Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-14

Shakespeare was not Bolivian In
dian but he left a message for the IN
dams, which has Just been delivered by
the President of that land-locked coun-
try:
Costly thy habit as purse can bay.
But not expressed IN fancy. ricn, not
gaudy:
For the apparel oft proclaims the man. "
Now the edict has gone forth through
out Bolivia that on and after October
every inhabitant shall wear only
clothes of European style. That means
a complete new wardrobe for 3,oOu.ouU
men and women. not to mention efii-
dren. What rushing business that
must bring to tailors and dresSmakerS!
But any Bolivian who. after October l,
appears in public attired in brilliant
raw colors and barefooted-be he or 1t,
lady or gentleman-will surely suffer the
penalty of fine And they do enforce
DEGREES in Bolivia, where they have had
10 Presidents or DictatorS in 100 years.
Bolivian Indian styles have not
changed since the country was ruled
by the successors of the Spanish Con-
ouistadores. The fancy colors OF the
Spanish of the early days caught the
fancy. and while Spaniards themselves
had long since laid the old aside II
was retained eagerly by their imitators.
The Bolivian Indian women nave
been wearing little collar-boN mats
perched upon the tops of their heads
with shawls and voluminous skirts,
looking as if they had on oustles. Tney
60 barefooted, or wear only sandal SoleS
strapped TO their feet The clothes are
of brilliant colors
leo no kay -
one characteristic detail of the mems
dress is that their trouser legs are slit
IN at the bottom several tnches-much
after the stvle of advanced young
ladies Of few years ago. who under
took to follow n fad requiring ther
skirts 10 be slit-lmtil' the King OF Eng
land or Prince of Wales called atten-
tion 10 the rips" Of some dresses at
court and sent the ladies home Tor
thread and needles.
There is probably not feature OF
the Bolivian women'S discarded Styles
which has not had its counterpart
in European and American dresses ana
millinery within even the last century.
Ana whom in vogue. who dared discount
the beauty thereof Yet, no sooner
superseded by some new groteSquenesS,
how fantastic appeared the old style !
X
poItvia is not the first nation to be
commanded by its government To adopt
F1Iropean costumes. Not long ago. a
similar order was given by the lurHlSh
republic, commanding women 10 dis
card their wells and the men their
fegyeS. and assume only European cos
TUNES.
In both cases the edict is not merely
a whim of tyrant government, but Is
based upon legitimate psychology. Tor
not only the apparel oft proclaimS the
oan''--it actually makes him, II the
reader be skepticai. let him attempt
coming 10 his Government desk, some
fine morning. harefooted like Boliv-
ian Indian. or If the eXpertmentsr be a
woman let her enter with her face
wholly yelled and her dress reaching
the floor. and then attempt 10 take die
tati0n from a fe2-Crowned sheik.
X
Neither Turk nor Bolivian can hope
To become civilized" untn he assumes
civilized rniment,
Would "SockleSS Simpson have re-
tanned his rank In the Popultst party II
he had been caught with conventional
socks Better be an Indian In Bolivia
and go barefooted President Thomas
Jefferson. in order TO shock the Federal
isl public and prove his proletarian
democracy, appeared at his FIRST inaugu-
ration ball. In 1901. with no preparation
In dress for the ceremony, but wore a
blue coat. a thick drab waiStcoat with
a red underwaiStcoat Tapped over IT
green yelveteen breecheS, with pearl
buttons yarn stockings and slippers
And that ut his own ball! lie knew
better for ne did not adopt Slovenli~
ness until he was elected President
While he was Minister 10 France, he
lived elegantly and extraordinarily
~
II is quite possible that costume may
cut larger figure III the present polit- |
ical campaign than the managers nov
realize. By what right do the follow !
erS of Gov Smith take a brown derby !
tot their party trade mark" Knowing /
as they must that for ages brown !
bonnet has been the uniform millinery /
OF GeuakeresSg II. then headdreSs |
apparel doth proclaim the party. shall |
all HooverlteS don, not the fez Of
Turkey, but the black silk beaver of