The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-14
NO PROVISION I'M
FOR DIVORCE DEGREE
BY LA MAReu1sH DE FoNuENoY.

BY LA MARoUIsE DE FONTENoY.
II ALLY is one of tho countries OF Eu-
rope where the law makes no pro-
n vision for the dissolution of the
marriage tie by means of divorce. Tho
courts at Rome have, however. for the
first time in tho history of italian
Jurisprudence. just granted decree
that is something very much akin to a
divorce. although 1t is described now
! merely as an annulment. Tho petit
toner in the case Is u Count Pasolni.
who on April 10, 1907 married an
| American lady, a Mrs. Montague. When
the parties presented themselves be-
fore the municipal functionaries al
Rome. who alone have the right to
tie the nuptial knot according 10 the
law of the land. Mrs. Montague pro-
duced a certificate. granted by the
United states Consul. In which II was
intimated that there was no legal OBJ
stacle to her marriage.
Not long after the wedding fhe
countess left her husband. and the
Eternal City. and has never communi-
Gated her whereabouts 20 the count
or held any intercourse with him
since. The Italian courts have now
granted a decree dissolving the mar
riage, on the ground that Mrs. Monta-
sue failed to produce proper ceru-
fcate OF her capacity to contract a
legal marriage, the certificate OF tho
consul being In the eyes of the tri-
bunal, OF no legal value.
At the same time. tho court EXPRESS
ed the opinion that marriage is a
purely civil contract, and that as such
bunals, just in the same way as any
other civil contract. either on the
ground that one or the other OF the
parties has failed to comply with the
terms of the contract, or that they
were legally disqualified at the out
set. for one reason or. another, from
entering into the agreement Since
the American cX-Countcss Pasolini
failed TO put in any defence, and the
Judgment has gone by default, there
will be no appeal. and the decision
will stand.
1t is a decision which is far-rench-
In in its effects, anu which Will rem
der entirely superfiuous the necessity
of enacting n divorce law In italy since
every cause for which divorce is grant
ed in other countries can. be included
under the heading OF the Violation or
the civil contract" which man and wife
agree to in Italy when they we'd There
are quite a number of American wo-
men who may be disposed TO take nd
vantage of this new Interpretation of
the Italian law. 20 get rid of matri-
monial letters that have become oner-
GUS while 1t will also lead some Ital-
ians who have been merely separated
from the American heiresess WHOM
they married to make new pecuniary
demands upon them. under the penalty
OF having the marriage annulled by the
Italian courts, and being thereby de-
prived of any further use of the titles,
and perhaps historic names. SO dearly
purchased.
Countess Pasolini. of course by vlr-
tue of the decree obtained by the
count at Rome. forfeits his name ana
titles and becomes once more Mrs,
Montague.
Count Gleichen. who spent n num-
Der of years at Washington as military
attache TO the British Embassy, and
who made many friends IN this country.
has just been promoted to the rank
of brigadier- general, and given COM
mand at Aldershot. Besides being the
godson of the late King Edward and
one of his euuerries-as he is also of
George V.-he is cousin Of both
monarchs. For his father, the late
Prince Victor Hohenlohe, who as
Count Gleichen. rose to the rank of
admiIa al in the British navy, and dis
tinguishtsl himself in the Crimean War
was a favorite nephew of Queen Vic
toria, being a son of her half-sister
Princess Feodore of Leiningen. Cen
eral Count Victor Gleichen is married
to the Hon. Sylvia Edwardes. who was
maid of honor of Queen Alexandra
She spent some six years of her early
girlhod at Washington. where her
father, the Hon Henry Edwardes.
brother of the fourth Lord Kensing-
ton, was secretary of the British Lega-
tion, from 1877 to 1892.
Lord Farquhar, who in recent years
has made a point of holding aloof
from politics, owing to his intimat tie
connection with the regning family
and with the royal household. of which
he still forms part as lord in waiting
to the King, has just accepted the Of
flee of treasurer of the Unionist party.
This has created surprise. since Lord
Farquhar, who Is in the neighborhoou
of seventy, intimated that 1t was a.
wish for greater leisure, and for re-
lief from every kind of work, that led
him to resign his mastership Of tho
royal household some years ago. Lord
Far1uhar's acceptance of the treasur-
ership of the party has given new
courage TO its members. and is regard
ed as indicating n reorganization of
the council controlling their destinies.