The courier-index., 1919-07-18
CURIOSITY AROUSED

| Did the Missouri house of repre-
sentatives mean it seriously when
| it adopted resolution advising the
suffragists ''to burn their corsets
knock the heels off their slippers
and get gauze stretcher and
stretch their clothing so it will
cover all of their body"
That is the question which agi-
tated the ST. Louis suffragists when
they read the report in the Globe
Democrat of the resolution which
the house adopted the day before
criticising the clothing which the
ssuffragists wore when they appear
ed before the General Assembly
when the Susan B. Anthony amend
ment was passed.
81 think it undignifed to discuss
that resolution" said Mrs. George
Gellohrn, 1855 Mcpherson avenue,
president of the Missouri Equal Suf-
frage Association, when she was
asked what she thought of it. And
she would not discuss it, either in
regard to the mems democratic
galluses" or the women's "gauzy
attire" As one report from Jeffer-
son City stated, however, that Mrs.
Gellhorn wore a dark midnight blue
crepe, with a bead emproidering in
Oriental colors and hat to match,
it is evident that the president of
the suffrage association was not
open to criticism.
eve were all decently clothed"
said Miss Mary Semple Scott. ever
since | read the resolution of the
house in the Globe-Democrat l have
been trying to think how each wo-
man was dressed, and | know every
one was most modestly gowned.
"Of course you do sometimes
meet women on the street who you
wish wore more clothes, especially
underclothes, but that certainly did
not apply to the suffragists at JEFF
erson City.
"The house must have meant the
resolution for huge joke, other
wise there is no point at all to 1T.
On the other hand, / never thought
of criticising the representatives for
being in their shirt sleeves. 1t was
very hot and | remember many of US
commenting favorablv on the ex-
tremely democratic f.iendliness of
the house."
Said Mrs. Edith Goodwin: at
was hot enough to wear gauze all
right. never saw hotter place
in my life than that banquet.
Naturally we wore the same kind
of garments we do in st. Louis
Georgette and set biouses and sum-
mer dresses that are cool. The rep
resentatives just saw a chance to
have some fun when they passed
that resolution"
"Let me Whisper secret" said
Mrs. w. r. Haight. ''The senate
was got up for that occasion. They
knew the women were to be their
guests, and they came with their
glad rags on. The representatives
did not dress up because they were
such good friends of the women
they did not think it necessary"
81 hope you don't think the men,
bers of the house meant that reso-
luton seriously" said Mrs. Fred
eric Clark. st was just a little bit
of their fun These men work hard
at home and hard in the legislature,
and when half hour comes in
which there is nothing to do they
take advantage of it like boys and
play They are surely jolly, good
fellows, and | laughed heartily over
this latest joke of theirs"
The article by Miss Jane Francis
Winn in the Sunday Globe-Democrat
which caused the commotion among
the representatives, described the
gowns worn by some of the st.
Louis suffragists, who had no oc-
casion for organizing a dress re-
form.-St. ouis Globe Democrat.