The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-18
RELATION OF PUBLIC
ELEVATORS TO MERE
MANS HAT PUZZLEE

Into a tired world already far too
full of vital issues and unsolvable
Drcblems the Mayor of Cleveland in
iccts another. He has issued an Of
fetal request to the mCle citizens OF
Ohio's metropolis to discontinue the
practice of removing their hats III
elevators in municipal buildings, in
the interest Of comfort, conservation
Of space and efficiency generally.
AS an issue on which to turn edi-
turial guns, this furnishes no less
vide a field for argument support
end opposition than does ship sub
sidv or the eighteenth amendment.
And apparently it is just one more
thing on which the world will never
GcTec. for the opposing sides seem
to ba quite hopelessly at variance.
It's tradition of Cleveland,
Ohio" remarks the Brooklyn Eagle,
evidently with some faint, far-off
remembrance of three cent fares
running through it's mind. this thing
of having its mayors rush in where
angels fear to tread Another writ
er in another large city observes that
"a queer thing to get excited about
IS the question whether men who
chance to ride with totally strange
women in elevators should remove
their hats or keep them on, yet lot
Of persons do get excited about 1t,
and thereupon editors all over the
country proceed to prove that their
Chicago colleague is entirely right
about it by getting duly excited.
Running a big city is mans
sized job observes the Toledo
Blade. and, it adds, 'tn some par
ticulars, that of a fussy old woman. "
Nevertheless, lit is one of authorities
that they can take time from dis
tributing offices. refusing offices,
debating legislation, vetoing legis
lation, 9 scolding janitors and police
men and electricians and pipe-fitters,
answering complaints about impu-
dent park attendants and lodging re-
quests for charitable subscription
it is fine, we say. that they Yet have
leisure in which to decide upon mat
tiers involving the ancient laws of
chivalry." Thus enters new era,
declaims the Plain Dealer of the
mayoral constituency, odd customs
pass away. Copybook precepts IA
miliar in youth give way to new doc
trines of what's what in social usage.
With lids drawn tightly above the
ears, we shall rise to new levels of
civic consciousness"
While Mayor Kohler mays have
thought he was going to change mat
tiers" by his edict, the Nashville Ban
ner thinks the chances are against
such an assumption. Nevertheless
the Albany News sounds a call for
Hats off, to the intrepid mayor,
for, after all, he is right, its nom
sense removing hats in office eleva-
tors"
What is there about an elevator
that should require the removal OF
the hat?" asks the Chicago News.
LAS a matter of fact an elevator is
virtually as much a public convey
ance as street car. and much
cheaper to ride in. Yet men do not
remove their hats when women en-
ter street cars. The fact that eleva-
tors travel a vertical course while
street cars go horizontally can hard
ly account for the difference in the
required etiquette" The Topeka
Capital is equally mystified over the
unique position occupied by the ele-
vator In that regard, and it looks in
vain for the logic of the thing. What
reason can be applied to the prob
lem argues against it, for when
elevators are crowded, as they ar.
apt to be, it is an annoyance to eV-
erybody if hats have to be removed.
The act of taking them off in
crowded place is awkward, elbows
are jabbed into backs. ribs and stom-
achs, and persons are sometimes left
with hand in air: holding hat aloft