Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-12
Tailward Ho!
ny Frederic j. Hsskin

news tfAt by using pretty blpHob ~ - 40
bait the blue-coated guardians Of our
moral welfare succeeded IN arresting four
| nirtatious men on recent holiday.
II is true that this is a relatively small
| percentage of the young men IN New YORK
| who are inclined to smile at pretty girls on
| n holiday, and il seems unfair IN way
| that these four should lhnguish IN lali
while a couple Of million other criminals
| of the same stripe run at large. But OBJ
viously an example must be made Of some
ono If the wave of springtime filrtatious-
ness which is sweeping over the country
| is TO be checked Like bolshevlsm, prom
| teering and the illicit consumption Of hard
| liquor, il calls for strenuous punitive
measures.
Beyond doubt" says DR. A. Spool
| induFer. the eminent psychologist, in
| formal statement, there is a strong and
growing tendency on the part OF the
| American male to flirt with the American
| female, This indecorous not 20 say
| immoral tendency has been observed from
| the earliest times. Even IN Puritan New
| England in Colonial days when winkInR at
girl was a crime punishable by confine-
ment in the public stocks, It was found
impossible wholly to suppress IT. Inc
tendency in seen at its worst among the
very young, but in some vlrlle specimens
il persists 10 an astonishingly advanced
nRe. The enormous recent growth OF the
crime of flirting or mashIng must ne
ascribed TO a growing laxty Of conduct
IN general, and also 10 the rise OF the
short skirt the peekaboo or pneumonia
shirt waist, face powder, rouge and other
first aids 10 feminine puichrltude ~
should be promptly and drasticaily
suppressed by proper punitive measures,
by dress reform laws, and by propaganda
designed To inculcate n sterner moral
stamina in the rising generation.
MORE uPLIFT COMING.
The campaign against mashing Of the
great New York Police Department,
which has already earned an envlabie
reputation bv its enforcement of rIgor-
o,ls rnoralityan and it's freedom from graft
and scandal of all kinds. together with the
,rnpressive statement Of DR. Spoofnduficr
i. taken here 10 herald y natI onwide cam
pairn against moral laxIty III the relations
Of men and women which may be not
without its effect upon national politics
II is pointed out tha; the upift forces have
already completely banished alcohol from
, our midst and that all Of their plans are
made for prohibition Of smoking and the
uao of tobacco in oil other forms. II Is
even reported that private association
for the Improvement of the Morals 0i
Others Is already giving examinations n
order 70 select a number 0f agents with
, especia llv gifted olfactory powers. NJ
duty Of these ninions Of rectitude will be-
T 10 patrol resident sections and sniff fhe
2 mir IN order 10 detect the illicit smoker and
bring him 70 justice.
D The important point, however, ls thai
, the powerfuI upiift element having
q | u II t1h ~ mn faEa
4 inevitably turn 10 flirting and sexua
!, morality ln general as the last Of the grea'
8 trio OF temptations which besct mankind
; and the logical next step in the movemen
! toward abolute moral perfection. ha
! the issue should ultimately get mt
national politics seems most probable
D and a candidate for the presidency on
. nlatforrn OF One-hundred Per Ten
T Morality may we'll be feature Of the l94'
: campaign.
DEPARTMENT Or CONDUCT.
: An enormous national department f.
:. ,ho enforcement Of all moral Iplift egis
I atlon. with d cabinet officer, known as th
:, Saeretary Of Public Conduct as It's head
/ i also plainly forecasted. he term
s and spectacular success Of the Depart
= mont Of Justice in enforcing the esplonag
: law the sweeping achievements Of IN
= Internal Revenue Department IN maxim
nrobib,tlon 4 reality show what grea
. things can be accomplished By the FEEDER
70 organization n making America safe i
= the righteous There are some who "a,
70 however, that neither OF these depaFtTnen
70 i really strong enough 70 cope with =
re situation and that Tor the eni0rcenel
= III the great trio Of moral laws again
- drinking. smoking, and making love,
~ special and very powerful departmei
: Will be required With agents n ey'
II town and village.
IT Another intestlng phase ct this NOV
40 ment toward unmitsgated morality Is q
- nrohable effect that II will have upon 8
"a n,nal institutions Of the country \ ms
velous Improvement II them. which n.
even make them among the most q
bs sirable places Of residence ia the count
N Is clearly foTeseen.
re POPULAR prisons.
movement FOR the Improvement
conditions IN prisons has long been aI0
IN his country. but II has lat ked theme
lel influential support Heretofore the occ
a. pants Of Federal prisons have been chlei
o. muderers. second-story men. forgel
counterfeiters. and other persons Wltho
BE any considerable wealth, intellect,
of social standing But the enforcement
Ne the espionage and prohibition laws, COZ
q naratiyelv Young as both Of them st
x are. IS rapidly changing the compleNt
ms of our penal population. h4S a sinE
liz Federal prison now contains 4 promne
nd millionaire who Was convicted Of hayr
sse a still in hls celiar. one at the great
M social radical leaders IN Amerlca. and sol
81 of his followers and seVeral business u
m Of high standing who Ike the ntlhonau
ng we're unfortunate III their efforts u indu.
a taste for alcohol At TINS penuentlag
de prison lie IS not what # used g
ats Fashionable folk come ds5lS n suton
st hilee. books and other MNures are 1
10 EiVercd and there IS much pheasant see
Al intercourse among he inmates and g
rht visitors The lncarcerateI tnttllCctu
lly and plutotrats say thai they have
great complaint u make They arctFcat
POLITELY and kindly and are gwen lg
clerical lohs Several oi them lrc galul
= flesh and showing general improvement
- a result of the prolonged ft~t Net th
:. say that 4 Federal prison IS not ~ that
- might hc There j. definite movement Z
- foot for the establishment ~ j PRISON :
:. Inks On the part ot the pItocratlc &
- ment. while the soeIAl thinkers are 4
+ satisfied with the prisen library As TT,
!. gentlemen have political Influence .
= money the Improvement. which th
= desire arc by no means impossible
!. Imagine then, what the situation vii
= when al enormous Federal draaI