Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-29
LOCAL DIVORCE Law
REV. DIR. RANDOLPH n. McKIM
OPPOSES CHANGE.
Says Proposed Amendments Will
Make Divorce Easy as It Was
Prior to 1901.

In signed statement Just mace pubic
Rev. DR.. Randolph H. McKim, rector Of the
Church OF the Epiphany, this city, discusses
the published report that the gentlemen
who attended the recent national congress
on uniform divorce laws have recommended
to the District Commissioners radical
changes in the laws Of this district relating
to marriage and divorce.
THE practical effect Of the adoption of
these changes" DR.. McKim says, would
be to make divorce about as easy as 1t
was up to the year 1901. when the present
law was adopted. limiting absolute divorce
to the single cause of adultery. 1t Is earn
estly to be hoped that the Commissioners
will not approve this recommendation. 1t
will be a long step backward in the moral
standards of this community: it will be
to return to a condition in relation to this
vital matter which made the law in this
city scandal.
Il do not believe these proposed changes
will be acceptable to the best elements in
this community DIR. McKim states. I
am certain they will be resolutely opposed
they will also be opposed by the Presby-
terrain, Methodist and Baptist churches,
and 1 trust by all other religious denom-
nations IN the community.
Effort to Rescind.
I'VE may recall the fact that no sooner
had the law of 1901 been put upon the
statute book than a determined effort was
made to have it rescinded by the next ses-
sion of Congress, and the lax law re-
established. That movement met with
strong and united opposition from the
Christian elements in this community
Nearly all, If not quite all, the churches
in the District threw their influence into
the scale against the proposed change
Nothing has occurred since. surely, TO
weaken the convictions of the Christian
people of this city in relation to the great
evil of laXity in divorce.
ION the contrary, The admirable results
of the law of 1901 limiting absolute divorce
q speak Lot of separation) to one single
cause, have been, l think generally recog-
nized / cannot of course, speak for any
church but my own at this time, but feel
confident that The churches l have men
toned, as well as others, will be found OPP
posed to this moral relapse which is now
suggested I do not know whether the au--
thorities of the Roman Catholic Church Will
unite with their Protestant brethren in ac-
tive opposition, but no one can Tor
moment suppose that the representatives
of the Roman Catholic Church would view
with satisfaction the proposal that step
so calamitous to the public morals and so
be taken.
Relative Increase.
statistics show that while the population
of the United States within a given period
increased 60 per cent, divorces have in
creased $50 per cent Indeed, divorce has
become so common, and is obtained often
upon such frivolous pretexts that the sta
bility of the family and society is threat
ened. The family is the root of society and
marriage is the root of the family. The
root of the morals of every society is to be
found in the morals of the family. and
it's morals grow out of the ideals enter
tanned about marriage.
IF there is any place in the United
States where high ideals of marriage and
of the family should be jealousy main
tanned, surely it is in this capital city,
which is indeed city set upon hin. and
whose influence goes out to every part OF
the United States.
1.-THE adoption Of the law of 1901 worked
a great and beneficent change, and the in
fuence of the standard then set up has
been great for good, not here only, but
throughout the United States. Let US not
abandon the high ground upon which we
now stand, upon the pretext of inducing
states like Dakota to improve their codes.
To do SO would be like bartering our birth
right for a mess of pottage'
Churches in Opposition.
1t is understood vigorous objection will be
interposed by the churches of Washington
to the adoption by Congress of the uniform
divorce law agreed upon at the recent con-
vention of the National Congress of Uni
from Divorce Laws held in Philadelphia.
The ministers of Washington, it is an
nounced, propose to organize a movement