The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-10
Love TAKES ROOT
IN RICH SOIL Dill
Two Hearts Melt Into Ono More
Easily Whom There is
Plenty In the
House.
PRACTICAL MARRIAGES
Many Titles Can be Secured Cheap
BY Thoss Who Have
an Helress for
Exchange.
PRACTICAL MARRIAGES

by Karl H. Won Wiegand, Berlin cor.
respondent OF the United Press.]
BERLIN, Feb. 10.-Hhrd times in
creases the percentage OF practical
marriages. : The harder the times,
the more readily love takes root in
the soil Of plenty" and the more
easily are two hearts NEEDED In bands
of gold. At least, 80 declares Ger
many's chief professional cupid
Herr Fritz Podszus-o rather his
representative, Herr Johann Ringlau.
Herr Podszus, himself. is in America
just at present seeing patrons and
drumming up business for the little
love god, while his representative
here is keeping the golden tipped ar
rows flying toward the practical
heart" from headquarters in Berlin.
"Praktisch" (practical) has become
almost maxim among the Germans.
Practical in all things material, there
is also strong practical tendency in
matter of heart and hand, and 1t is
yet to be shown that their practical
view OF for better or for worse, is
not more sensible and successful than
the romantic love-making OF Italy and
some of the hasty, impulsive love-
matches Of America. At least Ameri-
can divorce figures are pointed to in
support of this contention. Condi-
lions, rather than their own natures,
which is idealistic, have made Ger
mans practical. They argue that for
a very poor young man to marry a
poor girl with absolutely nothing,
simply means that both are likely to
remain poor all their lives, and that
poverty will multiply with children.
It would be going pretty far to say
that matrimonial agencies are as COM
mon as employment bureaus, but they
do exist In astonishing numbers, and
Intermediates" who arrange" sat
isfactory marriages, are far from com
mon.
Herr Podszus claims to be the chief
professional Cupid" in Germany.
His card reads. intermediary IN rich
marriages" It also reads, Author
itatively Licensed" More than so 900
men and women, looking for mates,
have registered in his bureau during
the thirty years Of its existence, ac-
cording to his representative.
When poverty comes in through
the door, love flies out through the
window, is our motto said Herr
Ringlau. 1.-THE basic principle under
which we work is purely an economic
one, love being secondary But, our
experience has shown that love will
sprout readily and the bonds OF affec-
ton grow and flourish when there is
no poverty to strain at the nerves.
Yes, there have been divorces among
our marriages, but not nearly the per-
centage that there have been among
so-called love matches, where there
has been no thought Of the future
Tho bureau exacts two per cent Of
the fortune obtained by, the man or
woman who wants a rich partner. Herr
Ringlau ruefully admitted that 1t was
merely a moral obligation, that under
the law the matrimonial agents fee
lis considered on par with gam bling
debts and legally uncollectable, and
that often he doesn't get the required
percentage for Joining two loving
hearts. Herr Ringlau declares that
the percentage Of practical mar
riages" is increasing In America to
such an extent that Herr Fritz Pod
szus himself has established an agency
/ in Fifth avenue, New York city, where
the sign reads, according to Ringlau
Matrimonial Agency and Real
Estate It was intimated that Herr
Podszus is "peddling" number OF
counts, barons and other titles. More
than dozen of counts, barons, and
other titled Germans, according tc
Ringlau, have filed their names with
him. All are looking for rich Amer
lean girls, whose fathers have enough
coin of the realm to lift the family
mortgage or buy the family jewels
back from "hock."
Some Of these titles can be bought
at real bargains. One baron with ar
income Of $1,000 a year wants wife
with a puny $4,000; two others. how
ever, will sacrifice themselves fol
nothing less than $125,0O0 apiece. A
countess who says she is in the earl,
fifttes wants a husband with an in
come Of between 500 and $125 &
month. One woman wants an Ameri
can or French policeman for hel
hearts choice. She has $3.50 cash
There are lieutenants by the dozer
who need money and are willing t.
go to the extent of matrilnony to ge
it. German army Heutenants, by tn,
way get only from SAT- to $50 monthly
Even bankers seem to have diff
4 ficulty getting rid OF their daughter,