Evening star., 1928-05-05
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

The first national gymnastic and
athletic exhibition for Fascist girls is
| condemned by his holiness, the Pope.
| The OSservatore Romano. the official
organ of the Vatican. publishes III full
letter written by the Pontiff. which
seriously deploreS the fact that in the
| holy city of Catholicism, after 20 CEN
turies of Christianity, less attention
should be devoted to the delicate re-
gard due TO young women and girls
| than was the case in pagan Rome.
! He asserts that ancient Rome excluded
women from participation In athletic
events. even when the city descended to
| the nethermoSt depths OF decadence. as
they were also excluded IN ancient
Greece The Pope felt that 1t was urT~
necessary TO give the reasons for his
opposition. as such fathers and mothers
| who are not led astray by false or ex-
aggerated theories understand them by
| natural instinct
* ~
| The protest of public opinion is not
| limited to Rome. nor to any particular
creed Standards of devotion Ito the
| delicate regard due TO young women
/ and girls" has not always been the
| same throughout the centuries. nor have
dress rules been uniform. Hence, the
| assurance that parents will recognize
the reasons for restraining their daugh-
| ters from athletic performances in pub
| lie may be questioned by the average
| laymans observation. There Is only
| one characteristic of natural con-
| science" which is uniform-"for con-
| science doth make towards OF us all"
Even the most conscientious but cow
| ardly parents, facing athletic and willful
daughters, might be willing to evade
the responsibility put upon them by the
| Pope's confidence that they will do their
| duty as parents.
| y
| Illustrative OF the wide variation of
| ideals OF behavior of the sexes IN diff
| ferent ages, II Is recalled that a century
or two ago 1t was a high felony in Spain
| for any one 10 infer. in any remark,
that the Queens person had neither
limbs A few centuries or so previous
the customs i'm France we're such that
the young ladies of the court made no
bones" about appearing In the streets
OF Blois, the capital of the Borglas.
stark nude. astride OF bareback horses.
That was the favorite form OF Joy
riding as manifested by pictures still
exhibited In Blois.
In Toulouse there Is n great painting
In the provincial gallery with many fig
ures life size. 1t depicts a bathing pool
from which beautiful and rather
naughty lady Is emerging in all her nat
ural exquisitcncss Her husband Is seat
ed beside the pool In "A thronelike chair,
clothed and In his right mind proudly
gIoating over the beauty of his wife.
while at the baths edge are several
courtiers dipping cups into the water
Tor the purpose Of drinking its am
brosialike sweetness. made delicious by
the recent bath OF such "A beauty The
lady has no eyes except toward her law
iui spouse. which proved her adherence
10 the etiquette OF the day.
In ancient Greece, according To classic
art. 1t was the custom for noble ladies
TO disfobe far from the public baths and
be accompanied thereto by their ladies
IN waiting. That Is simply mot done
any more"
When cortez arrived In Mexico he
found Indian girls wholly covered with
elaborate painting and they considered
themselves CONNIE II faut SO long ms the
paint was not washed or They blushed
IN sudden rains II is not recorded that
they were ms we'll equipped with mir
Iors and llpsticks as are their successors
of today tashiDnabes nf all America
ana Europe. styles and costumes do
change
Who can remember when vile men
enngteRated 1T windy street corners 10
observe the tiuttnring ot skirts, which
might occasionally display slim ankles2
Today The line 0f exhibit Is closer to
the phteilas and the famous surgeon
Or Mayo testified that high. .heeled
shoes are running the shape ot the
calves thus distorted by the strain OF
walking Proper gymnastics might yet
save the day IN overcoming high heels
In Tact, the P0ntltf emphasizes that he
approves 0f gymnastics, which give the
BODY agility, solid grace. health and
strength" But II must be done IN the
right way, al the right time, In the right
place, Everything must be avoided"
AayE the Pope, (which contrasts with
reserve and m0deaty which are the Or
nament and safeguard OF virtue Such
instruction must contain no incentive %
vanity or violence. II womhn's hand
must be raised, we hone and Dray that