“WICKED FASHION.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 October 1924, Page 7

“WICKED FASHION.”

R.G. PRELATE’S ATTACK. „ • SYDNEY, Oct. 3. What people call up-to-date fashions are not in keeping with womanly modesty. They are dangerous. It ia deplorable to think girls will commit indiscretions and wear dresses which expose their limbs.” In this manner Archbishop Kelly, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, opened a remarkable attack on woman’s dress in an address at- St Anthony’s Home, Petersham, last Sun day, “People can be too tolerant,” he said. “Too much patience in regard to immodest fashions is shown even in the Catholic Church. Thousands of our city girls come out in glaringly indecent druses. It is pitiable to see our young women lowering- the standard of womanhood. It can have but. one result.” He said that the conduct of . the .young women of Sydney in parading themselves in dresses, which were as near to indecent as it was possible to get was painful to see. Those women, he went on, were as butterflies and. moths flying round the flame of the candle. He was referring to the causes which lie said, brought about the downfall of women, and resulted in the establishment of Roman- Catholic homes for neglected and motherless children Roman Catholics, he averred, knew how important it was that these children should be rescued and baptised into the Catholic faith. “You think of the terrible sin that is going on in the world,” he continued, “and of the unhappy mothers the causes of their downfall, and of the drowning of newly-born babies: We know all this, and are only doing our duty in relieving sorrow and rendering assistance. “I do not want to condemn youn£* women who fall—God, forbid. I would not use harsh words against them But just look around you at the temptations young girls subject themselves to. It is then that I cannot refrain from mentioning the immodest and indecent way they dress. It is deplorable to think that girls will commit such indiscretions. ‘ ‘What people call up-to-date fash-, ions are not in keeping with womanly modesty. They are dangerous. Surely it is time we paused to think where we are heading. “I have even seen them in the Cathedral,” he continued sadly. “The other day a young girl came to worship God in a new green dress. There wasn’t much- of it; it was in keeping with the fashion. There she was-, limbs exposed; the dress was sleeveless, and the arms were absolutely bare. She thought she was right to follow the dictates of the wicked thing called fashion. ‘The girl in the sleeveless dress, obeying the dictates of fashion, discarding everything in the shape of womanliness and modesty, is to V pitied. The stories of thousands o 9 babies that are lost in Sydney every year speaks for itself. “The churches teach a- duty in re card to modesty, decency, and the higher things of life. Churchmen should show they Have a greater regard for the position of women in the world by refusing to countenance the excesses of fashion.