The evening world., 1920-04-06
WOMEN RESENT
STRATON'S WORDS
AS SLUR ON SEX
Miss Hay and Mrs. Yawger
Denounce Calling "Our
Women LooSe-Eved-Lot."

Leading New York women ex-
pressed indignation and resentment
to-day at the charge made by the
Rev. John Roach Straton that "our
women have become a cigarette
smoking, half clothed. loose-livei
lot"
Miss Mary Garrett Hay, former
president of the New York Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs and president
OF the wOnen's City Club, said:
mo man has the data to make any
such sweeping assertions regarding
the average New York home as is
contained In Dr. Straton's statement
quoted by the Evening World. He
cannot have any data based on con.
ditions in New York homes: no man
has. The best women in the world
are right here in New York and by
their work in the last three years
they have proved It.
There are bad spots in the cono-
munity and II Dr. Straton knoUs
homes which are exerting an evil in
fluence be should point them out, he
is accomplishing nothing for himself
or for the city by sweeping asser.
lions based on a few exceptional
cases"
Mrs. John Francis Yawger, No. 44S
Riverside Drive, formerly President
Of the Federation of women's Clubs
now Chairman Of the National Recre-
alton Service, said:
Il can't imagine where Dr. straton
got his idea OF Christianity. ia lixn
10 know at what theological seminary
ne studied and where no got tho idea
tnat 1t Is his duty to libel the woman
hood of the city.
Ills statement is disgustlnr and
really not worthy OF being dirnined
oy reply. He should pay more At
tention to his own congregation ana
devote himself to uplitt instead Of
pulling down"
a part of Mrs. YawEer's present
work gives her occasion to visit manv
dance halls, and she said abe an
proved them in general. The ma iotitv
CT the women there, she said. arc
modest decently dressed, weu-be-
haVed' merely seeking wholesome
recreation. Last night she visited
tho st Nicholas,N but she insistad
that this had nothing TO do with D,.
Stratons sensational utLerances.
She did not deny that many women
smoke cigarettes. but she criticized
Dr. Straton severely for his general
izations on the subject, and oues-
TONED his authority. incidentally
she mentioned ''teas'' at which cigar
cites were smoked by women who
quite escaped the Straton dnuncia-
ton.
MB. Leonore wickes, President OF
the Kings County w. C. T. U. ana
active worker in several church and
political organizations, said at her
home, No. S3OS olenwood Road,
Brooklyn:
1T seems impossible to believe DR..
Straton intended TO SANDER American
motherhood in referring to our wom-
en- having become o cigarette sTnok-
ing. half-clothed, loose lived lot II
must be that he simply meant to un-
cover vice conditions in some parts
OF New York.
In the many large assemblies OF
women with which l have had the ,
pleasure OF being associated, and In |
the many restaurants and other pub !
lie places have visited, 1 have never
witnessed anything like Rev. Mr.. :
StrntOp would ask us TO believe Is so
among our women /
AS o representative OF big organ ,
ization OF Christian women, l resent .
such an imputatiOn by O clergyman /
OF Mr.. StrAtons prominence. While
the scenes he describes may have been
enacted in his presence, In the places
he visited, feot he Is going alto
gether too far when he declares, in
that ali our women are
living tine life OF tho underworld. II
the things ne tells Of exist, It Is al
most unbelievable that they could
continue without the eonniVancs OF
those who are paid TO suppfeSs them"
Mrs Robert Francis Cartwright OF
No. SAL West Hath Street, Chairman
Of the Public safety Cornmitt6A OF the
City Federation Of Womeh'S Clubs,
Baid: 81
'sThis statement, it Il is correctly
luoted, is a libel on the decent Wodn-
anhOod Of New York City Evils OF
nabarets there may be; the sudden In
crease Of wealth among persons with
no serious purpose In life has caused
many persons TO follow useless apd
frivolous msthods Of life. But the
OF Sew York ID Just as
sweet and good and honest as II ever
was, and there is not one uf the 10000
women in the federation Wl1o has not
the right 70 resent any such wholo-
sale reflection as that inferred from +,
the behavior Of a tbOushtleaB or
k.g,la A o