South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-20
KNOCKERS

- Father Kuickerbocker were -
come back 90 earth and walk
& through the main thor
oughfares Of several OF our biggest
cities one or these fine November
mornings an astounding sight would
meet his eyes-Mother knicker-
booker. or young Miss Knickerbock-
er. smartly clad in one OF the new
"kricker suits" OF hne velvet. with
white rufles at throat and wrist
legs neatly incased 10 dark silk
stockings and wearing Colonial
shoes with bright silver buckles. In
her hand a long. slender walking
stick such as Father Knickcrbocker
himself carried On the days OF the
colonies
only a few years ago woman who
would have dared 10 appear in the
street frankly atttired in trousers
would nave been arrested and taken
90 jail She would have been Sc
cal outcast and "a laughing-stock Of
the town But with the political
and social emancipation OF women
there has come about a greater toll
GRANGE Of women's inclination to cx-
change their skirts for brooches.
Certain feminists have called wOm-
ems skirts n badge OF human infer
Aity and an unpleasant advertise
~ Of their sex. They have de-
c'ared the dress problem 20 be in
eetricably involved with woman's
economic and political status. Until
Fre discarded her clinging draper
fss. they have said. she must re-
ain the female. not the woman, the
a. lect Of mans maudlin and senti-
J entail worship. Never could sne
be mans equal and comrade until
enc found courage TO discard her
skirts
Gradually. woman has been die
clrdinr them. First, she decided
that she would have no more OF
s.dc-saddle riding that she would
30 astride her horse in knickerbocN-
crs Her next step was the adop-
ton OF trousers and coat for hik-
rC So well did she Ike them for
long distance walking and climbing
that she took them for wear on the
golf course Now. some OF the big
city shops are advertising them for
street wear. for women have so war
won "the battle of the breeches'
that they may wear knickers without
fear OF molestation.
This recent assumption OF trous-
ers by women is not altogether a
matter for jest.
u holds in fact. a significance
both social and political. Who
knows that Il Is not a sign Of the
times. pointing Us. not to petticOat
rule, since petticoats are becoming
fncrea singly unpopular. but a reviva:
OF the ancient Amazon government
q government for and by women.
len men were mere worms. We
Vow what happened when those
lady Amazons discarded their skirts
and put on short tunics and tight
fitting trousers. They seized the
government. drove out the terrified
men-folk and ran everything TO suit
themselves. AS history has a way
OF repeating woman's return 20
trousers may he n forerunner or
matriarchal government TO be ef-
fected. perhaps not IN your lifetime
or mine, but within a century or two.
DO you call this a wild idea?
You will not IL you viii recall the
impossible" things that have been
happening within the last % years
women claiming all labor for their
province seeking and securing the
ballot. two women elected 20 con-
gress. thousands holding minor po-
IticaI OFFICES And before another
presidential election. we may expect
ct least sporadic efforts TO launch a
woman for the presidency in 1924.
The radical OF today is the con-
servative OF tomorrow. The very
Innovations that were regarded as
extreme radicalism a quarter of half
century agO are accepted as mat
tors Of course TODAY. Knockers worn
q. women in the streets Jim 1921 may
3 me generally accepted fashion n
~ years hence.
As women take on the work. the
Interests ideas and activities or men.
g. is not surprising that they also
want % dress like men. for vestment
s. the expression OF peoples work.
manners and morals II women are
a. do mems work In a mans world.
Air natural trend VIII be towarG
iDn's dress. Already we have seen
something OF the effect of these
changes upon women. what viii be
tfyir effect upon men and upon So
c.cty?
The answer lies I'm the working
81 the law OF compensation AS
Women become more and more mas
Cuiine I'm their ideas. pursuits and
dress. men will become increasingly
cueminate. Socially. much OF the
Drsrm and romance Of their associa-
tom viii be lost.
While women are eager 20 I'm mems
places. men are not eager 90 take
over wOmen's work Men VIII not
leep the homes and rear the chill
Cren while women dominate their
world The result viii be thar
homes viii give way 20 hotels and
epartmcnt houses Children viii be
reared In day or week nurseries or
viii be taken in charge By the state.
For a while men viii tolerate such
Conditions Then there will come a
day OF terrible reckoning. and the
women who VIII have advanced even
further than the borders OF sex
equally Will be thrust back into that
state or subsection from which with
so much pain and effort they finally
have emerged.
Despite the paragraphers and
rartoonists. 81 IS not 20 laugh when
women take 10 trousers. The fash
ion Is only one more sign OF what
IT, G.. Wells calls ''the rotting down
~ civilizati ton" Whenever women