The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-09-10
OUR DRESS AND THE WAR.
Patriotic and Economic Considerations
Forbid Wearing of Mourning.

ucI arms. -
These developments must, Of necessity, |!
bring home to every citizen of this country II
the approach of the days when Americans Il
will sean the casualty lists with that sink II
ing OF the heart, that wild pulsng OF the II
blood which have 50 long been the portion
OF the relatives and friends OF the Euro Il
pean soldiers engaged in the world con-
tlict
The present, therefore, is fitting time
for Americans to consider what action
they will take, what course they will |
follow, when the news, terribly sad, yet |
not unreieved by pride, shall come to |
them OF the fact that one who IS near and |
dear has offered on the altar OF his country |
the supreme sacrifice Are we whose lot |
it Is to remain at home to treat the death
OF friend or relative ON the field of honor
or in the base hospital Just do be-
reavement IN peace times! On are we to
strengthen our country, hold up the hands
Of those who fighting for lis help to
win the war, by sacrfiing our own feelings, 4
our own wishes. and by so acting that our
own grief shall not spread anxiety, de-
preston and fear among our neghbors:
These are questions which all OF our
citizens ought to ask themselves now IN I
advance-so that a general, united policy
may be adopted and put in force.
4 In ordinary times it is our right, as it (
is our custom, to make known eur hcreave
ment to the world BY change Of costume !
Heretofore we have put off the gay
habihments OF ordinary wear and have
put on those signs oi mourning that. as
we lave believed, show respect tol the
loved ones we have lost But while We
are at war. why. it may we'll be asked I
10
to deprcss our neighbours deter others
from making the sacrifice we have made,
discourage new additions to the depleted
ranks OF democraey's defenders and give
aid and comfort to It's enemies including
our own misguided citizens who are either
p&ciists on secret allies ot the government
with which We are at war:
Surely IT needs no argument to convince
the patriotic American that the wearing
OF mourning during our participation in
/ the worlds struggle while it MAY soothe
orr own sorrows, will initiate against the
4 efforts our country j. making to bring the
conflict to an early close and by increasing
I the number OF the slain entail similar loss
and suffering on many thousands more o.
ON friends and ncighhors
We cannot win the war by wearing
s Grape Instead Of spreading depression
h creating Encouragement, it Is our duty
it should he our privilege to maintain
high heart, to yitaIize the lighting spirit,
to do all that lies in ON power to keep
cur country in trim for the further efforts,
" the further trials that it must face before
tnaI victory shall perch on It's banners
and on those Of IT, Al'ics Aid We feel
I. very sure that every one Of om heroes
n who shall tall in the sacred cause OF Free
i l. 4
II honoted not by the conventional change in
A garb. hut only N the inner sanctuary ot
. the heart and II the memory
q Holding these views. Vet with sinccrest
I sympathy for those who may be bereaved
< ard with the keenest admiration Tor the
% mcn-and women. too, Tor there viii be
n hundreds OF ou women near the firing
H. lines who VIII give mp then lives along
.e the battle front, the Dry Goods Economist
50 recommends. nay urges, the starting OF {
movement throughout tins country foi
the discaid ding ii mourning throughout the
= period q our participation in the war.
Tins, ii Will be recalled is a rule whicl
was adopted in Great Britain shortly after
that eountry's entrance into the conflict
Il is q course strictly ia keeping with tht
spirit which has animated the Brtisl
N people throughout three wears OF tcIlif,
" struggle and anxiety And ii mourning b
the outward sign OF loss. ot sacrifice
surely the giving up Of the luxury 0
Woe Is far more dignfcd far NOR
effective proof Of that determination, tia
self-abnegation by which each OF us il
this country, too must he animated an,
ilumined
There i another side 70 this recommen
dalton OF the Economist: an economic ono
Ihc present shortage oi fabrics is eqlale
only by the shortage of raw material
entering into the manufacture Of textiles
This shortage must necessarily incrcas
as the war continues The adoption {
mourning by a large number OF on
people would entail the discarding
great quantities of clothing which other
wise might have been worn for oonsde
able period. True some Of these cast-ofi
n might be given To til. poor or to char
81 table organizations But the probablit
$3 is that the greater proportion ot thel
#* would he put away IN some closet to b
~: come moth-caten and forgotten. The /
"a suit OF the new purchases would be I
:$3 increase the already serious shortage
So material aad to further raise the prices
%*s clothing, which, as il IS, promise to so'
DIR still higher in the near future.
$685. 1t may be objected that the manusac
%%$ mers and the merchants would suffe
$3.50 The Economist credits these citizens vii
$%s far too high degree of patriotism to b
:#$% lieve for a moment that they would c.
$$S slider their own interests in such co
E necton and at such a time. They real
z# then, the peril in which stand our hbertie
S# our lives and our countrys future, Al
&A they will allow no personal thought,
SIS consideration Of immediate pecunay "a
or loss to halt the success III carrying o
of great international purpose.
Even at the utmost, however, the loss
producers and distributors would be sligl
or Men and women will still require new a
parel The worn garments must be
placed 1t merely means wearing the
oai for somewhat longer period. And t
the gain to the community, from the mario
at er as well as the broader standpoint. won