Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-14
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

the early Quakers? And our lady Re-
publicans show their affiliations, and
not their faces. by assuming the Quaker
sunbonnet? What would become of the
rouge and nose duller2 Might as well
wear Turkish veil as a Quaker
bonnet
And when modern women revert to
the type of the great-great-grand-
mothers, will they not discard their
permanent waves and their "boyiSh
cuts" and demand conventional wigs,
instead?
And the men OF old, what boards
they wore! 1t was sure sign of
sturdy masculinity to have a mass of
foliage" reaching TO the vest. Some
times it was admired-not always. Be-
hold smooth-Shaven Washington and
jefferson and many other leaders of
the eighteenth century, Today. IL
looks indeed odd to see Europeans with
buShy boards, so completely have
Americans exercised the safety first!
WhiskerS came into style in 1900.
but they still made trouble for beaux,
as one unfortunate walled
With whiSkers thick upon my face.
I went my fair 10 see:
She told me she could never love
bear-faced chap like me.
Il shaved them clean and called again,
And thought my troubles DER;
She laughed outright and said I was
More bare-faced than before"
*
In all the accounts of American Gus
toms and costumes of century ago. it
is notable that the QuakerS were the
leading 'eXquiSites," One OF the
greatest ministers ever sent by Great
Britain TO America was Hon. Stratford
Canning, who came in 1920. and this
is how ne found the dress of the
Americans:
Brooches and silk stockings were not
infrequently worn Of an evening. but
these innovations were perhaps con-
true republican virtues have found
refuge At the foreign Office. trousers,
worSted stockings and CATERS for Win
ter. In Summer a white roundabout.
i. e, cotton jacket, sans neck-cloth.
sans stockings and sans waiStcQat. The
Speaker OF the House sits in his chair
of Office wigleSS and ungowned"
would it not be becoming now II
Speaker Longworth wore his wig while
preSiding?) Il observed several men,
berS Of Congress as we'll dressed as
as being particularly attentive to their
persons. their chinS close shaved and
their hats of the best beaver. Monday,
March Q. when sill attended the PreSi-
dents inauguration IN lace coats and
silk stockings. was most wretched day,
but, as Talleyrand said Nothing is set
tied III America, not even the weather.
Now, Background of Events" is nom
partisan and. III fact. II SideStepS poll
ties. but III view of the talk Of prepa-
rationS III Washington for grand
ceremonial inauguration next March I.
may We not drop a hint 10 the COM
mittce that they should be certain
whether the costumes for men at the
ball are 10 be sans socks. like at JEFF
ferSon'S inaugural ball or should
Quaker neatneSS and brown millinery
prevail? Suppose all of us "QuakerS''
dCnned our lace coats and silk stock
ings and then discovered the President
elect in slippers, sans socks. How
canS2 And Ii We applied at the gate
III the simplicity OF Bolivian Indians.
would that prove our democracy?
And the fair ladieS--bleSS 'emi
Shall they SO in SunbonnetS of Quaker
brown and severe simplicity. or shall
they remember the song OF their grand
mothers day
Now crinoline Is all the rage with
ladies Of whatever age.
A petticoat made like a cage
oh. what a ridiculous faShion
It's formed Of hoops and bars of steel
or tubes Of air which lighter feet
And worn by girls % be geuteel, or
II they've figures To conceal
IL makes the dresses stretch far out
dozen yards or 81 about
And pleaSes both the thin and stout
oh. what ridiculous faShicn"
OF course, it was ridiculous" and
not 20 be compared with the beauty Of
modern knee~length. hoopleSS and snug
skirts OF today just compare the
ireSSeS Of all the Presidents wives. on
Inhibition IN the Smithsonian tnStitu-
ION, with modern ones upon our de
>utante grandmothers" No wonder
he Turks and BolivianS are determined
q become civilized, It's 50 much SIM
>ler-~and eooiers
tCoesriSsL ta.s hy Paul v, cVlitnsl