BEARDS:
At the start of his presidency, Rutherford would praise Charles Taze Russell, even stating that CTR was leading the Bible Students personally while being "beyond the vail"(from the heavens after his death). So for a while the Judge promoted remembering CTR. The reason he did this is because the brothers at Bethel still looked to CTR as their spiritual leader and held him in very high esteem.
In time Rutherford established himself without question as the new spiritual leader and president of the society.
However like first century Christians who followed different brothers like Apollos or Paul, there were still brothers at Bethel who still looked to CTR as their spiritual leader. The Judge decided the brothers were focusing on CTR to much (he called it creature worship). The Judge didn't want CTR becoming an icon, so he decided to try and get the brothers to forget about CTR.
Rutherford was aware that many members of the Bible students emulated CTR by growing beards. So in and effort to get CTR out of the consciousness of the Bible Students, the Judge ruled that beards were not allowed in the Bethel families. In a careful plan the Judge cut off the beards of Jesus, and Adam in WTS illustrations to reinforce the idea of no beards. Suddenly male facial hair was "un-Theocratic." Brothers were even told they couldn’t grow a mustache unless they wanted to lose there "privileges." The Bethel rules quickly trickled down to the congregations and the rest is history. The funny thing is if you ask a JW why they can't grow a beard there usual response is “we don't want to be associated with the hippie movement or uncleanness of the 60's”. They don't even realize that the beard ban was made way back in the 20’s. It wasn't until the 70's that the mustache rule was relaxed, this being because of the great popularity of facial hair in the 60's and 70's. The beard ban however still lingers on. The WT yearbook:yb74 97-8 Germany (Part One) *** It was now possible to print TheWatchTower in our own factory. The first issue printed was that of July 15, 1923. Some three or four weeks later a large flatbed press with automatic feed was set up and work began on the first volume of StudiesintheScriptures. Right afterward the book TheHarpofGod was printed on the same machine. But more equipment was needed. For that reason Brother Balzereit asked Brother Rutherford for permission to buy a rotary press. Brother Rutherford saw the necessity and agreed, but on one condition. He had noticed thatover the years Brother Balzereit had grown a beard very similar to the one that had been worn by Brother Russell. His example soon caught on, for there were others who also wanted to look like Brother Russell. This could give rise to a tendency toward creature worship, and Brother Rutherford wanted to prevent this. So during his next visit, within hearing of all the Bible House family, he told Brother Balzereit that he could buy the rotary press but only on the condition that he shave off his beard. Brother Balzereit sadly agreed and afterward went to the barber. During the next few days there were several cases of mistaken identity and some funny situations because of the "stranger" who was sometimes not recognized by his fellow workers. Mystery solved
