New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-15
MARRIAGE PLEDGE
SKATERS ROMANCE
Couple About to Wed in Califor.
mia Agree to Separate When
Love Begins to Wane.
NO BAR TO NEW ALLIANCES
Pre-Nuptial Agreement Gives
Each the Right to Incur Pa
rental Responsibility In
dependent of Other.

Los Angeles. Sept. it-Conventions
are ignored and traditions of romance
ruthlessly shattered In a marriage con-
| tract signed by Miss Heluiz Chandler,
twenty-one years old, daughter Of Julia
| Carlton w. Washburne, twenty-three.
son Of Marion Foster Wsshburne, author
and lecturer OF Pasadena
The young couple met week ago:
their marriage license was issued yes
terday. the pre-nuptial agreement signed
and sealed and tomorrow they will be
joined in legal marriage. which step they
take. the agreement declares, for the
| happiness of their children and for the
free intercommunication OF the parents
with the rest OF society.
The marriage contract specifically sets
forth that the marriage shall not be a
bond giving either any control over or
possession Of the other, that IN shall not
be a bar to other marriage should this
prove unfruitful. that the tie shall ter
inmate simultaneously with the death
of love on either side and that neither
shall have the right to restrain the
other should he or she see tit to incur
other parental responsibility.
IL provides that, since at present the
state provides no income for mothers
and children. it shall be- the duty OF
tho man to share equally with his wife
all earnings and property at such times
as she may be incapacitated for work.
that the expenses of the household and
the children shall be equally divided.
In case of separation they agree that
the financial responsibility for their chill
dren shall be divided. no matter through
whose fault the divorce might occur.
One paragraph of the agreement reads:
Love, TO exist, must be free. But for
the enrichment OF nature and the es-
tablshment OF the JOY of the parents, N
well as for the best rearing of the chill
dr,n. II Is necessary that man and woman
cooperate a. partners of their own chill
dren. And for the sake OF the happiness
Of children and parents, as well as for
the free iutercommUnication OF both with
the rest OF society, II IL necessary TO con
form 10 the conventions 10 the extent of
having at least legal marriage before man
and woman become parents.
"My ideas of marriage have always
been along this line" declared Miss Chan
a man who would believe in IT, have
based my conclusions on close observa-
ton OF the usual system Of marriage.
which I believe 10 be absolutely wrong.
The very freedom Of our contract will in
sure fidelity and happiness. II anything
can. II not neither OF us would wish 20
hold the other"
Washburne and his fancee are both
college graduates. he of the University
OF Chicago and OF Stanford. she of two
Philadelphia institutions.
Philadelphia, Sept. H-Mrs. Julia Davis
Chandler. whose daughter is reported to
have entered into an unusual pre-nuptial
agreement. was much agitated to-day
when shown the Los Angeles dispatch
setting forth the marriage contract
Il have received a telegram from my
daughter" she said, telling me that they
are receiving letters and kilograms OF
congratulation upon their engagement.
which was announced on Tuesday. and
that letters are on the way to me. But
this ante-nuptial agreement is very sur
prislng 10 me.
III my daughter has entered into q pre-
nuptial contract such as is described |
have no doubt that she was Influenced by
the unhappy marriages OF many Of her
friends. Ny daughter is young woman
OF high ideals. and have no doubt that
she acted with a full and proper regard
for her opinions and principles. She has
been a deep student OF every subject re-
lating to the emancipation of woman
and may be carrying out her own ideas
along that line i'm her marriage"
While certain lack OF restriction
placed upon the contracting parties meets
with the approval of Mrs. Chandler, she
said she IS dubious about that clause OF
the contract which permits the assump-
ton OF other parental responsibility in
case their mutual regard for each other
should languish