The San Francisco call., 1910-11-18
Writer Scores Divorce Laws
Inequality Called a Crime
Wife Of Bank President
Shows Necessity OF
Speedy Reform

Branding as "a nations crime the
lack of uniformity in the divorce laws
Of the several states of the union, Mrs
l. Lowenberg. wife of the president of
the City and County bank of San Fran
cisco. and one of the leaders in club
dom and society here, has taken occa-
sion in her latest novel, bearing that
title and published yesterday. to point
out through the medium of forceful
story the imperative necessity for a
remedying of the existing laXity in
this regard. This is her second work
of Importance. tThe first, "The Irresist-
ible Current" dealt with the chasm be-
tween Jew and Gentle.
The theme of "A Nations Crime" is
merely the probable working out of
the laws as they are. Much of it has
the appearance of being based on actual
court records. The tale in brief is that
a Maryland woman, who is unhappy
with her husband, secures a Reno di-
Vorce. Immediately after the divorce
she is married to the man of her love
Many years later, after the birth of
two children to the second husband, a
will contest arises and by the laws of
Maryland it is held that her second
marriage was Illegal and her children
in the eyes of the Maryland law illegit-
innate
MISERY CAUSED BY LAW
Around this situation are woven the
miseries of the mother, the blighted ro-
mances of the children. The startling
feature of it all is that with the hap
hazard divorce laws and haphazard di-
vorce decisions, is the probability of
the conclusion drawn by the author.
II I
popularity supposed to hedge the Off
cial acts OF a sister state are broken
down by present day decisions and
Mrs. Lowenberg makes II clear that
until the states adopt some uniform
rule, misery, sorrow and suffering Of
the innocent are bound to follow.
Quoting the Judge who gave the de-
cision which declared Illegal the mar
riage of the main characters in her
book. Mrs. Lowenberg says:
The results of our divorce laws
are sad as well as diSgraceful.
What a reflection on the legislation
Of a people, where a man or woman
is married in one state and not in
another: is lawfully married in one
latitude and longitude, and a big
amist or a bachelor in another Of
all the states in the union Onlv in
two states are the laws of mar
riage and divorce alike. And that
the same laws of a uniform mar
riage law do rot exist in every
state of the union is a nations
crime q
LAW DECLARED UNREASONABLE
Speaking on this topic she again
says:
They knew and felt that though
the marriage might be declared
illegal it was through no fault of
the Allersons, but executed through
ignorance and through a wrong
conception Of the law. And though
it was a violation of the law, the
law is unreasonable. unknown to
most lawyers as well as to most
laymen of the state of Maryland:
and that the law Of these United
States in not having a uniform
divorce and marriage law, to be
recognized in one state as well as
in another. is a mound of iniquity.
world of wrong, the cause of the
plunging innocent families, par
ents and children in the most reck-
less way into the gulf of despair,
and crying aloud for reform. This
cry can not be heard too soon, for
in these days of lax and rapid
divorces these entanglements may
be expected TO occur more and more
frequently.
EXCUSE FOR SUICIDE
A girl, declared illegitimate by a
court decision, commits suicide and at
her grave this ensues:
ne minister continued: She
who is sleeping the eternal sleep
Is innocent; she had not committed
any crime: the nation is RESPONSE
bic for its unwise, unjust laws,
therefore 1t is a nations crime
The people did not condemn her.
but in the sincerity Of their hearts
bowed their heads in alteration.
The tendency among a certain type
Of judicial officers to tear down the
popularity accepted principles of law is
again brought forward by Mrs. Low
enberg in a vivid manner when she
gives what is evidently an accurate re-
print of a Chicago dispatch in a news
paper:
Let me read you this-the article
taken from a Sunday paper:
Weeping wives and frightened
husbands besieged the Office of
Marriage License Clerk Salmonson
in the county building yesterday in
vain effort to learn whether they
were legally married or whether
according to a recent decision of
Municipal Judge Beitler. they had
been united by justices of the peace
who had no authority. Many
women carried babies, while others
led small children. All had read
of Judge Beitler's ruling that mar