The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-01
Mrs. wv entz Trying to Stop
|, Imm0dest Exhibits in
New York Stores
"A DECENT DRESS
COMMITTEE CHOSEN
Wants More Material Above the Waist
Line in Evening Gowns-Hears That
New French Gowns Will Be the
Worst Ever.

NEW YORK, March New York 5
shopping center has heen divided into
five districts by Mrs. James Griswold
Wentz, president of the Woman's Re-
publican club, and acting chairman of
the Decent Dress committee, appointed
at Tuesdays meeting of the club. and a.
member of the committee viii be in
charge in each district to watch window,
displays in an effort to prevent the pub
lie exhibition of waistless gowns and
gauze like lingerie.
The committee intends to appeal to de-
| signers to allow more material above the
waist line i'll evening gowns. Il under
stand the French gowns, which are COM
have had yet" said Mrs. Wentz, yester-
day, but | don't know how they can
| be-"
| Mrs. Wentz is also looking forward to
! the work of the City Federation. 1.-THE
resolution which was passed at the last
meeting of the federation provided for
the appointment OF a committee on de-
cent dress by the incoming president "
said Mrs. Nentz Copies of the reso-
luton protesting against immodest dress.
/ ing by women will be sent to the diff
fefent clubs in the federation to be read
to their members. This viii mean that
/ 100000 women will be reached
mo one with any sense expects WON
en- to give up evening dress, but some OF
the gowns have no sleeves, have only a
little band of silk or velvet over the
shoulder, and some have nothing at all
It does not make much difference about
the sleeves If there is modest bodice
but some OF the gowns have none at all
simply a little band OF satin. Some Of
these are shown in the shop windows. o.
course, If women want 10 wear gown;
like that they will do so, but we dom
want women of refinement TO copy them
Gowns can be made with n little tulla
a little lace, or a little trimming on tn
bodice.
Il heard Mrs. Ellen 0'Grady, the depui,
police commissioner, say she was horri
fed at the lack of modesty in youn.
women, and that she could not accoun
for it. | said it was because of tn,
; kind OF gowns they saw worn. You Sc
! them everywhere--at the opera, at balls
at hotels, and at dances of all kinds
: IT is demoralizing to our women, demon
alizing to our young girls, and it will de
moralize our young men who are coming
home from France,
II have been into one of the big shop
where they were making 4 window dis
play OF chiffon and georgette crepe I'm
derwear which is absolutely transparent
and asked if they would not make
,, change and display something else. The,
said they We're not showing them o.
: human beings. But they are suggestive
There are. some women who viii Blu,
them, but | don't know any one VIII
t wears anything of the kind This wa
one of the. big shops of which have bee
: patron for long time. | told Their
t il was the first place | had asked Their
to do this, and hoped they would helI
{ hope / shan't see windows with, tina
h kind of display again. -
g Letters have been coming to me froI
c all parts of the country expressing al
prevail of the stand | have taken on mat
/ ters of dress, One was from Lincoln
a. Neb., where they are. taking legislativ
i action to restrict the extremely low, evt
e ming dress. One. was from Clean, \. Y
v and they have written me from 0klahs
ma | received pleasant letter frol
V La girl in Texas saying that her fatht
It and mother We're in sympathy with m
= sentiments on the subject of dress an
4 asking if | could not design II dress *
ii 4 her to wear. She was a high school girl