Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-28

Dame Fashion may set the styles but
alas old Man Mars upsets 'em. At least
he s getting ready TO and by fall it
looks as if We would have to dress by
governmental rule rather than the lat
est hints from Paris.
Over in Germany whore the women
are all frumps anyway ii can t be much
of hardship that the government has
regulated just how and what they shall
wear for the last year or two.
Even in England the government has
taken hand in the dress proposition.
They have begun at the foot and de.
creed. that shoes shall not exceed seven
inches in heighth because the cost OF
leather is SO much higher, Considering
the looks of most Englshwomen s feet
even before the war that docsn t some
how seem to upset me much.
American toutsies are another matter
indeed and here s where the shoe pinch
es. There s special board in Washing
ton that is going TO regulate what goes
on our feet and our backs and our
heads this coming season that is quite
as important as the board to regulate
what goes into our tummies.
The most noticeable type Of shoe
around the board itself these days is
the gum shoe for there is much slushing
and mystery stuff to cover up their
deep dark plans which are on foot.
They explain this secrecy by pointing
out that if they made known these re-
forms and regulations precipitatel6
there would be a great waste entailed
because of the models that the manu-,
facturers have already made mp far in
advnce for the coming seson and OF
those models with which the retailers
are already stocked up. The idea Is to
Keep all plans dark until the shoes now
on hand are all on foot and then break
iSose with the sweeping reform. In the
interim the board and the shoe manu-.
faeturers and retailers are busily whis-
pering together and agreeing ON few
simple servieable model shoes that viii
take the place of all the past mad riot
of extrayagant footgear that has pincA
ed our poeketbooks as well as our feet.
This doesn't mean Of course that
there will be one plain heavy style Of
shoe that every one win be forced to
don for all and every occasion. The
board promises an adequate assortment
of attractive and dainty shoes for ali
walks and dances of life.
This same scheme applies TO all the
rest of our clothing and sweeping
and sensible reform will take place
from our toes to our heads that will do
away with the scnseless waste of ma.
terials and labor Just to make one "trip
perry outfrip another.
Dainty maids and proud matrons
need not shudder over the possibility
of being forced into overalls, trouser-
cites or Khaki uniforms however. In
fact il is just as well to keep off the
khaki togs as We need all the khaki
Tor our honest to goodness real male
soldiers. The women who, at the very |
first smell of war. rushed around and |
got themselves ritted 10 regulation
Khaki uniforms with pants and puttees
and everything so they could pant
around in pants drilling and getting
heir pictures in the Sunday supple
nents. ought to be suppressed Mostly
hey are matronly middle aged women
rho should know better, and in simple
nd unob.rasiEe shirtwaists and skirts
ould do real national good with their
nrplus energy by rolling bandages,
hitting socks and sweaters, sewing pA. J