Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-08

marriage idea. The policy of ministers
over the country
Health Marriage who demand phys
p.~,lo%; clans certificates be-
fore uniting two
people in holy matrimony has received its
first official stamp of approval. Likewise
an o. X. is put on the suggestions OF
health authorities and social workers who
want the enactment in all states of laws
based on the pure marriage idea to pro-
tect contracting parties again insidious
diseases which can be transmitted to
offspring, more especially tuberculosis
and certain infectious blood diseases.
The mating of people in good health
will have the effect of not only insuring
the right of children to a good heredity,
but health marriages will be the most
effective known means of checking d.
vorce, because good health makes for
contentment. This is the opinion of Of
ticers of the United States public health
service. the bureau of the government
which Is most interested in every move
ment whose followers are working for
the improvement of the peoples health
Surgeon General Rupert Blue and his as
sociates today outlined the governments
reasons for its interest in a problem
which always lies within the jurisdiction
of the individual states to solve.
The health marriage idea presents
public health question which cannot be
physicians. said DIR. Blue. Nor is 1t
merely a question for the attention OF
ministers. 1t is a great social problem OF
vital interest to every member of society,
and is based on the development of bet
ter American citizenship and a nation OF
healthier people through the protecton
of women and men and their Offspring
against insidious diseases the existence
Of which should be given careful thought
by every person contemplating marriage.
1t would be an extremely good tnlns
if every state would hasten the day When
statutes will be adopted which make nee
essary the presentation of health cert1f-
Gates before marriage That these laws
should be easy of enforcement. they
should not. in my opinion. be too drastic;
Both parties planning marriage should
have knowledge whether either is dls-
eased. however. and the provision for a
health certificate before marriage IS the
only method of making sure that they
will get this knowledge.
LAS most normal people look forward
to entering the married state. ! believe
that the placing of marriage on health
basis will make all people think more or
the care of their bodies-more anxious to
ward off diseases-and that the general
enactment of legislation Of this kind Will
mark one of the longest steps which has
ever been made in the announcement OF
preventive medicine
Sentiment will always rule in the max
ing of marriages. | suppose but love with
health will make for far more perfect
and happy marriage than love without
health More social problems Will be
solved by putting marriage on nealtn
basis than in any other way. In my opin-
ion Normal persons are usually happy
and contented when they are well, and,
therefore. the most effective check which
can be offered for the divorce evil is the
encouragement of the marriage OF healthy,
happy people.
The spread of the health marriage idea
will mean that men particularly will come
to think more of the care OF themselves
and of the danger of certain infectious
social diseases. The day when thinking
people can give even passive support to
the so-called double standard Is rapidly
passing Young men who think that they
must SOW wild oats and who give little
thought to the dangers which await them
in riotous dissipation must be taught that
the fathers and mothers of the land will
not allow their daughters to enter limo
Gently into union which may result in
the transmission of disease or in the
blindness of offspring. perhaps in the
of the mother
Not only should people on marrying
be protected against those diseases which
may be transmitted from one to the
that our women should be protected
against men who are either drug habitu-
ates or dipsomaniacs. Habits of intern
perance endanger the happiness of mar
ried life. and are almost as serious a
cause of unsound and defective children
as are the social diseases. There are also
certain Understandable diseases. like
epilepsy. which If existing in either party
should be known before marriage.
How far the health marriage laws
should go is a matter to be decided care
fully by the states which make them.
There is question as to how the eXami-
nations should be made. whether by
physician employed by the state or mu-
nicipalty. by the family physician or by
a phys stefan to be selected by the father
Of the woman to be married. There are
many natural reasons for supporting the
latter proposition. and the chances are
that the right of the brides father to Sc
lect the examining physician will be the
principle adopted by most states. These
matters are details. however. and the i'm
pOrtant thing is to encourage the idea of
insuring better and healthier nation of
people by encouraging health mar
riageS.
Moving pictures are coming in for
varied uses by the government today.
Last week the re-
Government Uses port was made of
49,. the value of film
.otn