The Washington times., 1922-09-28
NEED MORE
RESTRAINT,
SHE SAYS
Salvation Leader, Called Back
To London, Praises Qualities
of American Youth.
BY WILLENE TAYLOR,
Cosmopolitan News Service staff
Correspondent.

easy-the American girl! Easy
for the influence of good-and
I'm sorry, easy for the influence
of evil"
So Evangeline C. Booth, COM
mander-in-chief of the forces of
the Salvation Army in the United
States, said today, on the eve of
her expected recall to London.
Eighteen years of intimate work
in the winning to God Of thous-
ands of American girls each year,
have brought before Commander
Booth the heart stories of more
girls than any other evangelist
has probably heard.
Easy to Win.
Generous and sympathetic. the
American girl is easy to win over
to a cause. She is also more ex-
pressive and demonstrative than her
English sister. With all the kindly
qualities of her race, she lends sym
pathy to an appeal. l have found
her very willing and cooperative in
the influence for food. Yes-she is
also easily won for the influence of
bad"
Commander Booth was asked what
she thought the changes for good
and evil had been in the eighteen
years since she arrived from Canada
to take charge of the army in the
United States.
Girls are becoming independent
At a much. much earlier age" she
said. This independence makes
them unruly. They grow up. take
a job in a store and make a few
dollars on which they can buy little
things they wish. This gives them
an Independent feeling which influ-
ences them in their treatment of
their elders. Before they are really
old enough to think for themselves
to act without advice-they be-
come independent-resent the inter-
ference Of their parents, and plunge
into wrong doing. Il think it causes
a great deal of harm for girls to
grow Independent 80 young.
More Restraint Needed.
"I see a passing of all restraint
on young folks, and I think 1t is
big mistake. No matter how sweet
a young person is, he needs the ad-
vice and influence of an elder. This
passing of restraint is the result OF
too little home life. There should
be a revival of the old home life
the cottage life. The congested dis
tricts of the city with their unhome-
like apartments bring on this evil.
1.-The American girl, as well as the
American child and the American
adult, is inclined to be kindly, good,
and religious. Give them an intelli-
gent exposition of the righteousness
of God, the kindliness of spirit, and
the value of service to others, and he
or she is won over to the side of
good.
1.-THE girl wants first of all reality
sincerity. Secondly, I preach hap.
piness to her-a real joy-that does
not pass out at the end of a party
that Is music in the heart-forever
I preach to her the splendor and
grandeur of life to God. After a
large meeting / often get many let
ters from young girls-very young
telling me of the inspiration they
received in the sermon, and asking
how they can devote their life to
God"
Nothing that the commander said
must be taken as criticism, for her
own youthfulness of mind and sym
pathy with the young Is too well
known to suspect her of bitterness
toward youth. She said that she
thought her best work in America
had been with young folks, for she
possessed an ability to work with
them and mingle among them as one
of them instead Of as an evangelist.
Smoking Among Women.
"I'm very sorry to see the habit Of
smoking growing among women"
she said. IT can not think 1t a nice
thing to look at, and l know as
scientific fact that 1t is injurious to
the body. think anything that en-
slaves one Is wrong, and the habit
Of smoking enslaves person. I
have to admit that the habit has
grown among women to an astonish.
ing degree"
The commander did not believe
that drinking had spread among
young girls, as has often been re-
ported among the smarter circles Of
young folks in this city.
Likes Longer Dresses.
Pm glad to see long dresses
coming back, but I'm not calling for
the old sweeping ones" said Com
mander Booth. Il believe in a sensi'
BILE skirt - about the regulation
length of our army skirts-seVen
inches from the ground. 1t would
be ridiculous to have long dressNs
than swept dirt up and caused the
wearer to contract consumption. I
believe in a sensible skirt, and am
glad the dressmakers have caused a
revolution in the fashions"
Considerable agitation has been
caused here by the recent notice
from Gen. Bramwell Booth, of Lon
don, calling Commander Booth to
be in readiness to move on" This
move followed the generals practice
Of changing commanders to different
territories, but Commander Booth
had been in America so many years
and had brought the Salvation Army
to such a point of efficiency and
respect that the notice caused a
great surprise and considerable dis.
approval.
Several petitions have been sent
forward to the general requesting
him to reconsider, and II has been
rumorcd that considerable financial
support will be withdrawn from the