The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
Army Officer Talks of Evil
 That Affects Nation
SAVAGES ARE BETTER OFF
Customs of Indian Tribes Are Men toned as Showing That They Preserve Sacredness of Mar
 riage Relationship.

 divorces or limiting them to the least number possible by using their power and influence to checking improper and inn prudent marriages, Maj. Edward H. Hummer of the Fighting Third regi- ment, United States infantry, organized under the act of March 5, 1792, and now | stationed at Fort Wright. three miles west of Spokane, calls upon physicians and lawyers to assist in establishing hu- manly perfect marriage relations, thus banishing disease of the natural union of man and woman.
 Are we not trying to solve q prob l lem from the wrong. end by regulating or attempting to regulate divorces in- stead of marriages?" he asked in bringing up the subject at the army post few evenings ago.
 When asked to give his views in solving a question that has become worldwide, Major Hummer discussed his studies of | the marriage and divorce problem among 1 the Eskimos, the Navaios and the nations throughout the world adding:
 There can not be a divorce without marriage. There is no divorce where marriage entered into results as all mar riages should, and as nearly all would, 1 if proper laws were made and enforced.
 Divorce is an unnatural condition ! disease, so to speak-of the natural 1 union by marriage of man and woman
 Recovery of health and avoidance of 1 recurrence of disease is brought about by applying remedy to the cause, not to ,xJ;r
 "1'hat so-called lax divorce laws are objectionable, especially as causing in crease in number of divorces is a popular fallacy, not based on reason or facts. Marrying laws should be the best, strong est and most rigidly enforced; divorce laws most lenient, without reason"
 Ideal Divorce Law | Major Hummer said that probably the nearest to an ideal, practical aud sat isfaetorily effectual divorce law in this world is that of the Navajo tribe of Indians, the largest single tribe in tue United States community of 25,O00 souls. The law is that when wife believes a divorce necessary she puts the saddle, saddle blanket and bridle belonging to her husband outside of their dwelling place during his absence from home. Finding them there upon his return, the husband is obliged to accept the decree and seek shelter and home elsewhere. He added:
 'It is not entirely irrelevant to men tion, in passing, another wise law of the same tribe. It it "shindy or bad luck for man to look upon his mother-n-law. Upon the approach of a husband if in- duging in a visit with her daughter, the mother-in-law must run away or hide or at least conceal her face and remain si- lent.
 'Is it not possible that these laws of an uncivilized tribe are relics of model, ? dvinely inspired marriage laws which, to us, are a lost art?
 Where and to whom shall we look for release, remedy and immunity from the dsease-divoree?
 Tt always has been and always will be futile to enact state or national d- vorce laws as remedy. They, at best, are applicable to results only as med- cine to a diseased body-but neither re- move the cause of disease nor insure con- tinued healthy eonditions-any more than the administering of physic will preserve health of body; and, moreover, such laws are and always will be limited in ef- fectiveness by the fact that there is and always will be an adjoining or adjacent state or county wherein they rAay be 1 evaded"
 Uniformity of Laws.
 
 if not entirely impossible. to secure uni formity of divorce laws throughout the states of this country, he went on, so that international uniformity is beyond possibility. Adding:
 Let us. then, as we should go to the other end-begin at the beginning 1 Marriage and it's results are the foun- | dation upon which depends the character l istic effectiveness of life, be it individual 1 family, municipal, state or national Health, prosperity, true greatness are more dependent upon the married relation, 1 the united life of man and woman, and 1 the consequent uplifting degrading ef l fects thereof than upon any one other | nay, than upon all the other elements ot l such life.
 "opinions may differ as to the relative l importance of marriage and it's results | but there can be no difference of opinion l as to the fact that 1t is an essential, vital | factor in the progress and strength of cIv- | illzation. We cannot, therefore, expend l too much thought, time. care, labor, and | wisdom in efforts to secure proper prepa- | ration for it, and in so regulating the en- | tering into the marriage contract or. rela- l ton as to secure the best possible results | for the individuals, the state the nation, 1 and the interests of humanity in general , i Major Hummer said that the fate of the 1 nation is closely associated with the era | dle and dependent upon the mothers of 1 it's people, adding
 Preparation for marriage of son or l daughter should begin with the parents, 1 even when they, themselves, are children. "Unfortunately, we cannot make laws ] governing absolutely parents to the extent | of causing them to fulfill the duties of 1 their offspring, but with wise laws, and 1 even without enactment of any law, a | great deal may be done by and through | the chosen guides, leaders, helpers, and l counselors-the church. the state, the l physician, the lawyer.
 | For many reasons 1t seems natural and l proper to give the church first place in l this connection. The history of the world 1 informs us that marriage has repeatedly I<had direct divine sanction. The church is 1 siven, almost universally and exclusive 1 y, throughout Chyistendom, supervision | of the ceremony of marriage, the more or l less public avowal of execution of contract l of and woman to live together as | man and wife,
 Divided Responsibility.
 Major Hummer talked of the divided | rpgronsihi1itv of giving narriage tO