The Washington times., 1911-08-24
UPTON SINCLAIR TO
SUE FOR DIVORCE,
NAMING POET KEMP
Social Colonizer Surprises
Literary World BY An
nouncing Suit.

NEW YORK, Aug. 24-Upton Sinclair
author and social colonizer, in q sur
prising statement has announced his in
tention to~bring suit for a divorce, nam
ing Harry Kemp. a young poet. wht
has for some time been a member Of
the colony at Mr.. Sinc'air's summer
home at Arden, Del.
In this statement Mr.. Sinclair declare!
his wife yesterday morning wrote him {
letter so clearly indicating her affection
i"r the young poet that he has no hop,
OF reconciliation. He believes this let
ter will be sufficient grounds for an 40.
tion under the laws of New York.
Mr.. Sinclair declares his wife and Mr.
Kemp came to New York together and
stopped at the apartment OF ner father
w. M. Fuller, clerk Of tie court OF
special sessions
According to Mr. Sinclair, his wife s
rIother, Mrs. Fuller, was sent away to
Arden, and in her absence Mr.. Kemp
and Mrs. Sinclair occupied the apart
Ynent.
The action Of Mr.. Sinclair In giving
out such a statement, or in bringing a
suit for divorce from his wife, will be
co-wOrkers In the social colony of which
he IS the head.
He has repeatedly given his views on
the marriage VOW and ties, and some OF
these views seem to indicate a belief
on his part that husband and wife could
at any time separate and go different
ways should they find the marriage
yoke burdenscme.
On one occasion Mr.. Sinclair saii
When my wife and l fell in love with
each other We talked the whole mar
riage business over very conscientiously.
We both hated the idea of being tied to-
gethcr by either a religious or legal
ceI emony, and we tried to make up our
ample to the world.
But we knew Mrs. Sinclair's father
and mother would go raVing crazy II
we did what cur coEsciences told us
was right. So to ease their minds, we
let some one humble few words over
US and made them happy.
Marriage In this day is nothing but
legalized slavery. That is the most po-
age married woman is bought just as
much as any horse or any dog is
bought"
Mr.. and Mrs. Sinclair were married in
daughter Of William NJ and Mary 4.
Fuller.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sinclair have one child,
a boy.
Outsl0e OF the raOlcal views OF MI.
Sinclair, nothing has ever occurred be-
tween husband and wife to indicate any
domestic infelcity.
Mrs. Sinclair Not Found.
Efforts to find Mrs. Meta F. Sinclair,
wife fthe socialist author, at the
home of her father, H. NJ. Fuller,
deputy clerk of the court Of special
sessions, failed today. and her side Of
her dispute with her husband, Upton
Sinclair, could not be obtained.
At his club here Sinclair said that
he had nothing further to add to his
formal statement of last night. that
his wife had left him to seek stage
career, influenced by mutual friend,
Harry Kemp, a Lawrence Kansas)
poet.
Sinclair's Statement.
The statement issued by Mr. Sinclair
is as follows:
''As soon as 1 can get into touch with
my lawyers. and have the necessary pa
pers prepared, 1t is my Intention to en-
ter suit against my wife, Meta Sinclair,
for divorce. naming as correspondent
Harry Kemp. l wish to make the fol-
lowing statement of facts regarding the
matter:
Harry Kemp. a young poet. from
Lawrence Kan. came TO visit me at my
summer home at Arden, Del. about a
month ago He was an intimate friend
Of mine and / had for a long time tried
to find publisher for his works. which
consider the most :,ignifcant that has
been produced by anv modern Ameri-
can poet. He had previously met my
wife when she was in a sanitarium at
Battle Creek, Mich.
"At nv home there quickly sprung up !
an intimacy to which / found reason TO |
object.
Il her intention to so on the stage |
and be independent Three days |
later Harry Kemp followed, declaring |
that he also was going Oh the stage. |
They went to the apartment of my
who is out of town. Ny
was sent uown to Arden.
II then came TO New York in an
effort to protect my wife. The two
protested that their relationship was
Innocent, but l knew that this was
untrue, and 1 insisted that Harry leave.
The result was that received this
morning a long letter from my wife, in
he course of which she declared her
Intention to stay with Harry, and uI-
imately go on the stage.
II make this statement, because ii
nave just learned that word of my |
Intention has reached one newspaper, |
Ind i would rather the real facss were |
printed than anybodys conjectures. II
lave nothing to add to the statement II
md I respectfully -ask to be spared
'eQuests for interviews. II
UPTON SINCLAIR"