The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-30

the United States twenty years ago
were slightly larger than in the rest
Of the civilized world. Today the ex-
cess in this country is alarmingly larg-
er. This increase is accompanied by
a constantly increasing social accept
ance of those divorced. This has ex-
tended even to Europe. Twenty yeacs
ago no court in Europe permitted any
divorced person to be presented to the
sovereign. King Edward has departed
from the practice Of mis- mother in this
respect, and at most European courts
a divorce no longer bars woman,
much less man, from the social rec-
ognition involved in presentation at
court.
In almost any country In the world
the publication Of these divorce sta
tistics would cause horror or some
thing akin to it. Unfortunately, 1t
does not seem to do 50 with US. We
seem to have grown callous to the evil.
In vain have warnings been uttered
against the peril; the public conscience
is not aroused; we have much preach
ing against this destroyer Of the home.
but it is unheeded; great leaders IN
public life, like President Roosevelt,
denounce it, but without any appreci-
able effect; judges deprecate it's frs
quency, but the evil grows apace;
legislators and noralists devise means
to check its growth, yet divorce rate
increases. What, it will be asked, is
the cause why divorce spreads to such
an alarming extent in America?
Let me cite the answer Of leading
Episcopal clergyman.-Dr. Floyd Tom
kins, rector of Trinity church, Phila-
delphia, who says:
"The main cause for the growing
tendency to divorce lies in the fact
that the church has not taken a def
mite stand in the matter. It should
have come out squarely at the last
convention for no divorce and not re-
mained in an attitude Of hesitancy on
the subject.
years have gone by and the divorce
evil has grown and the church has
done nothing definite. She has taken
half measures when only the most
rigid should have been resorted to.
'In q greater or less degree all re-
ligious sects follow the lead of the
Episcopal church, and If she had come
out definitely on the subject other
churches would have followed. Thus
a great influence in the matter has
been lost"
A leading Jewish rabbi, DR.. Krau;- !
kopf, noting the fact that one-third
Of the number of divorces are granted
to husbands, places a large share #
the blame on woman and the false
training Of American girls. This is
what he says:
"The preparation which too many
parents give their daughters is Dut
a training calculated to lead in tho
shortest time possible from the mar
riage altar to the divorce court. From
the day the daughter enters young
the sole thought Of such
homes Is man. catching. To that end
no expense is spared, no extravaganza
denied, no field barred, no artif1ce
that shall enable the gorge
ously decked out huntress quickest to
entrap her victim and to bring min
conquered to her feet" /
Cardinal Gibbons in recent inter.
view stated that the growth of the
divorce evil "is the result Of false,
loose Interpretation Of the gospel
Every one of the gospels is opposed
to divorce. If divorce is to be checked
there must be a stricter regard Cor
the truths Of the Christian religion, :.
as they are taught by the Catholic
church. If we profess to be Christians,
let us be Christians
The publicity given te divorce scan