PRESENT DAY MORALS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20704, 30 April 1929, Page 17

PRESENT DAY MORALS.

INFLUENCE OF DRESS. “ BANISH THE MOVIES/’ (From Our Own Correspondent.) . SYDNEY, April IS. An august body known as the Council of Social and Moral Reform has been sitting in Sydney and discussing presentday morals. During this discussion some extraordinary views were expressed, and the statements niade by some of the speakers cause a doubt to rise in the mind as to whether the world is as good a place as some of us are inclined to imagine. For nstancc, a well-known social worker, Col Swain, of-the Salvation Army, said that many of the girls nowadays were "nearly nude," but the average man in the streets oi Sydney fails to find much evidence to support this sweeping statement. Mrs F! Swartz Praises Adelaide becaues it has prohibited pillion-riding, and because on the Adelaide beaches a man is not allowed to sit nearer_than three feet to a woman. Again, there is no evidence that the morals of Adelaide are any better than those of any other city. „ The president of the council (Mrs A. V. Roberts) said that on Palm Beach, near Sydney; she had seen sights that were not fit for the eyes of decent people, but as she did not enter upon any details it is impossible to say whether the statement was justified, or to judge of her standards of morality. It is the same with most of these women—when they are asked to particularise they find it difficult to point to any definite lapses of morals. M f had my way,’’ said one woman, I would banish the movies. And I would compel everyone to wear bathing costumes that really covered them from neck to knee." . 1 would not have the costumes any longer than they are to-day,” replied Mrs Edmond Gates. " 1 am broadminded enoug,. to see that the limbs of our young people are beautiful, and I do not think that there is any need for them to ‘ cover them up while they are surfijjg.’ “ 1 know perfectly well that stricter supervision on our beaches is not going t get to the root of the trouble. We have to face cu., fact of a general lowering of the standard of morality between men and women to-day. One sees extreme instances ol it in the growing num-ber-of effeminate men who are about, and the number of masculine girls. Girls to-day must be taught the value.of chastity, u omen of Japan have been known to maintain their chastity even ‘ in the lace or death. Japanese girls are often S'Y™ a dagger on their marriage, and told to use it rather than lose their honour. “ Dress in the streets is responsible foi a . I ,°\. oi the lowering ’ of our morals,” said ivlrs L. Goodison, organising sec* » e wF y t!l ° Racial Hygiene Society. Why do girls want to show their knees? L a i? sure the knee is the ugliest part of the body. Dresses could' ankle length without causing any discopifort. The chief trouble on the beache.. i« that men and women lie in lewd attitudes. Women could hake just as well in a pretty wrap.” All this adds very little to the solving of the problems of human nature.