The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-01-23

Argues Before I New y DIRK Club
For More Stringent Marriage :
and Divorce Laws.
Her Views Meet With Determined
Opposition From Some Of =
-, Those Present.

NEW YORK, jan 21.-Mrs. Eliz-.
beth B. Grannis, we'll known for her
activity as president of the Purity
League, was the principal speaker by
invitation before the Sunrise: club at
the Cafe Boulevard. Mrs. >Grannis
talked on Marriage and Divorce
and her remarks caused lively dis
cussion., 49,.
Her statement that the divorce
laws were too easy and that there
should be a uniform and more strin-
gent national divorce law called forth
strong criticism: She declared that
women as we'll as men should be
made members of national commit
tee formed to bring about such law.
! Injustice Of Men.
men do not do justice to women, -
Mrs Grannis said. II do not think
that Dr. Lyman Abbott is one bit
more advanced than the most be-
nighted person in his views on the
subjugation of women. President
Roosevelt has neglected golden oppor-
Stunities to do justice to women, but
if all women insisted on their rights
we would have divorce legislation
Throughout this country that would
benefit all women.
If women were only meant to re-
plenish the earth, If she were only OF
use for this one. service, why should
she be endowed with equal intelli
gence with men?" demanded the
speaker. II never heard of any one
commencing men from a public plat.
form. because they were competent to
be fathers
80 - Attitude Of Church., .
The church had not kept in touch
with the advance of women, Mrs
| Grannis said, and they were coming
| out of the church, though" she
added grimly, they are not all com.
in gto the Sunrise club" She con
demned the celibacy of the nuns and
| priests and said that "were the
church once converted to what il
teaches" there wiuld be hope of bet
| ter conditions. The law Of New York
state which makes intidenty in wed.
lock misdemeanor was her avowed
| delight.
y The Opposite View.
| :. II was astounded to hear Mrs;
Grannis say in one breath that she
law said Charming Pollock, the
know that the freer the divorce law
| the freer the woman. The more in
telligent we become the. more d.
vorces there; will be. "A man or "a
woman should have: the same right. to
remove bad: wife; or: "a had husband
as he Or. she has to- remove a bad
tooth: The only arguments that are
I7made against divorce are made -on
religious grounds. IT -: =. <;
"Dr. Felix Adler attacks divorce
but DR.. Adler thinks that nobody has
a., right to: he. happy, especially if he
has been married" James Bryce at
/ tacks divorce. but he must be. igno,
rant OF the fact that it is far better
to seek happiness in divorce than to
endure misery in marriage. Divorce
should be nobody's business except
that of the man and the woman most
interested and their children, and the
more we study the miseries in mar
riage the more convinced we become
that, what Is wanted in this country
is not more stringent divorce law
but more liberal divorce laws"
! 80. 4uo l9ssbOA tAdL WOulou dFc SuCI
believers In MARRIAGE" said Henry
Frank, "ls that they have just discov
cred something which men discovered
long ago-that marriage Is econom
ically the better state. A marriag,
of convenience IL the only marriag'
authorized by Christianity, and au
thority for the statement Is found IL
ST. Paul" :.
7 Mrs. Florence Johnson said tina
people who do not approve of divorc
must endure greater evils. She dc
clared experience had taught that i
is better to permit divorce than b.
opposing divorce to encourage thos
other evils. .,..:~ 81. =,