Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-15

America. Any one who has studied
the histories of the great civilizations
-A Egyptian, Babyloniar GreciGn-
will know that the coming of the beard has
always marked perfectly definite Stage in the
development of the nation. America has now
reached that period. Unless miss my guess.
we may expect to see, perhaps within few
months boards springing up over night in all
our highways. byways, cities and towns, max
ing this whole vast continent from ocean to
ocean one veritable fairyland of brilliant null
ti-coiored whiskers.
In the early days of our civilization, when
the great work of pioneering was still to be
DONE men were too busy fighting nature to
pay much attention to their facial appear
ance 1t was a case of the survival of the
f1ttest; the arts were neglected. Then came
the railroads-the development of commerce,
trade and induStry-and all mems attention
was directed toward making fortune. In
this vast absorption Of the racial energy in the
business of getting on" there was little time
to be spared for the so-called ref1nements. The
decoration of ones face was considered task
for women; those few men who Haunted their
well trimmed whiskerS in the face OF almost
universal disapproval-thoSe courageous souls
who dared to suggest that there was some
thing to life besides the mere making of money
were laughed at in the streets and greeted
with loud cries of derision and scorn.
RUT the giant has only been slunlbering and
there are many signs that America hav-
ing passed through the pioneering and COM
mercial periods, is at last coming of age" In
our generation there has grown up a consider
able class of people who are no longer satisfied
to devote their whole lives to the pursuit Of the
almighty dollar" In our cities there are more
and more weu-to-do young men and women
who are eagerly searching for some career
which will satisfy their hungry desire for beauty
and creative expression. And in these is grad
feeling Qualification
of ones personal appearance is in itself
career-a realization which has been closely
followed in all times and in all ages by the
period known to historians as the beard age"
But although the "old order changeth" it
often does so only after a hard fight and in
the face of great opposition. The pioneers of
progress inevitably encounter the jealous forces
of reaction; they meet in death struggle with
those who hercely fight their every move to-
ward something better, something different"
The young man who wishes to grow beard
had better be careful how he breaks the news
to his wife.
There seems to be, among a great many
American women an instructive disllklng or
boards. The case is not altogether hopeless;
the patient husband can, by tact and persever-
ance overcome the most violent Of his wife's
preiudices. But marriage Is a complicated
question Of give and take; it requires self
sacrifices the part OF both; and the selfish
husband who brutally grows the hrst beard
that may come onto his face without any re-
gard for his wife's feelings in the matter will
find himself, sooner or later, in great trouble.
The young husband who wishes to indulge
in a beard and still live with his wife must,
first of ALL prepare her mind for the new ar
rangement. He should take her more and
more to those places where she will be thrown
in contact with boards; he should fill his home
every possible occasion with men who never
shave In case none of his friends answer
to this description he should take pains TO
make new friends. Whenever and wherever
he sees man wearing particularly COM
rnendable beard he should take pains to make
that mans acquaintance, which can generally
be done by stepping up to the gentleman in
question and remarking, my dear sir, where
did you get those lovely whiskers? You must