Evening journal., 1908-12-01
DIVORCE INCREASE.

lie divorce problem is ever before the coun-
try. recent census report of marriage
and divorce is not pleasant reading to those who
are accustomed TO regard marriage ties as pc
culiarly sacred, and who have become alarmed
by the rapid increase in the number of divorces.
The figures revealed by the census will undoubt-
edly arouse interest in the discussion Of d-
vorce, and there will be more demand for a uni
form system OF laws controlling legal separations.
The TACT remains that Notwithstanding the
general discussion of the matter, and the sugges-
ton OF various remedies, the number of divorces
steadily increases. The Roman Catholic Church
in particular, and other churches have cried out
against divorces In the Catholic Church such
separations forbidden. In some other churches
they are trowned upon. But this condemnation
has made but little impression upon a large and
apparently increasing element of our population.
The Divorce Congress some time ago thor
oughly considered the subject and suggested re-
forms. In own State, in the hope that di-
vorces would be fewer, the hearings of such cases
have been made public In spite of all efforts for
divorce reform, tFe sunderng Of marital ties goes
right along.
AT present divorce is two and one-half times
as common, compared with the married popula-
ton ,as IT was forty years apo Divorces. the
census report shows, have been increasing about
three times as fast as our population Our rate
in diyorce is higher than that of any other nation.
and about one marriage in twelve is followed by
a divorce the census tells us
It is true that conditions arc different that our
population is changing, because of the heavy i'm
migration, and that there are other reasons why
the divorce rate should be higher than it was
forty years ago, but the figures, even considering
all these circumstances, are alarming TO students
of social problems
One reason for the increase is that divorce is
not regarded with such dsfavor by the general
public as it was forty or even a few years ago
AS example Illinois leads the country in
divorces. Illustrative of a kind of sentiment in
Illinois, noted woman worker in that city de-
clares that the high rate Of divorce is Sign Of
enlightenment and is due to the rapidly increas-
ing economic independence OF women. Women
are not forced to depend upon men, she says, for
their support but are able TO carve their own for
tunes A Chicago Judge finds nothing for objec-
ton in the Illinois law governing divorce An
other we'll known woman Of Chicago declares
that the increase in divorces is owing not only TO
the economic independence of women. but also
TO the relaxation Of religious restrictions She
expects to sec further increase in the number
of divorces. "unlcss the idea OF the duty OF par
cnts TO children and that of husband TO wives
undergo a marked change
"A knowledge of the gravity of marriage and
some fitting sense of the responsibilities which il
implies. would have prevented many of these di-
vorces" is the opinion of another Chicago Judge.
Undoubtedly hasty marriages often pave the
way to the divorce court but there many
other causes of the divorce disease for which
there appears TO be no cure. 1t is doubtful
whether there will be in the near future fewer
divorces and certainly there will not be unless
there is a radical change of public sentiment on
this matter. AS people think that the road to
happiness is through marriage many su6se-
auentlv come to believe tk=t the path OF happi-
ness is through the divorce court.