Evening star., 1919-11-09

be as long drawn out as the
battle Of nations.
It is curious war. No one
seems to know who are the aggres-
sors and who the defenders. One
has no doubt that France is the apostle
of the short skirt and America the apos-
tie of the long one. but there is war
within war, faction against faction in
each country, argument for and against
in both languages.
Columns Of space are filed with rea-
sons for adopting the long skirt and
ignoring the short one, and other col
umns are filled with answers to these
arguments.
1t is a battle that seems to nightly
interest the world. 1t has ceased to be
a topic for the commercialists alone.
The citizens have Joined in.
The topic of the skirt is not confined
to women. Men talk about it, too. They
discuss it with heat and argument. with
cyinicism and personality. 1t started IS
a minor affair; it has grown to be a
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about a new gown is the length Of the
skirt, and those who feel that all that
Paris does Is right sneer at the ankle
length skirt, while those who insist that
America is independent in her fashions
say violent things Of the skirt that
shows the leg to tne' kneeis
There are extremists on both Sides
There are women who go to extremes
in developing each fashion. No one
seems to realize that there may be a
decent and agreeable compromise in q
skirt that strikes somewhere between
the knee and the instep The violent
ones who argue the question talk Of
only these two lengths.
One goes to q play and sees costly
and alluring frocks that sweep the feet
and comes home saying that long skirts
are the fashion for the evening. Then
one goes to order a gown from a we'll
known dressnaker and is told that the
skirt must be between eight and ten
inches from the floor.
Which is right! Is there any stand
ard? Or. as the Irishman said when
he saw two men trying to kill each
other in q saloon. rs this a private
fight, or is it free to allr'
Even with Thanksgiving coming up
over the horizon. there is no decision
as to the proper length Of skirt for
the street or for the evening.
The strongest current is toward the
short skirt for the street. After that it
is every woman's race. She may follow
her whim. She may call any type Of
skirt she wears in fashion. 1t will be.
If she wishes to wear trousers. she has
the best names in Franco behind the
fashion. II she wishes to wear a skirt
that reaches to the curve Of the leg,
she has all the apparel people behind
her. II she wants to wear q draped
skirt that sweeps the toes and carries
train at the back for two yards, she
has some Of the biggest names in Amer
lea back Of her.
In the evening she may look like a
dancer of Delhi or a daguerrotype Of
the civil war. She may be oriental or
Victorian. II she still has sufficient
desire to struggle over tho subject Of
her bodice and sleeves after shc finishes
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ergy Most women succumb after the
skirt Is decided upon and finished They
wave their hands in the air wildly and
cry that any kind of upper drapery may
be used They have ceased to think.
Their brains have stopped functioning
on tho subject of style.
Possibly this condition Of uncertainty,
or rather of personal inclination. will
suit the majority of women. There
are still some who cry out blindly to be
"in the fashion," That Is the only
phrase they know how to use when
they shop. The last thing they see is
considered by them the new thing. and
therefore, the desirable thing.
1t is these women who are nom
plussed. They are exhausted over try
ing to copy each skirt put out by
fashionable house or worn by a we'll
dressed woman.
No such indecision attends the choos-
ing Of a one-piece frock or suit The
long American skirt has vanished for
the majority. The French still consider
this one Of the leading triumphs of their
career. They have insisted that IL they
hold on to the short skirt long enough
America will adopt 1t. America has.