Evening star., 1942-05-19

henry MelSmos' RraJulatlOnS Will
have to wait, because something Of
far greater import, something which
calls for an immediate looking Into,
has come along.
We refer to the announcement by
H. Stanley Marcus. chief of the War
Production Boards ready-to-wear
department, that his bureau would
soon issue an order calling for the
trimming off an inch or more on
shirttails.
This action. Mr.. Marcus said. will
save enough material to make sew
eral million shirts.
Undoubtedly true, Mr.. Marcus. but
shirts? Shirts with insufficient tails7
What a horrible thing to foist on
a Nation that is trying TO apply its
mind to an all-out war effort!
What a terrible handicap to inflict
on men pledged to devote the best
that is in them for their country
A short shirt tail is the most con-
founded nuisance of all. The devil.
working in his own laboratory, and
at time -and-haf overtime, couldn't
devise a surer way to run man
crazy than a shirttail that won't
STAY in. We think we speak for all
men when we say we would rather
have one shirt with sufficient an
chorage than a dozen shirts whose
bobtails would fly in the breeze like
distress signals.
There can be no compromise on
shirttails. They are either long
enough to stay in or they aren't.
The shirt, AS 1t now stands, Is more
or less of a masterpiece Of the
manufacturers art. There is just
enough tail on 1t to make it touch
and-go battle for the wearer- II he
bends carefully and carries himself
like a mink coat model, it will stav
below his belt. Let him get a bit
careless, however, and out 1t pops.
To shorten the present-day shirt
tail is TO rob America Of many
man-hours. Industrialists will lose
anywhere from IS minutes to an
hour day tucking in the loose
ends. Airplane welders will turn
aside from a bomber wing to poke
a stray shirttail out of sight.
Mr.. Marcus may argue that for
men to worry about how their shirt
tails are doing is ridiculous. He
may take the stand that at a time
like this 1t doesn't matter If all OF
us go about looking like kites.
Such a stand would be all right II
it weren't for the women of Amer
lea Born into them, just as will
ingness to play bridge three times
week, is a hatred for q Tapping
/ shirttail.
A loose shirttail has roughly the
same effect on them that the mata-
doris cape has on a bull. They'll
brave fire and water 10 reach the
side OF their man and call. Tor
heavens sake, honey, stick your
shirt in"
1t would require centuries for the
American man to get used TO not
caring whether his shirttail was
securely tucked in or not. because
from the time he was big enough
to wear shirt he has been told to
keep 1t In. His mother told him
when he was little boy. So did his
sisters. Later on his sweetheart
looked disapprovingly at him when
his shirttail waved Still later his
wife took charge. and in between
times he was counseled by aunts.
uncles and what have you.
Poets have even touched on the
subject. We all know that beauti-
full bit OF verse about a biblical
character that goes, Where was
Moses when the lights went out,
down in the cellar with his shirt
tail out" Just as we are familiar
with "Goody, goody. gout, your
shirttails hanging out"
Think again, Mr.. Marcus. You
are taking mighty serious step.
| distributed by McNaueht Syndicate, Inc.b