Evening star., 1902-01-04
I H E DIVORCE LAW
PETITIONS AGAINST ANY CHANGE IN
NEW ACT.
Ministers Oppose Proposed Amend
ments I'm the Interest of Morality
Fierce Fight Expected.

indications are already multiplying that
the friends and opponents of the new di.
| vorce law, which went into effect on the
nrst OF the new year as a part of the Dis
trict code, are aligning themselves on the
one side to support the new law and on
the other to have 1t amended along the
line of more liberality.
The amendment to the code on this sub
1ect, which is incorporated into the general
bill of amendments which has been pre-
pared by the attorneys of the city and is
now before the District Commissioners.
after having been introduced in both houses
OF Congress, makes habitual drunkenness
for three years an additional ground for
divorce; also cruel treatment endangering
the life or health of the other party and
also desertion or abandonment for a period
of two years.
Ministers Opposed to Amendment.
In answer to this proposition for amend
ment petitions are being filed with the Dis
trict committees of Congress from the min
listers Of the city and others interested
praying that the new code may not be al
tered in this respect. The largest petition
on file bears the signatures of thirty-five
iocai pastors. The petition calls attention
to the great moral benefit the new code
VIII be, not only to the citizens Of the
District, but also to the country at large
1t reads:
1--WE, the undersigned, respectfully and
most earnestly petition your honorable COM
mittee to use Its influence against the re-
peal Of the divorce law for the District of
Columbia enacted on the Sd of March, 1901.
1t is our conviction that to repeal this
law would be disastrous to the best in
terests OF morality in the District The
Facility OF divorce allowed under the pre-
Vious law was productive of great evil, not
a int rncsa 80 ~
community, but throughout the country he
cause or the relation in which the national
capital stands to the rest of the nation.
Inc law against whose repeal we make
thls petition ana memorial is one which NOT
only makes for the moral and social henefit
or our fellow citizens in this community
put may be expected to serve as a pren
aration Tor and the installment of the uni
form law OF marriage and divorce in all the
states, which an increasing number of ofti
zens or this country desire.
Ihere is no social or moral question in
the Judgment of your petitioners of greater
moment to the best interests of the whole
community than the question Involved IN
the preservation Of the purity of the family
through strict law on the subject of mar
rage and divorce, and We venture to i'm
pore the members of your honorable COM
mittee not to give their influence to a
moVement for the repeal Of the present law
which, II successful, would be most dis
couraglng to the friends Of purer morality
ana higher standard of family life
throughout our beloved country"
Fierce Fight Expected.
1T Is expected that a fierce fight will be
waged before the committees when this
amendment Is under consideration by the
two factions interested. The legal profess
sion hold that the rigidity of the new d.
vorce law will simply drive parties wishing
legal separation to the courts in MARYLAND
where IL,
conform to the previous law of the Dis
trict.