The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-08-29

laws governing marriage and divorce,
Representative Norris of
introduced just before adjournment a
resolution which he expects to pass at
the regular session of Congress next
winter.
Mr.. Norris believes that the time
has come when effective measures
must be taken, under Federal aus
pices, to enlist the cooperation OF
the States in the effort to obliterate
the twilight zone" between Federal
and State powers. To this end he
would like to See Congress initiate a
movement to induce the States to do
a great piece of work which is en-
tirely without the province OF the
National Government. Instead OF
having Congress attempt to uSurp any
part of the authority Of the States,
he would have Congress put the mat
ter up to the States and beg them
to do the work which it cannot do.
My resolution has to do merely
with the matter of marriage n dl-
vorce," said Mr.. Norris today. But
1 have in mind various other prob
lens in which like cooperation of the
States, with uniformity as the end,
is desirable. If some useful results
could be achieved in the dit ction Of
uniform marriage and divorce laws. it
would be an earnest OF useful posi-
bilities in the plan, as applied in
other directions.
1T happens that at this time there
is a widespread interest in behalf of
marriage and divorce laws calculate
to better conserve the family and
promote public morals. Therefore, it
has occurred to me that this is the
promising field in which to make the
first attempt at reform along these
lines.
Il don't think there is need to dis
cuss the ~desirablity of reform in
ID ~ n pViD on ~
When a man is legally married in
one State, and legally single in an
other; when he may marry on one side
Of a State line, while on the other side
he would be a bigarnist for doing the
same thing. when divorce may be Sc
cured on the flimsiest oretext in one
State, while in another only. limited
statutory grounds will be considered
when we observe the cOmplicatlng
results of these conditions all arOund
us, it is at least plain that something
Is WrOng.
MY resolution pos that Con
gress shall appropriate the necessity
money, and asks the President to call
upon the State governments to appOint
delegates to a convention to consider
uniformity Of those laws This %nven
ton would prepare a plan and it
would be reported pack to the State
Governors. to be laid by them before
the legislatures for consideration. It
would provide a basis for action tend
ing at beast toward uniformity.
The States certainly entertain no
jealousy when the Federal Govern
ment frankly announced its helpless
ness i nthiS field Of action, and merely
asked them to consider the uniformi-
ty desired. Appropriation Of Federal
funds to meet the expenses OF such
a convention would be only further
evidence of the wish Of the Federal
Government to promote, g. good enter-
prise, without assuming either to
dictate or to ururp. :
LAS q lawyer, l have had occasion
to know something Of the good work
Of the American Bar Association cam
paign to get the States to adopt uni
form laws governing negotiable paper
It seems to me that SUCH an authoH-
tat1ve effort for uniformity as Is pro-
posed in my resolution. ought to pro-
duce results sooner. and perhaps more
50 satisfactorily than any volunteer as
ISOLATION could do it.
IT we could once organize a ma
chinery for the consideration OF these
various problems which our dua gov
involves, the problems would
be far on the way to solution. l be-
lieVe that the churches, the best moral
sentiment of the community, and the
intelligent people who the
difficulties Of our dual system, should
cooperate to max possible the adop-
tDOn Of this resolution.
TT makes 40 pretense of being
more than an experiment, but / be-
1ieve it one worth trying. I have
left the proposal rather indefinite, not
attempting to specify what the pro-
posed convention Of State commission
ers should do. 1t might decide to
draft a form Of marriage and divorce
code and to ask the State to adopt
this: or it might content itself with
some general investigation and recon-
~mendations.
In any event, 1 believe the initia-
uon OF such a by the FEEDER
q government would appeal to the
states IN a most effective way we
heeu closer cooperation and under
between the State and Ma
tional Governments, ~ va