The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-10-11
CONCERNING BRIDGE.
Discussion of the Plea 1t Shouldn't Be
Played in the Wartime

Is it wrong or improper or impolitic |
to play bridge in these strenuous times ? |
This Is the momentous question now ag-
itating certain feminine minds. In The |
Chronicle, New York society magazine,
a symposium on this subject has APP
peared, likewise pledge entitled, "A
Solemn Protest Against Bridge" signed
by several persons of alleged social prom
inence addicted TO the game. Among the
letters composing the symposium Is one
from d Boston woman who heartily APP
proves giving up bridge until after the
war, and hopes that many will see the
wisdom of renouncing it for all time.
She thinks it waste of precious time
and mentally narrowing"
The wife of a New York lawyer dis
SCENTS from this extreme opinion, and
thinks bridge should be treated like other
amusementse or diversions, as a rest and
relaxation to the mind. The wife of a
New England governor. contributes ike
ly, letter, from which it appears she IS
an expert player, not a bridge hend" by
any means, but one who finds it an alb
sorbing game. She admits that just
now intelligent persons can be much more
protitably employed than in playing
cards, but says very sensibly:,
IF an occasional game of bridge, after
the days work is over, is better tonic
| for the next days work in some cases
than a contest at golf, or visit to the
theatre, or a quiet hour with a book, |
can see no reason to consider 1T idle or
! unpatriotie to indulge in it. a.
She makes the point that every Com
fort kit" that we send to our soldiers
in France contains pack of cards, but
we do not suppose that the soldiers will
! wish to use them in working hours, and
the same rule should apply to ourselves.
The editor of The Chronicle sides with
the reformers, and gives his Tor herr rea-
sons, some of them curious, for inter,
dieting the game. A woman of some
literary celebrity cuts the knot with q
lclip:
''Of all the persons / have known who
played bridge enough for it to interfere
with the usefulness of their lives, there
has been no one whose time seemed suf
fieiently valuable for it to matter what
| he did with it,"
The reform has been inaugurated. a
pledge has been drawn up, circulated an6
signed by several men and women o.
wealth and leisure" We desire to pro
mote reasonable and patriotic spirit o.
abnegation and the FeIunciation of al
vain amusements among the leisure
classes" of our city. S~Abandon bridge
= and. win the wart'se->Te- this end, ane
that all So minded. may have the colder
opportunity..of joining this great mora
movement, we print the formal pledge
confident that no similar document -cal
/ die with it in siHgularity: vi -
r we, the undersigned do condemn tn
r playing of bridge in times of war as.
contemplate waste of time, an~eyil .ex
ample to set apd "a form of idleness sum
+ worthy of oyfs nlaeeaas Amerieans Scsti
r Gems We belisSe 1hnt by playing sbrfag
!. linen and~wofneA 81 wealth and leisns
q SssgiFe to the exponentssof class hatred
!. weapon to wieidS against the unity g
: the United States and its long -eherishe
! Einst itutions.. Therefore we sign this az
: Ipeal to players 81 bridge who may nc
a have considered the widespread infueno
I of their apathy toward the common wes
I to forswear the pIaying.of bridge unit
o. the end of the war and to persuade other
T to cease this timekilling, useless pa
r. time" 80
+ How about poker 2 Why pitch on il
. nocent bridge ?-Hartford Courant.