The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-08-23


Desired, Though Church of England
Is Divided on Matter.
In America when a law becomes IN
workable on account of its age and
the changing conditions of civilization
or from some other reason the people
either calmly ignore ii and allow il to
sink into desuetude or they have it
changed
In England when a similar state of
affairs comes about the people usually
grumble about it for a generation or
two; then they begin 70 ask ques
lions in parliament, and finally royal
commission is appointed to inquire In
to the whole business.
The commission holds an immense
number of sittings, takes reams upon
reams of evidence and publishes "a
whole library Of reports. After the
lapse of a few more years these re-
ports are digested and parliament gets
around in its leisurely way to abolish
ing or amending the law in question.
English Now Investigating.
This process is going on now in rela
ton to the English divorce law. Most
Englishmen have been agreed for
years that the divorce law is antiquat.
ed and that change is needed, and
now they have got to the royal com
mission stage. Among the members
of the commission are two women
Lady Frances Balfour and Mrs ]. II
Tenant, and they have to sit day aft
er day listening TO evidence Il great
deal of which is quite unprintable
The commission so far has elected q
lot of interesting information, but
about the most interesting thing that II
has brought forth is the existence Of
the kings proctor. A good many peo-
pie knew in a vague sort of way there
was such an official, and some persons
who had ruin foul Of the strict regula-
lions governing divorce in this country
had good reason to know. but what his
functions were or how be exercised
them seems to have been d mystery
even to lawyers.
Proctor Has Detective Force.
The present holder of the Office is j
p. MelIor, and he gets a salary of $40.
coo year. He has an assistant proc
tor at $1,000 and a staff of clerks to
help him. and he has an Office az the
treasury in Whitehall He is supposed
to inquire into every undefended di
vorce suit, and for this purpose he car
call on the detective staff at Scotlane
Yard.
This is why those who think thet
have fixed up a nice, friendly little Iii
vorce case which will go through with
out trouble and without publicity are
surprised to find themselves shadowed
by shrewd looking men in the most
unofficial of plain clothes. hn- with ex
tremely broad toed boots. and later on
to find that some one or other his IN
formed the Judge they were really
quite friendly aud didn't need d sever
ance of the marriage bond at all.
AS niateer Of fact. however, the
kings proctor seldom moves of him
self. He usually is set IN motion By
some busybody or some person who
is interested in the case. Thus wife
who has been adjudged by a jury guilty.
Of unfaithfulness and against whom
a decree nisf has been pronounced nl4y
set the kings proctor on the track Of
her complaining spouse, with the re-
suit that the judge decides the hns-
band is as bad as she and not entitled
to relief.
Divorce Question Divides Church.
The sittinas of the divorce commits
sion have brought forth a good many
other interesting things in addition t.
the existence of this mysterious off
ciai One Of them Is the wide diver
gence Of opinion 10 the English church
on the subject Of divorce. Officially
the church takes the high Catholic POI
sition that marriage is indissolul1le for
any cause. and good many church.
men still adhere TO this, but apparent
~ there are more who are thoroughly
dissatisfied with even the present
strict divorce law and wish to have
divorce made a good deal easier
Among these are Canon Hensley Hen.
son. the famous preacher 1t Wesi
minister abbey. who declared that the
present marriage laws were a danger
to public morals and absolutely nlediae-
val in their character.
So far the two demands that seem
to be most insistenf are that divorce
shall be nude cheaper aud the sexes
shall be placed on an equality as re-
CARDS the cause FOR divorce There
Is d certain limited demand for tile ex-
tension Of the causes. hut apparently
public opinion would be satisfied with
the present situation On this point II
divorce were within reach Of all and
the sexes had equal opportunities
~ England at present d man may
obtain a divorce because of the I'M
faithfulness Of his wife. but for no
other reason woman. however.
must not only prove ullfaithfulness.