The Irish standard., 1914-02-14
from the National Capitol
BY Stanton Lawton

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Declaring that the divorce evil has
grown to such vast proportions in the
United States, that only the most dras-
tic remedy, constitutional prohibition,
can prove effective, Senator Ransdell
addressed the senate in favor of his
amendment. He said:
practically every one who has Civ.
en- the subject the slightest study ad-
mits that divorce is one of the most
serious problems confronting our re-
public. In the United States divorce
is spreading with alarming rapidity.
1t has permeated every walk of life,
and is prevalent among every class
of people. The total number of di-
vorces granted in 1867 was 9,937, or
27 per 100000 population. Forty years
later, in 1906, there were 1902 d.
vorces, or Sc per 100000. Thus in ac-
tual numbers there were more than
seven times as many divorces granted
in 1906 as in 1867, or allowing for the
increased population, divorce has in
creased 319 per cent.
"If divorces multiply at the same
rate in the future as in the past, and
there is every indication that they will
increase faster-then before the mid
die of this century we will have an
nually in the United States 275 d.
vorces per 100000 population, or one
divorce for every five marriages.
"Our closest competitors in Europe
are Switzerland, with AL divorces an
nually per 100000 population; Hun
gary with IS, and France with 33, ac-
cording to the statistics for 1910 and
1911, while Japan has 215 divorces to
our Sc.
ITO make a most striking compari-
son, during 1901 the total number of
divorces granted in the United States
was more than twice as great as in
all the rest of Christendom combined;
yes, actually more than two times as
many divorces among 75,OOO,O00 Amer
leans that year, as among the 40O,-
100000 souls of Europe and other
Christian countries.
England stands in bold contrast with
this country. In 1911, she granted
total of only 655 divorces, or 1h per
100000, while in 1906, the United
States allowed 72,O62 divorces, or 86
per 100000. During the 20 years end
ing with 1906. Ireland had only 19 d.
vorces, or an average of less than one
absolute divorce per year, for her en-.
tire population of 100000.
IF the United States were to write
In the Constitution an amendment pro.
hibiting absolute divorce, 1t would not
be taking such radical step as might
at first be thought, but would be fol-
lowing beaten path. Our own state
of South Carolina tall honor to herr
forbids divorce. 1t is absolutely pro-
hibited in Italy, Spain. and to two
thirds of the population of Austria
Hungary, while the Latin-American
countries have similar laws. A legal
separation, however, without the right
to remarry, is recognized in all of
of these jurisdictions.
1T cannot be gainsaid that divorce
destroys the home. And the home is
the base and foundation of the state;
hence, we must stop divorce or ruin
the state, which, cannot continue to
exist if it's base Is allowed to crumble
and fall
while many excellent people are
divorced and some of them make new
homes, the inevitable trend of divorce
is to break up many more homes than
it builds up, and to materially reduce
the number of children. When mar.
riage is dissolved the true home
ceases to exist; the parents and chill.
.dren are separated, and the sweet ties
that bind father and mother to their
offspring and to each other are brok-
en- forever.
Il appeal to all patriotic citizens
good men of every creed and of no
creed-to unite in urging the adoption
Of my amendment, which has for it's
object the preservation of the home,
aye, the preservation of the republic
home, which gave us our earliest
and best lessons in morality; home,
where we were taught to love, honor
and obey our parents and all lawful
superiors; home, where we received
our first idea of government, a little
state in which our fond parents were
the rulers, and we, their children,
were willing subjects; home, the
greatest protection from anarchy. the
strongest defense against socialism
and the chief bulwark of society;
home, the maker of good citizens and
the model on which every wise govern
ment is founded"
Assignment Of chapIains.
Orders have just been issued by the
War Department, assigning Rev. John
E. Rockford, Chaplain, U. s. Army, to
duty at schofield Barracks at Homo
lulu. Father Rockford is the young
est of the Catholic Army ChaDlains