JAZZ RUINING GIRLS, DECLARES REFORMER

Chicago, January 21st

"Moral disaster is coming to hundreds of young American girls through the pathological, nerve-irritating, sex-exciting music of jazz orchestras, according to the Illinois Vigilance Association."

"In Chicago alone, the association's representatives have traced the fall of 1,000 girls in the last two years to jazz music."

"Girls in small towns, as well as the big cities, in poor homes and rich homes, are victims of the weird, insidious, neurotic music that accompanies modern dancing."

"The degrading music is common not only to disorderly places, but often to high-school affairs, to expensive hotels and so-called society circles, declares Rev. Richard Yarrow, superintendent of the Vigilance Association."

"The report says that the vigilance society has no desire to abolish dancing, but seeks to awaken the public conscience to the present danger and future consequences of jazz music."

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"That the weird, neurotic, sex stimulating strains of so-called jazz music result in a 'feeble-minded morality' is indicated in a study recently completed by the Illinois Vigilance Association....

"Mid the distracting notes of the saxophone and the weird beat of the tom-tom was witnessed conduct not hitherto seen outside the old red light district.

"In full view of the audience, which included many boys and girls apparently still in their teens, couples on the floor gave way to almost every form of indecency. Dancers violently threw their arms about each other, frequently assuming immoral postures.

"Lights were lowered, and to the strains of syncopated music action that are indescribable took place. This is the full flowering - the fruition of modern erotic music, which has so crazed and befuddled the moral make-up of young people...."

From the New York American, based on an Illinois Vigilance Association report printed in 1922