The WCTU Crusade Against Modern Tendencies
The Women's Christian Temperance Union, from its headquarters in Chicago, is launching a crusade against "modern tendencies." Among the "modern tendencies" to be warred against is that of women's smoking circles; afternoon drinking of intoxicants by women in shady restaurant retreats; mixed bathing at the beaches, which they denominate a "nasty French habit;" flirting on the streets; the wearing of tight dresses, which they say are injurious and disgraceful; peek-a-boo waists, which they denominate "a brazen disregard of common decency." Every one knows that such things as are mentioned above are indeed among the "modern tendencies." And we get so used to them that they fail to give the shock of indecency that would have been felt fifteen or twenty years ago. The whole thing serves to show how the standard of morals is being lowered. And yet with this manifest lowering of the standard of morality, there is still the most vociferous claim that the race is advancing onto higher planes. But the old Book keeps on telling the story of how things will be as we near the end of time, and it is well for men to study it to see the meaning of these "modern tendencies."