The Alaska daily empire., 1914-12-09
WAR BRIDES ARE
 WED IN CoMP ANLES

LONDON. Dec. l.-Aroused by the positive steps 0ken by Gormony and Austrla to protect thomselTes against a failing birth rate and Che telling death rate incidental to the var hnB'l land is now encouraging tho marriage or recruits soon to SO to the front
 At the ausgestion of the Archhiahop Of Canterbury tho diocesan biahopa of tho Church Of England heyo made marked decreases In the fees charged for marrying soldiera. for marriage licenses and clergymon throughout the island and are waiying sheir per- sonal fees.
 In Germany and Austria fees iorI marriages were waived entirely whore soldiers and sailors were unable toI pay and in many cities elergymer married the warriors and their sweet. hearts in large companies where the hasty departure of troops made it im. possible for separate ceremonies to| be held.
 Gold wedding rings were done away with and iron rings substituted for the ceremony. Then the married wo- men who already had gold wedding rings offered thom as contributions to the war fund and replaced them with rings similar to those worn by the war brides
 German officials frankly discussed the necessity for the marriage of the soldiers. and urged immediate cero- monies upon young women as 9 pat, riotic duty. The war brides were cheered with much enthusiasm and the churches were crowded when the large wedding parties spoke the cere, mony in concert
 Although the number Of women in England far exceeds that of men. the volunteer army is comparatively small here, and most of the recruits are. not trained soldiers immediately avail able for foreign service. Consequent- ly there is nc pressing demand for immediate marriages here that exist ed on the Continent. Stil the gov- ernment realizes the terrible drain the war will make on the manhood of Great Britain and Is quietly encour- aging recruits to marry.
 The Archbishop of Canterbury Isl endeayoring Go have the government waive the stamp fec of S2.5O which it imposes on each marriage certifi- cate and diocene bishops have reduc- ed the marriage license fee to S25O in the case of soldiers and sailors ofI limited means. Formerly it cost $10I to procure marriage license prop-I erly stamped by the government. The cost Is now S5 and the Archbishop of Canterbury hopes to have lt lowered to S2.50 through the withdrawal of theI stamp tax Of the government.
 German officials presented to the young women of the empire the slight chance they would have for matrtmony after the departure of their soldier sweethearts. and called attention toI the pension paid to war widows for the support Of themselves and their children.
 Nearly 5OO.OOO recruits are quarter. ed in camps scattered throughout Eng land. ThIs new army Of Kitchener probably will not be sent to the Con- tinent for at least six months, unless some unexepcted calamity arises. All the men in the army who have not had previous army experience are less than S5. and a majority of them are unmarried.
 Many weddings are occurring daily at the various camps and new recruits and their sweethearts are often much distressed to find that under the Eng fish law one of the parties to g mar riage must have resided in the parish in which they arc married at least 15l days. The Archbishop Of Canterbury has suggested that this obstacle bel removed by the statute.