Evening star., 1913-04-03
The MODERN WOMAN.
vIII-WOMEN AND MARRIAGE.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

three to each hundred thousand of popu-
iation, which is a greater percentage than
tnat of any other country in the world
save Japan, which has 215 divorces to
the hundred thousand.
The divorce problem has two sides. how
ever, each of which should be studied.
While the light valuation placed upon the
marriage vow, which makes 1t possible
Tor a couple to sever a diStaSteful con-
nection at will in order that they may as
speedily enter upon new marriages. ad-
versely affects the moral standard of the
nation, the possibility of a woman free
ing herself from a condition to which
her ancestor would have submitted in
servile subjectiors. has a possible benefit
to the general good which will have to be
admitted AS long as proper recognition
of the difference between liberty and IL
cense is maintained the freedom of the
individual must have a good result.
X
One Of the principal reasons for the
riages of this
One Chief Reason country gener-
for Many Divorces. to @ he the finan-
cial dependence of American women upon
their husbands. This. contrary to popu-
lar belief, on account of the absence OF
marriage settlements. is greater than in
most other countries, while the American
women themselves. before marriage, have
been trained to greater freedom and in
depes lence.
In most states the term, with all my
worldly goods 1 the endow,' is a hideous
jest, as many a woman has found to her
cost. Despite the vaunted chivalrys of
American men, that "endow'' may be
construed to mean the doling out Of
niggardly pittance. after a piteous appeal.
as frequently the handsome allowance
which, of course, many American women
enjoy. 1T rests with the disposition of
the husband man may leave his
widow absolutely destitute after they
have worked together for years and
secured competence. Even the money
which she earns herself does not in many
instances belong to a married woman
1t is the question of allowance which is
responsible for large proportion of the
discomfort among married women. A
trained nurse in a western state, who be-
fore her marriage was able to earn SO
a week, after marriage found herself in
the position of an unpaid servant. Within
a year or two the clothing in her trous-
seau became exhausted. Instead of be-
ing able to renew it, as in the days Of her
economic independence, she was able only
after the most strenuous appeal to have
a five-dollar bill doled out to her with
the injunction to make 1t go as far as
possible. a business matter required
her husband to take trip to the east
extending over several months. During
his absence the nurse, having nothing to
occupy her time, engaged again in her
profession. She not only secured the
clothing she needed, but by the time of
his return had couple of hundred dol
lars in bank in her own name. The
man returned home and, to punish her
for lowering his dignity by engaging in
money earning while she bore his name,
he promptly confscated the money in
bank, which the law of the state permit
ted him to do. The laws of a number of
woman's remaining single, which in
many instances has had its effect upon
the marriage rate.
X X
business woman in the midst Of a