The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-22
DIVORCE HIT 10000.
In 1912 That Number of Children
Were Deprived of Parents.
New York Times.

The urgent need of uniform mar
rage and divorce laws in all the
states OF the Union to check the ever
increasing divorce evil, which, as it
was pointed out, has increased three
and one-third times as fast as the
population of the country in the last
40 years, was discussed by the New
York State Marriage and Divorce
Commission at the Aldine Club YES
terday afternoon, and temporary or
ganization was effected toward the
end Of bringing about such uniformi-
ty Of marriage and divorce laws
throughout the country.
The conference was presided over
by Bishop Charles Burch and was at
tended by prominent church and So
clal workers of various faiths and de-
nominations. Among those present
were Bishop David II. Greer; DR..
Felix Adler, of the Ethical CultthpSo-
ciety; the Rev. DR.. Sidney E. Gold
stein, assistant rabbi of the Free
Synagogue; Mrs. Anna Garland
Spencer, of the executive committee
Of the American Vigilance Associa-
ton; the Rev. Francis Nj. Moody, who
has been leading the agitation for
uniform divorce laws Of the West. and
representatives Of the International
Council for Patriotic Service. 1t was
had previously said that he could not
Join the commission in it's work with
out the consent Of Cardinal Farley,
had since given assurance Of his CO.
operation, thus apparently indicating
that the objects of the movement met
with the approval of the Cardinal as
we'll as the religious leaders of other
faiths.
The Rev Mr.. Moody outlined the
conditions that made necessary the
passage Of uniform divorce laws
throughout the country.
The Pacific Coast" said he, has
been the greatest divorce centre not
only of this country, but of the entire
world, and in that belt Of Washing
ton, Oregon and California the divorce
centre has been San Francisco. In
the year 1912 alone there were grant
ed in this country over 100000 di-
vol ces More than 10000 children,
mostly under the age Of 10 years,
were deprived of one or both parents
by divorce. In the 40 years alluded
to 100000 adults were separated by
divorce in the country, and more
than 100000 persons were affected
by these cases.
The bulk Of these cases in that
period have been in the Middle West
ern States nine of which provided
$4,000 divorces, or practically half Of
all the divorces in the country. Hi
nois alone provided 10000 divorces,
and for this reason we have deemed it
wise TO make the beginning of our
movement in that State, where we
now have q commission on marriage
and divorce striving to bring about
reform Of the marriage and divorce
laws and work for countrywide uni
formity thereof. Pennsylvania had
55,760 divorces, the State Of Califor-
mia So 600 and that of New York
44,45O.
In this country there is a pressing
necessity for legislation recurring
every State to see to it that both the
parties in every divorce suit are rep
resented. At present 80 per cent Of
the cases go by default, with only one
party represented. In Reno, for exam
pie, divorces are granted on the ut
terly uncorroborated testimony Of one
party to the suit"
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