The Washington herald., 1913-04-28
LEGAL CONTRACT
SUBSTITUTE FOR
MARRIAGE VOWS
Speaker Before the Secular
League Urges This Method
as Solution for Problem.
DISTRICT LAWS RAPED
Divorce Code Here Declared to Be the
Very Worst in the Whole
World.

That the present marriage vows should
| be abolished and in their place be a con.
tract is the opinion of DR.. James Hugh
Kelley. Yesterday the speaker aired his
views on the subject at the meeting oil
the Secular League In Pythian Temple.
DR.. Kelley suggests that q contract
| reading something like this should re.
place the marriage vows:
I'VE promise to keep our contract as
long as it is POSSIBLE to do so. and then
get out of 1t honorably.''
Speaking on The Amendment of Di-
vorce Laws of the District" DR.. Kelley
condemned the conceptions at present un.
DERIVING the laws of church and state
on the subject, and declared that the
proper way to amend these laws would be
to wipe them out and to have entirely
lew regulations, based on a scientific
reasonable, and natural view.
He condemned the accepted maria &c
formula as largely a farce, that Is SO
generally recognized, and declared that II
would be much more sensible to have a
marriage contract to the effect that I'VE
promise to keep our contract as long as
1t is possible to do so, and then to get
out of II honorably' 1t was stated that
the Japanese have a marriage contract
similar to this and are ahead of US In
the matter.
Divorce Proper Remedy.
The speaker held that harmony in the
domestic relation is matter of the
greatest concern to the State, and that
the State should concern itself far more
with the matter than il does. Divorce
the speaker held to be a proper and de-
sirable remedy for mistakes and mis-
mating in marriage. and he declared that
there is less sense or justice in COM
s.t1
gether for life than there was in the old
law, which imprisoned the debtor until
he had discharged his obligation to his
creditor.
The speaker declared that "a State or
a society which compels people to live
together in an inharmonious condition
because Il is a shame to get out of II
needs to improve its manners and its
conceptions He declared that either
divorce must be ruled out entirely. or
the sensible. scientific, natural position
must be taken that their must be pro-
vision for the mistakes of marriage and
for domestic discord.
Emphasizes Economic Side.
The speaker emphasized the economic
factor in its relation to the question,
and declared that economic conditions
present the greatest obstacle to domestic
happiness today.
He was strongly seconded in this view
by several other speakers. who held that
the problem can be solved only by a
radical change in economic conditions
and by greater freedom and indepen-
dence for woman. Other advanced views
were presented.
The subject was discussed by Prof.
Leland Barton. Mrs. orion, Donald Mac
pherson Mrs Esther Murray Samuel
Saloman. Julian Pierce. Prof Chase
Roys. DR.. ]. J. Shirley. Aretas w. Thorn
as. Hr. Holland, and Prof. ]. w. Nigh.
The divorce laws of the District were
condemned for their ill-liberal character.
Prof Chase Roys declared that the Dis
trict has the worst divorce laws in the
world, or, at least, in this country. He
stated that the District Bar Association
was interesting itself in having the d.
vorce laws liberalized. and, on his mo-
ton. the league voted to appoint a COM
rnittee, consisting of its president and
two other members. to cooperate with
the Bar Association in this matter.