Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-03-10
Dance Frocks
Are Immoral,
Says Pastor
Eakedness Would Be
Less Suggestive, Is
Claim Of st. Louis
Priest.
By G. Il. Bricker,
'ternational News Service Staff
Correspondent.

'N 81. Louis, Mo-, Mar. 1G.-"Per-
'&Apa entire nakedness would not
30 suggestive because more re-
ilsive."
This is how Rev. Father p. j
a3 Rourke, pastor of st. Marks
Atholic church, sums up his sur
ffy of the modern dancing frock,
III worn in exclusive clubs and no
rs of st. Louis.
aH Upright and demure maidens
Nd" declared Rev. Father o.
burke, In a bitter written TRADE
sainst the modern dance in
hich he announces the closing OF
y. Marks parochial hall indefi-
teiy to all public dancing, dance
leee things and while so dancing
He as near naked as they can
Il ell be-"
Following the failure OF an at
f #mptedS blue law" in the state
F lgiHiature, normal crusaders are
Rntering their activities on a dras-
q drive on modern dance steps,
fB interpreted in st. Louis dance
fIAAt1f OAdbo anu l1OlCiS. ht htlVG
rs expected to spread from St.
+ oufs to the remainder of the
Iate, and there has been talk OF
z Introducing regulatory measures,
Y Especially as to the style of dress
NAr dancing, in the legislature.
n Followers of Terpischore have
seen thrown into CONSERVATION.
ne shuttle, toddle, camel walk
9d Others of their ilk seem DOOM
to fade into the past.
One Hall Closes.
Dancing masters themselves have
ftered into the crusade against
se allegedly Immoral and inde-
!. int" dances. Besides st. Mark
fFll, one public dance hall has
closed its doors ''un-
|t public tastes and manners inn
tg0ve," according to the announce
Aent of the management.
1gDancing masters of the city re-
antly met and unanimously went
i5 record as favoring municipal
sagulation of all public dancing.
Sney urged passage of a bill now
hiding before the board of aid
fmen TO license and regulate the
tfnce halls, but favored the in
nlsion OF churches giving dances
~ charities in the licensing fea-
Fe.
aChurch organizations, clergy
zen and social welfare societies
Nve Joined forces in the crusade.
~ are bitterly condemning the
'esent-day steps. e. V. p. Schne-
berhelm, member OF the Catholic
liberation and the Committee of
Hfty," which has been conducting
a Investigation in the dancing
Aaces, declared: Dancing in some
1g the halls Is so unspeakably low
lat ii is indescribab ble."
~ '.Shuffle" Simply Awful.
WThe wrath of the crusaders is
Entered principally on the "shuf-
kR," which has been character
I'd as n strictly st. Louis per-
i rsion OF the d. 1cing art, origi-
Vted by no one knows whom"
This is a flat-footed, short step
ing, sideways movement, accom-
II MED hv var,ons sbruogv shim.
+ erv tw,stinp undnlating move-
A ents of the hodv and shoulders
+ \ unlika Tho Dgvntiar stv,a hut
IN so pracef,l It's enemies do
4 are the shuttle to he "shock-
gly sensuous" and the height of
,Ignrity.n
Rav Fatber O,Rourka In bis
.n,nciat,on of tha so-coIIad a,,1
Aelared tho celtic of socio+v >, ar
certain club ENGAGED in "tbe
ast heastlv prose ana renn,siya"
ancine imapinahIe "Marriad
,mes as well as huddiny darsaIs
are among the revelersn he de-
arad ..Tbev wara assured NV
~ nanapepant tbev could go tho
n,it - there was no restraint"
.snJevar In the world,s history has
aere been SO much of vulgarity.
,dacencv and inmoroIitv hra1en.
f,auntad an ruh1,r ,iou, as a., tha
Aodarn so-called dance pxhihits F"
4 said ono nure-minded man or
oman could possibly lend himself
!. herself 10 such form Of recrea-
On and amusement. We dare 10
u farther and saw that no pure-
5inded nerson can look unon such
.ances as we have at present
sithont heinR puiltv of mor,ai s,n.
..rhe unhannv cities of the nlains
,ere destroved hv fire and hrim-
.kone from heaven because of the
svick edness of their inhabitants.
|4ow II NAV he questioned IL those
saoples we're more immoral more
sodless. more sensual than the
,eople Of today.
mo morality in such an atmos-
,here can exist A lily does not
,loom In a desert.
"There will be no more public
lances in the st. Marks han until
radical change has taken place
y the form of nonuIar dancing "