The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-15
JUSTICE TALKS
ABOUT DIVORCE
SUPREME COURT SAYS SOME
THINGS WHICH HAVE SET NEW
YORK TO THINKING AND TALK
ING ON SUBJECT.
Special to The Journal


New York. Oct. 14.-Supreme Court
Justice Ford said some things the
other day anent the subject Of divorce
that has set New York. which Is the
greatest matrimonial trouble centre in
the world, a-thinking and a-talktng.
The remarks Of the court were pro-
voked by an action for the dissolution
for adjudication In the course or the
suit, counsel for the husband turned
to Justice Ford and asked: Under
the circumstances. II your honor were
in my clients place would you be will
ing to take this woman back and sup
port herr"
Justice Ford appeared taken by sur
prise, but replied: ITO answer your
question as a man and not as Judge,
I would say that II my wife brought
an action for separation or divorce. no
matter what the circumstances were, I
would not defend It. Even II, as 1t Is
claimed In this case, my wife had acted
improperly, still would not hinder her
suit in any way. When 1t came to a
question Of a financial settlement !
would give her ell my salary I could
afford and let It go at that"
I suppose some people would call It
chtvalry, but I call It only common
humanity for a man to allow his wife
to get divorce from him If she does
not WISH 10 i've with him.
IF a woman wants divorce so
much that she is willing to swear
falsely that her husband is a drunkard,
a thief or any other old thing, it is
the mans place to keep still and let
her go ahead. In all cases OF marital
infelicity a man should bear at least
three quarters Of the burden Of the
legal battle which follows. A man
should never forget that his wife gave
hePSalf n him In ha hfDh ~ her
youth and beauty, and that If unhap-
pinesS comes afterward, as our civil
ization is ordered today 1t Is always
she who gets the worst Of 1t.
"As far as a man may, he should
try to balance things for his wife by
allowing her to have her own way in
the adjustment Of their marriage or
divorce"
And you believe a man should for
give his wife even If she has been I'M
faithful to him?'' Justice Ford was
asked
That is a question one cannot an
swer too sweepingly," the Justice re-
piled. Remember, too, I am speaking
now as a man rather than a judge.
AS a man. say the average woman
has far more to forgive in this respect
than the average man. II a married
couple have been separated for a year
or more and the husband charges his
wife with unfaithfulness, there is every
chance that If the truth were known
the wife would have far more to OBJ
ject to than her husband. That is
why say the man should temper JUS
ttce with mercy in his attitude toward
his erring wife.
"Of course, with a couple who have
children there are many more things
to be considered. A man cannot be
blamed for fearing to leave his little
ones in the custody OF a mother he
does not entirely trust. Although that
is not to say that a woman might not
well make one false step and ever af-
terward be the most estimable mother
in the world. The fact of children in
a home, however, does alter the aspect
of a divorce case so that one cannot
make statements quite SO hastily
where they are involved"