The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-04-07
JUDGE DIsLIKES DIVORCE 4. GASES 81:
SUGGESTS REFORMS FOR DIVORCE EVIL
Marriage Too
Easy, Divorce
Is Too Easy
BY Fred Il. Boalt.


There is too much hilarious
and speculative matrimOny in
this country. Too many couples
rush into matrimony because
they know il will be easy to rush
out If they don't like it. 1t Is
| easy.
The law of Washington says
no woman under As and no man
of any age who is an habitual
criminal, or insane, or suffering
from n venereal disease, or pull
monary tuberculosis I'm an ad-
vanced stage, shall be permitted
to marry.
When you go to the auditors
office in Tacoma to get mar
riage license, you take with you
a friend who signs a certificate
swearing he knows the contract
Ing parties to be of age, and not
criminal, insane, venereal or tu-
bercular.
rand the auditors office has
no option in the matter-it must
issue the license.
''In very many instances the
witnesses lie," said Auditor Wads-
worth today. "But If the certifi-
cate is signed, we must issue the
license"
In some states a physicians GER
uficate of health is required. But
Judge Moore, divorce Judge of
Los Angeles, said in the course of
q divorce trial the other. ANY
body, who is willing to pay for 1t,
can get doctors certificate"
Judge Clifford of Pierce county
dislikes divorce cases, and will not
try them If he can get out of it.
Recently he was transferred to
the criminal division of the super
ior court, where he is relieved of
a duty that has become distaste-
full to him.
! asked him why today.
II want to keep my faith i'm hui
man nature" he replied.
j asked the judge what reforms
were needed to diminish the di-
vorce evil.
1--WE need first" he said, "to
make marriage less easy. The law
says that persons entering matri-
mony must be healthy of mind and
body, but we take no steps to in
sure that they are healthy of mind
and body.
1--WE need a law forbidding the
Issuance of marriage license in
a county other than in which one
or both of the parties reside. A
time should elapse between the
application for the license and the
issuance-say 10 days.
"After making marriage diff |
cult, we should make divorce
equally so. No person should be
allowed to sue for divorce until
one year after marriage. 1t won't
hurt couple, even though unhap-
PLY mated, to live apart awhile. |
They may become reconciled.
81 know of many instances
where couples ask for divorce six
weeks or two months after mar
riage.
Most divorce suits are uncon-
tested. We need more real proof
in these cases. Cruelty ON inves-
tigation may turn out to be any
thing. Sarcasm may be cruelty
but it is not good ground, for
/ divorce. Assault may mean any
thing. 1t may mean an impatient
handpush.
son the other hand, L do not
agree with many lawyers and
Judges with reference TO 'incom-
patibiIity of temperament which
lis not a ground for divorce in this
state. i can imagine no more urg-
ent reason why husband and wife
should be given a legal separa-
iion than that they are absolutely
Incompatible. But Ii should be
proven.
"The chief reason why / dis
like divorce cases is that the ques-
tion of alimony and the custody
of children are involved. ! grant
ed divorce to the wife of Ta-
coma dentist more than year