected from the underworld" re-
sort
One Of the biggest collections ever
taken at the church was gathered at
the conclusion of the sermon.
Calls For Women to Help.
After giving some vivid descrip-
tons of what he observed on his
Summing trip, the parson declared it
was time the voters Cleaned up
Omaha" and that they had better give
the ballot to the women, so the latter
could help get rid of the dirty con-
ditions. He challenged the city and
county authorities to get busy or face
recall or defeat at the next election.
The higher-ups, rather than the po-
lice, are to blame for conditions, he
declared.
Mrs. c. W. Hayes, prominent
Woman's club member, was called up
on for few remarks at the close Of
the preachers address. She said she
hoped every citizen would help to
clean UP the vile and evil conditions
and would also give women the bal
lot, so all could work side by side
for the right"
Denouncing all dancing, and espe-
ci..lly the modern public dance hall,
Rev. Mr.. Savidge soon became so
heated in his talk that he jerked off
his coat.
Plague of Devils Trio"
Omaha is now much like darkest
Egypt in Biblical days." he said. mo
house is safe from the plague of the
devils trio, the smoke house, the pool
hall and the dance. Any mothers son
may go to hell, and any fathers
daughter may fall. There is great
drawing power i'll sin. The bad man
and woman may get our children
sooner or later,
These three damnable sins have
come to my own door and touched my
own flesh and blood. Some people
tell me that my life may be in danger
because of my fight against them, but
| am no coward and I'm not afraid
to speak out against them.
The church amt in it no more. but
the dance and the pool hall are" the
shirt-sleeved parson shouted, wildly
shaking his arms. Preachers no
longer have trouble with bad boys on
the back seats, for they are in the
pool halls now, or dancing in dives.
No Place for the Girls.
when l was young, | never had
time for the dance; | was always too
busy working and praying. I'd hate
to die on a dance floor. don't see
how beautiful young girls can do
these dances and keep their self-re-
spect. Saturday night l saw some
thing Of the turkey trot and dance
! guess they call the bunny hug. They
beat me.
Il saw young girls, some as young
as II years, some plump, some viii
lowy, some with dark tresses and
some with golden hair, dance till the
wee small hours, close in the embrace
of young men. Only God can save
those young girls from dreaming aft
erward of their lecherous dance.
Il would no more trust myself, a
preacher, GO years old, in that lecher-
GUS maelstrom, the modern dance,
than | would in den of tigers and
panthers.
"And the way those young girls
dressed! Skirts barely below the
knees, and dresses cut low around
the neck. Such diabolical, lecherous
practices will yet destroy the man
hood of the nation. | shall have no
hope Of my own daughters future, if
she becomes devotee OF he maizy
dance, and only God can save my
boys"
"The scarlet woman knows how to
dance" he continued. "She knows
every little movement to entrance the
boys. This fascinating creature makes
dates for a week ahead on the public
dancing floor. And even at its best,
all dancing has a tendency down.
ward"
Blame Put on Church.
Appealing to all not to let the fight
against the public dance die, Rev. Mr..
Savidge criticised the church by say
ing that "toda, it is neither hot nor
sell. 4 ,,.i.su r, L s.si. a.,l LIZ ...Ii