Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-08-25
ENGLAND PROBES
DIVORCE PUZZLE
Royal Commission Now Hearing
Proposed Changes.
HAVE SEPARATION PREvENTER

Proctor and Detective Force Novel
Agents In Breaking Up Prsarranssd
casss-Mors Lsnisney In Laws 10
Desired, Though Church Of England
| 10 Divided on Matter.
| In America when a law becomes uu-
workable on account Of its age and
| the changing conditions Of civilization
or from some other reason the people
either calmly ignore 1t and allow It to
sink into desuetude or they have Il
changed.
In England when a similar state Of
affairs comes about the people usually
grumble about 1t for a generation or
two: then they begin to ask ques-
lions in parliament. and finally a royal
commission IL appointed to inquire in
to the whole business.
The commission holds an immense
number of sittings. takes reams upon
reams Of evidence and publishes q
! whole library of reports. After tho
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. J. 81.
Tenant, and they have to sit day aft
er day listening to evidence a great
deal Of which Is quite unprintable.
The commission so far has elected a
lot Of interesting information. but
about the most interesting thing that it
has brought forth Is the existence Of
the kings proctor. A good many peo-
pie knew In vague sort Of way there
was such al official, and some persons
who had run foul of the strict regula-
tons governing divorce in this country
had good reason to know, but what his
functions were or how be exercised
them seems to have been mystery
even to lawyers.
Proctor Has Detective Force.
The present holder Of the Office Is J.
! P. Mellor. and he gets salary Of $780,
600 year. He has an assistant proc
tor at 5000 and a STAFF Of clerks to
help him, and he has an Office at the
treasury in Whitehall. He is supposed
to inquire into every undefended d.
vorce suit, and for this purpose he can
call on the detective stan at Scotland
Yard.
This is why those who think they
have fixed up nice. friendly little d.
vorce case which will 80 through with
out trouble and without publicity are
surprised to find themselves Swallowed
by shrewd looking men in the most
unofficial Of plain clothes. but with ex-
tremely broad toed boots. and later on
to find that some one or other has in
formed the Judge they were really
quite friendly and didn't need a sever
ance Of the marriage bond ut all.
As a matter 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 q wife
who has been adjudged by jury guilty
Of unfaithfulness and against whom
decree nisi has been pronounced may
set the kings proctor on the track Of
her complaining spouse. with the re-
suit that the Judge decides the hus-
band is as bad as she and not entitled
to relief.
Divorce Question Divides Church.
The sittings Of the divorce commits
sion have brought forth a good many
other interesting things in addition to
the existence Of this mysterious off,
cial. One Of them is the wide diver
gence Of opinion in the English church
on the subject Of divorce. Officially
the church takes the high Catholic po-
sition that marriage is indissoluble for
any cause. and a 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 good deal easier.
Among these are Canon Hensley Hen
son. the famous preacher ut West :
minister abbey. who declared that the
present marriage laws were danger
to public morals and absolutely mediae-
val in their character.
So far the two demands that seem
to be most insistent are that divorce
shall be made cheaper and the sexes
shall he placed on an equality as re-
CARDS the cause for divorce. There
is certain limited demand for the ex-
tension of the causes, but 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.
In England at present man may =,
obtain q divorce because Of the un-
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