Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-22
Chamber of Commerce Asked
to Use Influence.
CITIZENS SIGN A PETITION
Present Law Considered to Work
Many Evils.
WANT RETURN TO OLD CODE
But One Cause Now Recognized in
District as Sufficient for Alb
solute Divorce

The Chamber Of Commerce has been
asked to exert its influence toward get
ting the existing divorce laws of the Dis
trict OF Columbia changed. A petition sign
ed by several prominent citizens of the
city has been received by A. Leftwich
Sinclair. chairman Of the chambers COM
mittee on law and legislation. The names
have not been made public. The petition
recognizes but one reason for granting d.
asks that influence be exerted for the en-
before the present code went into effect.
The petition states:
THE law as it stood before the present
years desertion and abandonment, for
continued drunkenness for three years and
for cruelty of treatment endangering the
life or health of the party complaining,
and our Judges were we'll satisfied with
that law"
The present law Is characterized as be-
ing mischievous as a divorce law can
be. 1t states that in many instances in
this city husbands have deserted wives.
leaving children, and have disappeared
from the city.
Members Of Subcommittee.
The petition comes just in time to be
the first piece of work for the subcomu1it-
tee of the law and legislation committee
formed to examine the code and report as
to any amendments deemed desirable.
The members are Charles w. Clagett,
chairman; Walter C. Balderston, Charles
w. Darr. X. Golden Donaldson, Leo p.
Harlow. Eugene A: Jones, Wilton ]. Lam
bert, Charles Linkins, Joseph D. Sulli-
Conrad TT Syn1p IarneS Tnnnney
J. Dawson Williams and Alexander Wolf
Text Of the Petition.
The petition, which is dated March 10,
1909, is as follows:
I'VE wish to call your attention to the
divorce laws now In force in the District
OF Columbia. See section 963. District of
Columbia code. You will see that among
the causes for divorce there IL really but
one-adultery.
There are many instances in this city
where men have married young women.
lived with them long enough to beget sew.
eral children and then deserted them, and
left the District Of Columbia, never hav.
Ing returned. and have now been absent
for number Of years and unheard Of
This Is about as mischievous as a d.
vorce law could well he; for young
women. being driven to DESPAIR on finding
that the law affords them no redress. are
also are the men whose wives have de-
serted them
IT the attention OF Congress were cali
ed to this state OF things 1t would be
quite willing to correct II.
THE law AS II stood before the pres
ent code was enacted, gave divorce for
two years desertion and abandonment,
for continued drunkenness for three
years. and for cruelty OF treatment en-
dangering the life or health OF the party
complaining. and our judges were well
satisfied with that law.
There are many couples now living
together clandestinely. without marriage,
because of the too great stringency OF
the law Just as was the case in France
before the formation OF the present re-
public--i. e., under the rule of the mon
archy and the hierarchy.
I'VE desire your committee and the
Chamber Of Commerce to take I'D and
consider this matter in the interest of
good morals In this District