The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-01

pass bill directly related 10 the ques-
ton OF eugenic marriage
Make Criminal Offense-
This bill should make 1t criminal
for a clerk OF a court to issue mar
rage license to any man unable 10
obtain a certificate from his proposed
brides physician, or some physician
certified to by her physician. guaran-
teeing hi. freedom from diseases Of
this kind 1t should also provide for
44ee Statewide prohibition of houses Of
ill-fame. and the publication in the
State health bulletin OF statistics re-
garding diseases having an immoral
origin. lust as those regarding fever
and lesser Affections are now pub
lished
The latter part Of such bill would
In my opinion be one of the greatest
Importance, for in many cases il is
Ignorance of the results which lead
the parties into an union Of this kind.
This, / understand. must be matter
OF education first and OF legislation
afterward With full knowledge of
the terrible undermining Of our civili-
zation by the disease. its contraction
Will be greatly lessened. The few who
would take the chance would be pre-
vented by the Statewide prohibition
of disorderiy houses and the parties
of a marriage would be prevented by
the legislation against the issuance of
the marriage license.
NO half way measures can be taken
II a remedy for present conditions is
10 be attempted. and the entire system
must be built from the ground up. II
must grow with the generation, for
the disease reappears after the lapse
OF many years, sometimes even In
ct
is no possible way OF aseertaining its
presence. Then. too, once the deter
mination to marry Is reached ii Is
almost impossible to prevent the union
by warnings and advice, and the law
must be resorted to-
Gathering Statistics.
II is understood that additional sta
tistics will he gathered from physi-
clans and ministers by the Episcopal
ministers and others favoring the pas
sage Of n bill such as outlined by MIR.
Mason. and that they will be present
ed the general assembly as grounds
for State legislation.
The twelve ministers who enter
upon their agreement today are:
w Russell Bowie. ST. Paufs; s. Roger
Tyler. st. Marks: James w Morris.
p. d. Monumental: Frank A. Ridout.
ST. Thomas F. Ernest Warren.
Meade Memorial; J. Lewis Gibbs.
Church of the Good Shepherd; NJ S.
Eagle, Christ's; A. Vaughan Colston,
Church of the Holy Comforter: Err.
nest Earle Osgood. Emmanuel vii.
liam A. Pearman, assistant at st
Paurs; Zebulon s. FarIand, St Ste
phen's, and G. r. Craighill. Epiphany.
DR. Clarke. rector of ST James. sign.
ed the agreement to be effective. as
applied to his church, on January
4, 1914,
A number of physician signed the
following statement which complete
ly states the position taken by them:
1t having been brought to our at
tention that a number of ministers
of Richmond and vicinity stand
ready. II they are assured of the CO.
operation OF the physicians, to de-
clare their determination to perform
the marriage service of the Church
only when the man to be married
shall secure from the physician of the
intended bride, or some other ply
stefan certified by the brides physi-
clan. certificate of freedom from dis
ease of immoral origin;
Therefore, we the undersigned ply
sicians of Richmond and vicinity de-
clare our cordial approval of the pro.
posed step on the part OF the min
listers and will give our hearty CO.
operation toward making this step eff
fective for the physical and moral
safeguarding of the marriage aimed
it.
Special Service for Men.
Copies of the resolution were given
four or five physicians and they pass
ed them among their associates At
the present time more than a hun
dred physicians have signed the pa
per and a number of ministers have
also af1xed their names to IT,
Rev w Russell Bowie, OF st.
Paul's. has announced a special ser
vice for Sunday night at which he will
explain at length the step taken by
the twelve ministers of the Episcopal
Church He has chosen for his sub
Ject The Stndard of Purity for Men"
This will be the first service in the
church since the decoration and will
be open to men oply.