The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-14
SIX CAUSES
 FOR DIVORCE Proposed Uniform Bill Adopted at Meeting.
MANY STATES REPRESENTED
Delegates Gather from ? States
 of Union at Philadelphia.
Goernor Pennypacker Attacked f0I stand On Insanity Clanse-Meas- ure Would Prohibit Legality
 os Youthful Parties.

Philadelphia, Nov. I3.--The Na- tional Congress on Uniform Divorce, in session in this city today. adopted about one-third of the proposed uni- form bill as drafted by the committee appointed at the meeting held in Washington nine months ago. The portions adopted include seven causes under which annullment of a marriage may be obtained and six causes for ab- solute divorce
 Delegates from twenty seven States and the District of Columbia and rep~ resantatives of all Protestant denomi- nations who attended the international conference on marriage, together with the Catholic Bishop Shanley, of North Dakota, attended the sessions which were presided over by Governor Pen nypaeker Discussion of the bill by sections began at the afternoon she's sion. the morning having been taken up by Governor Pennypackers address ad the reading Of the report of Wal ter G. smith of Pennsylvania, chair man of the committee which drew up the bill.
 The important changes in the bill are the striking out of all references to proceedings and practice leaving the question for the various legislative bodies to pass upon. The committee decided that so long as open hearings are held and the laws provide for direct service on the respondent, and fix a punishment for collusion, the measure need not conform to any fixed rule.
 Causes for Divorce.
 The causes for which divorce can be granted are infldelity, felony, blgamy. desertion, habitual drunkenness and intolerable cruelty, and in the dlscus- sions of the various sections there was little opposition to any of these pro- visions but in the list of causes f0- annulment of marriage, opposition was presented against separation.
 Governor Pennypacher took excep- ticn to the clause which pr9vidas that If either party uniEnown to tho other was insane at the time of marriage, t should be annulIed. The Governor said the clause not only gave the sAne party right to begin suit but also to commitment Of the Iunatic- This would give a commission appointed by the court right to begin q suit in the name of an insane party, even if the person nos insane did not want 'a divorce. He argued that marriage was a personal relation and a third person had no rights in the contract.
 Clash on Insane Clause.
 Seneca N. Taylor, of St. Louis, and c. La Rue Munson, of Williamsport.
 
 subject. MT. Taylor said the third par ty Is the public, and it has a right to forbid the propagation Of children from the insane. The question of prop erty rights. he also held, was involved.
 Mir Munson said the clause was the only protection for an insane person against. a designing man or woman. He cited case where relatives and friends were helping 70 protect an im- beetle who had married a designing woman. The clause was adopted.
 There was also opposition to the clause annulling the marriage of a girl under the age of sixteen and a youth of eighteen. Earnest Merten, of Wis consin, said that a girl under eighteen years of age was incapable of making a proper marriage contract and Frank H. Kerr, of Ohio, favored the law of his State which makes the marriage of boy under twenty-one and a girl under eighteen void. Miss Rachel Sie- gal. of Utah, the only woman speaker. held that eighteen years for the girl was all right. She said: 'Women ought to know" The clause was adop- ted. Though personally opposed to di- vorce, Bishop Shanley voted for the sections in behalf of his State because the other delegates Were not present.