The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-18
FOREIGN MARRIAGE LAWS.
Regulations Of Divorce and Matri-
mony i'm France and Germany.

~ -
mony i'm France and Germany.
London Chronicle.
A paper was presented to Parliament In
1894 containing returns in which an outline
was given of the marriage laws prevailing,
in foreign countries, especially the ages at
which marriage could be contracted. the
laws Of prohibition, the hours in Which the
ceremony could be performed and the fees
charged. Returns showing the state of the
law on divorce in the various countries,
especially the grounds on which divorce
could be obtained, and the cost, were also
included in the correspondence. In June,
1902, Lord Lansdowne wrote a circular let
ter to his Majesty's representatives abroad,
in which he requested that they would fur
nish him with a report In a form suitable
what, II at all, the marriage laws and law
of divorce in the various countries to
which they were. accredited had been
amended since 1894. These reports have
now been officially published. and show
that some interesting changes have been
effected in the two branches of law, though
state that no amendments have been made
in the statutes of the countries to which
they are accredited. 1t is the simplest
course to deal with the various states in
which the laws have been altered in the
~alphabatical order in which they are ar
ranged in the correspondence.
In Belgium considerable amendments
were made in the marriage laws by a new
law in 1896, which ~cheapened and simplified
the formalities preliminary to marriage. A
similar policy was pursued in France in
the same year. and the position which
family institution is well exemplifed by
the modification introduced into Article Isl
of the civil code:
tanned the majority fixed by Act i4s they
must, previously to contracting marriage.
request an instrument couched In respect
full and formal terms the advice of their
fofhor and m0fhar or that of their GRAND
fathers and grandmothers, when their
father and mother are dead. or incapable
of manifesting their will"
In Germany the imperial law Of 1875.
which regulated personal status and mar
rage throughout the whole German en-
pire, has been embodied, with modifca-
lions. in the civil code. which came into
English women in foreign countries has re-
Gently been the subject Of discussion. and
1t is interesting to observe that, under the
civil code, English subjects domiciled in
Germany are subject to German marriage
laws. while English subjects NOT domiciled
in Germany are subject to English law.
But the most sweeping change has taken
place in the German law Of divorce. The
laws of the separate states have been an
nulled, and the principles regulating the
divorce law for the whole empire are now
contained in the civil code. At the same
time the reasons for divorce AVE been
largely altered. and may be profitable COM
pared with the narrow limits Of our own
divorce laws. The new German law rec
ognizes not only divorce. but separation.
which has all the effects of a divorce. the
separated parties. however. not being al
lowed to contract a new marriage, and be-
ing able at any time to resume their con-
Jugal relations. The following are the stat
utory reasons for divorce:
/. Adultery, equivalent to which are con-
sidered unnatural vices and Illicit inter
course of any kind. In the case OF adultery
the guilty parties may be imprisoned on
the application of the Innocent party.
2 Endangering OF life. when one Of the
| married pair seeks to destroy the life Of the
. other
8 Desertion in certain circumstances.
Insanity. which must have existed Con
| three years and Be pronounced incurable.
! s Finally = plea Tor divorce can b