New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-18
Mary Austin Thinks Freedom of Choice in Mating Is
Merely Nominal Here, Therefore the Novelist
Urges Municipal Marriage Bureaus.
"There Is Nothing Sordid About Openly Seeking
Mate" Says Mrs. Austin, in Explaining This
Bureau as a Legitimate Function of the State
Average Persons Have No Chance In
Marriage.

Average Persons Have No Chance In
Marriage.
"There is very little freedom now
for the average man and woman. Many
whom I have asked affirm that there Is
not more than one possible mate in
their acquaintance, thus they are al
lowed no choice whatsoever. They
should have half dozen at least. How
can they be expected to make happy
marriages II they are forced to marry
the one possible man or woman they
know?
"The popular theory prevails In
America that marriage is youth made
state, but the choice, when limited to
one. is surely merely nominal. In
France the parents wed their children.
That ic deplored. But in America it
is merest chance that srranges this
sacred business. Wrong people are
mated. and the result is unhappiness.
One out Of every twelve marriages re-
suits in a divorce in this country"
said Mrs. Austin, "and three or four OF
the remainder wish they were divorced.
Girls Marry for Homes.
people wouldn't be unhappy IL
they were sure they loved each other
when they married. II is only those
who marry for other reasons than love
that swell the numbers of the divorce
list. And there is very great number
of them. Girls always have married,
and probably always will marry, for
home, and what it may mean to them.
So do men. But they should not be
compelled TO marry the only one who
asks them, or the only one who will
listen to them"
Mrs. Austin feels in consequence that
some one must see to it that young
people are thrown together more ex-
tensively. And she feels no one could
do it more efficiently than the state.
Private enterprises reach only a very
small class of people, but if the mu-
took it in charge, its bene-
fit would be enormous.
Obviating the "Picked Up" Acqualnt-
ance."
"Many young girls and young men
are without family and friends, and
do not want chance or picked up
Nor do marriage bu-
reaus as conducted now appeal to /
them. And for the young girls, who |
may have e family, but no place in /
which TO entertain, something should q,
be done.
Tho lot Of the older woman and |
man is tragic, too. Many women have
worked, and worked hard for years, al
most to the exclusion of friends and
Pleasures. Suddenly they realize that .
they are on in years. And they have
no friends of the opposite sex. II
they ever had any, these are long mar
ried. At present they can do nothing.
Perhaps through work they may come
in touch with people, but these seldom
are desirable or gracefully possible for
friends. Through bureau they might
all be combined, and way out shown
10 all the many various classes, not
,nly Of the large cities, but of the
scattered communities"
Nothing Sordid In Seeking Mate.
Many will raise the objection that
this process Of having people meet for
the purpose of matrimony is sordid'
utterly unlikable. But Mrs. Austin
argues that this is not so. She utters
startling phrases in a conversational
manner, little injecting her voice or
allowing emotions to disturb her feat