The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-02
Family Dissension and Profound
Humiliation Likely to
Occur.
BY LA MARaUIsE DE FoNTENoY.

BY LA MARQUIsE DE FoNTENof.
II RANCE 10 on the eve OF an era OF
- domestic scandals which threa-
ten widespread sorrow.family dis
sension and profound humiliation. rms
IS owing TO a law which has Just been
enacted in the face OF much opposiuon.
and which suggests Captain Marryat
famous novel, "Japhet in Search OF d
Father"
Hitherto searches of this kind nave
been sternly forbidden in France Dy
a decree which states Ia recherche 40
"a paternite est interdite." Ihat 70
TO say. any child born out OF weoiocA
had no legal means OF tracing the
identity of his father. while the un-
married mother had no way OF COM
pellsng the father 70 make provision
for the child, It's support devoiV'ns
wholly upon her, or upon the state.
The father. II he did not wish 10 ~ed
the mother. could legally admit his pa
ternity, which was noted in the regis
try OF its birth. by means of which ne
assumed certain financial responsiplh-
ties with regard to It's maintenance
But this act OF recognition was In each
case purely a voluntary affair on the
part of the father. and there was no
means of compelling him 20 do any
the number OF illegitlmate children
that is 10 say. children without ac-
knowledged fathers. in France, is very
large indeed
The French Senate and Chamber OF
Deputies have now. with the approval
OF the government, repealed the law
in the Code Napoleon. dating from over
a hundred years ago. foroiddins Ia
recherche de la paternite' Hence
forth women who give birth 10 infants
out Of wedlock will be enabled TO le-
galiy compel the father 10 contribute TO
the child's support. and TO accept the
responsibility for Its welfare; whiie
in the event OF the mothers death
her nearest relatives or failing these the
state, Will have the power 10 force
the father TO fulfill his obligations.
Nor is this by any means all. In
France. as In certain States OF the
American Union. and also In Belgium
the child has legal right TO q certain
share in the fortune OF his iatner
which the latter cannot ALLEVIATE from
him. In France the father has no
power 20 cut off his son with the
proverbiai shilling. 1t is not only
the wholly legitimate child, but also
the one born out OF wedlock' provided
he has been legally recognized at
thereto, who has a lawful right 20 a
share in his fathers property. The
only children who have been excluded
.herefrom are those unfortunate be-
ings who have not been recognized.
Now that they can compel recognition.
they can. II successful. exact their
share OF the paternal estate.
This means that large numbers OF
row elderly men. patterns Of respect
ability, and enjoying the honor and
esteem of their fellow citizens, as well
as the confidence OF their wives, will
have their past raked up. in efforts 10
fasten upon them the paternity OF
claimants. male and female. as on
spring of ante-nuptial indiscretions. 1t
is estimated that there will be many
thousands OF such cases, and that the
court calendars will be crowded there
with for some time to come.
The new law. however. provides
against blackmailing conspiracies and
false claims, by trebling the penalty
of Imprisonment with hard labor
hitherto awarded for such offenses.
Whether this will act as sufficient
deterrent remains to be seen
In spite of the misery. the shame.
and the humiliation which the new law
is bound to bring in its train as re-