The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-05-14
SEEK REFORMATION
OF MARRIAGE LAW
Of FRENCH REPUBLIC
n4sn and Women Of Prominence OPP
posed TO System Which Makes
Wedding Matter of Difficulty.
league Tossther for Purpose Of End
Ing Rsd-TsPsism In Connection
With Mstrimeny.
Psan With object Of Making Both
Parties 70 cerer-eny Equal In
Eyes ef the State.
Special Dispatch to The Can.

PARIS, May is.-H success does not
attend the movement that Is now on foot
o. reform the French Marriage Law, 1t
WI not be at any rate because men and
women Of position and influence have
failed 70 identify themselves with it. The
dss, Of course, is to get nd of all the
restrictions and red-tapeism that now
make the business Of getting married In
France matter Of such unconscionable
time and trouble, as well as TO put both
parties in the transaction on an equal
footing IN the eyes Of the law, and with
the Object Of bringing the whole matter
definitely before the Chamber Of Depu-
ties, a Committee has recently been
formed in Paris that is eminertly repre-
sentatves Of both the intellect and the
culture Of France.
Chief Of the members OF this Commit
tee IS perhaps, President Sere de Re
Eieres, who is Supreme Judge Of the
French Correctional Court, and one Of
ne leading legal authorities in the Re-
public The moving spirit Of the Reform
movement Is, however, Maitre Henri Cou-
ion, the distinguished advocate and jurist
who for the past twenty-five years has
been directing practically all his efforts
toward ietfecting drastic changes in the
laws which at present regulate the mar
Rage contract" IN the Republic. Quite
auralJer eff authors and ferninists Of
nesl gtinction are also members Of the
Committee IN the persons Of Marcel Pro
vost, vino wrote the much discussed
90 Dezni- EisEges,'s the brothers Paul and
Victor Marguerite, Henri Bstsille and
Octave Nirsbeau, the dranstists, Madems
AMI de s2inte-Crcix, the renowned fem
mist and foundress Of the louvre Mber-
atrice," Madame Berteaux Scguin, the
Franco American writer and entress, and
ArIle Ssverne, the French E n Pnestess
Of Emancipation for women, 10 name
only a few % the best known members OF
the Marriage Reform Committee.
Il is the committee e intentiea TO bring
G biII-drzfted by Maitre Couign-before
the French Chamber Of Deputies imned-
lately after the coming elections-er
early n Juns next.
This bill VIII aim firstly at enabling
Young men and wcnen who have at
tanned the age Of tven4y-ore and eighteen
1aspeetively TO marry without TIE consent
Of their parents, and az sbohsAing the
ezaspersttng and undigrtned system Of
osicial6cu which ct present makes ZAP
Rage 50 severe trial Ascending 10 the
present law, Of course, young men under
twenty5fTe and girls under twenty-one,
cannot nary without Che petsrni con-
sent-with the result. as eveEyons knows
that spzestics[ly every GID II married
e A a A. 2~A-fF- - H.
f'cCu-&sAsp" a. bossed BY The reAstives
q bon, and lovs generally put 0ut Of the
question altogether. Moreover, In France,
declarations and tnnurnerable unneeessaU
documents have 10 be drawn up and
signed, and even 81 elderly fxneee Of
sky has to ezan EAe consent Of the head
OF his family before he is abs to appear
st the MEar4s q LIS Adghbnrhood with
his hrids.
Here, for example, h o list Of the
d5cuneuts which two Young people must
produce before they nAxz7. The young
msng
I. Ht1 hrfh certificate.
2. TIE consent OF bis father.
8. The consent Of his mother.
4. Els military certificate
8. A certificate Of the banns with TIE
name Of fhe placs Of publication.
e. The names of the places where Ids
and la pare14z fTe-
sThs g1rl mzst bring [suPpostng she Is
IN so-phan);
]. Her biPth cerfifcaoe.
g A death certificate Of her father.
9. A death certificate Of her mother.
4. A certificate of residence In Paris.
3. TIE consent Of her grandmother.
Is is any wonder that, as the Marriages
Behorm Committee points out, a whole
sale cause Of immortality N France L. .
growing tendency Of men and women,
who have no families, 20 live together
without the fOrmality Of the wedding
ceremony, rather than 60 10 the enormous
trouble Of collecting all the various doeu-
ment1 which are now necessary 10 satisfy
oficial6omf
Il Sc hoped. 20 amend the present Mar
rage Law N many other respects-to
ecuahse punishment for adultery, for In
stance. and TO make wives the sole mis-
tresses Of thetr own properties but these
and ether technical points need net be
gone into. Suffice il b say thst II Ia
practically eertsin, from . preliminary
carvass Ct the Chsmbe1 Of Deputies, that
the proposed BIN fsr amending the Mar
rage Code VII pass that body, and that
its consequences are likely 70 be % far
reaching that IL would be Aext 70 i'm
ross;bIe e forecast them