The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

bOotblack places In the United States,
some of them employing a dozen or
more men. The majority Of these
bootblacks are within the fighting age.
at least they ought to he doing some
sort Of war service instead Of shining
shoes-while American blood runs SO
freely on the other side.
Women aio MASTERS.
But when It comes to this kind of
self-pamperlng women spend far more
money than men. Figures secured from
one large department store give some
interesting sidellghts on possible eco
Monies. Its sales Of toilet goods last
year ran about 1.3 per cent Of Its total
sales. Thus for every million dollars
In sales Its customers buy $4,000
worth Of toilet articles. Apply this
rate. to all the stores In the United
States and You have a total of unnuts,
bered millions. The term toilet goods
Is very elastic, including both neces-
sary and unnecessary articles, but the
conscientious wnr saver no doubt
would class one.thlrd Of these items as
partly dlspensable, such as 'perfumery.
certain soaps, powders, rouge, toilet
waters. so-called beauty compounds.
and the like. 0 l5
Americas women are highly scent-
ed. We live In an atmosphere redol-
ent with ambrosia. From almost every
woman one passes on the parade"
streets Of the cities there comes an
aura OF roses, or perhaps violets. Our
girls demand scents. In Infinite variety,
not only In pcrfumery itself, but in
hundreds Of products. Merely to graft.
fy our sense Of Olfactory luxury We
spend tens Of millions of dollars an
nually. Yet In France the husbands,
brothers and sweethearts Of our wom-
en- and girls are sweating and fighting
In noisome places amid the stencil OF
disease and death. The odors they get
are Of gunpowder and blood Surely
we can spare some Of our perfumery
money In the cause for which we sent
them abroad. Ia
II II were possible to estimate the
money spent by women In New York
alone for hairdressIng and beauty cul-
ture 1t would undoubtedly run into the
tens Of millions. One hairdresser In
the metropolitan district states that
within eighteen months, or since Amer
lea entered the war. he has Quilt up
business that nets him seven hundred
dollars month.
A woman proprietor Of a so-called
beauty establishment says that fifty
customers bring her revenue Of $780,
900 a year, that she realized a clear
profit Of $4,000 on powders. creams
and perfumes. that she sold sets of
cosmetics at seven hundred dollars
each. Thousands Of women pay fancy
fees for hair waving. tinting and
bleaching. One concern announces
twelve colors, ranging from black to
golden blonde. Much money also goes
for removal Of freckles. wrinkles treat
ment, face bleaching and so on. The
manicure bill In New York Is enor-
nous. and the chiropody outgo large.
These places are furnished In the ut
most luxury. II only we could i'm
press on women Of this class the dread.
full hardships our American youths are
undergoing In the great cause
The lesson ought to sink home to all
women In America. who In greater or
lesser degree. let their good money 90
for sgch futile vanities.
It fs estimated that a million men
and women throughout the country are
giving to the Turkish baths an aver
age Of dollar day. Thus We have
q total Of $780,, ,OOO, 600 year To this
we can add perhaps half as much for
massage. attendant fees. special treat.
ment and incidentals.
Bathing Is commended, but most OF
us. at least those who have the Turk
ish bath habit. can take our ablutions
at home. The soldiers In Europe don't
have Turkish baths. We imagine we
need them here. We eat big dinners
and All ourselves with rheumatic de.
posits, poison ourselves by gormandIz.
Ing. We contract colds because our
systems are too badly clogged to throw
of the germs. It Ii when we are stuff
fed with rich vlands and all sorts OF
luxuries that we turn to the Turkish
bath for relief. Why not discipline
ourselves during the war and transfer