The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-15
THE WIFE MAY NOT
 OBEY TIE HUSBAND
New Radical Law Introduced In
 France
AN INJUSTICE TO WOMEN
Young Man Has Try at Army Life and Succeeds in outwittine the Re- eruiting offieers-America
 Passes Worthless Check.

Paris, November 1S-No longer will the French wife have to obey her husband if a bill introduced in the Chambers by six prominent members becomes law, as there is every reason to believe it will.
 In the present civil code there is a par agraph which reads: '"rhe husband must protect his wife and the wife must obey her husband" and at all marriages in France the mayor reads out this article to the couples about to be married The promoters of the bill assert that this "old fashioned and out of date article in the code constitutes a real injustice to wom- en-" and is "a barbaric conception which does not coincide with the present equal ity of the sexes"
 It is quite characteristic that the six promoters of the bill are all married Members who are prepared to oppose the bill argue that It Is really not necessary to make any change in the law as 1t stands, for in France the wife is really head of the family in at least half the married population and that something should rather be done towards protecting henpecked husbands. The proposal to suppress the phrase as to the wifes obe- dience to her husband is by no means a new one, for as far back as lS4O a French Feminist club presented a peti- ton to the revolutionary government, then sitting at the Paris city hall, demanding that the article in the code be abolished. Not long ago NJ. Paul Hervieu, the dis tinguished member of the French acade- my wanted to change another article which reads: Married couples owes to each other mutual fidelity, succor and as- sistance." M. Herven, who is first of all an idealist wanted to add the word love- but his proposal was much ridi- culed. M. Cammille Pelletau, the ex- minister, who is much more practical, says it Is of no use whatever to try to regulate marital relations by law, and that 1t is always a question of character. If the husband is a man of strong char acter the wife will always be ready to follow him, but if the woman is the stronger, even the most blatant husband will be but the reflection of his wife.
 A young man from the south has just had a good laugh at the army. He was willing to serve, but wished to have trial first and succeeded. He wrote to the commanding officer at Saint German and was accepted, but when it came to signing the contract he succeeded i'll avoiding 1t and handed 1t back unsigned
 The trick was not discovered and after a week the young man, having had trial
 
 continue. He told the sergeant that he had made up his mind to leave the bar racks and was about to do so when he was stopped and threatened with thes usual penalties. He had no difficulty in proving that he was under no obligation and the authorities were perforce obliged to let him go free after he had had his try.
 Because he paid for a big touring car with a worthless check, an American, who claims to be closely related to several well known New York society people, has been sent to Sante prison for six months
 Some three months ago he called upon an automobile dealer and told him he was looking for a big car He talked so much about his immense fortune and his magnificent Fifth avenue mansion that the dealer was fairly dazzled.
 Some time later he returned and bought car which he paid for with check for S5000 drawn on the Credit Lyon nais. It was after banking hours, so that the check could not be cashed. The next day was Sunday and the day following was July IA, the national holiday, but the dealer paid no attention to this sue cession of holidays and he had besides the fullest confidence in his American customer.
 On the Sunday, that is to say, on the l3tn, the Alneflcdn feAppSdreu. He Wdlit- ed to make a little excursion in the su- burbs and requested the dealer to allow one of his chauffeurs to drive the car he had bought. The dealer offered no ob- jection but when on the 10th the car had not returned, the dealer, presented the check on the bank, and was told there was no money to meet it.
 The same evening the chauffeur re- turned, but without the car. He had, however a telegram, signed by the dealer ordering him to return to Paris at once.
 He therefore left the car with the Amer ican, who continued his journey to Lon don. The telegram was false. The dealer now realizing that he had been swindled, swore out a complaint against the Ameri- can, who was subsequently, arrested in London.
 Questioned by the examining magis- trate, the American declared he was un- der the impression there was money to cover the check, as his brother had prom ised to deposit a large amount in his name.
 My brother has not sent the money" The added, "because I married against his will I am victim of love-
 The judge, however, did not accept this excuse and sent the American to prison.