The Detroit times., 1915-01-12
PLAN TO REFORM
MARRIAGE LAW
IS RIGHT STEP
Detroit Churchman Puts o. X.
on Recommendations of Ju-
dicature Commission
BELIEVES BODY SHOULD
HAVE GONE FARTHER
Would Have Mating of Mental
Detectives Prohibited
by Law
BISHOP WILLIAMS.

"A long step in the right direction"
Is the comment OF the Rt. Rev. Charles
d. Williams. bishop or the diocese OF
Michigan OF the Protestant Episcopal
church. with regard TO the changes In
the Michigan marriage and divorce
laws as proposed by committee ap-
pointed year ago by Gov. Ferris.
The committee recently made public
it's recommendations for the revision
Of the marriage and divorce statutes.
These changes have been drafted into
q bill which will be presented to the
legislature. with the backing OF the
administration.
Bishop Williams, whose reputation
as an advocate OF marriage and di-
vorce reform Is nation wide, gives out
the following statement to the United
Press
1.-The changes In our Michigan laws
on marriage and divorce, as recently
proposed by the judicature commits
sion, seem TO me a long step In the
right direction. The only general
criticism that occurs to me Is wheth-
er they are too radical In some direc-
tions to secure the support or public
opinion; whether the step In some re-
spects is too long for the people to
keep pace with. For a law without
the hearty support of public opinion
Is dead law. And a dead law Is
worse than none For its inevitable
neglect or non-enforcement fosters a
spirit of lawlessness or anarchy, a
disrespect and even contempt for all
law, temper too characteristic or
the American people.
II hope. however. that by the
preaching OF our pulpits and the edu-
cational propaganda OF our reform
movements, by the disgraceful record
OF our divorce courts and the teach
ing of our medical profession. and or
our sex hygiene societies, the public
conscience has been so sensitized that
II will strongly. If not enthusiastically
support this effort TO protect alike
marriage, the family. the home and
the unborn generations.
ITO touch upon details of this pro-
posed legislation
"As 10 the prohibition OF marriages
between persons OF white and African
blood, have less decided opinion
than on any other point In the pro
posed scheme IL II Is based on mere
social prejudice. IL Is undemocratie
and. therefore. TO be condemned. But
III II Is based, as I suppose II Is, on
considerations OF health and eff.
cheney, II has a reasonable basis. |
am not familiar with the statistics.
But | am well aware that many dis.
eases, such as tuberculosis. are pecu-
llarly prevalent among mulattoes and
quadroons-persons Of mixed blood.
They seem to have less resistance
than those OF unmixed blood.
The prohibition Of the marriage OF
the insane or those liable TO insanity.
ought TO have the instant and hearty
approval OF every right.minded per.
son. And here I am moved TO inquire
why the commission did not forbid
the marriage OF the feeble-minded
Careful research has brought ont most
abundant and irrefutable proof that
the offspring OF the feeble-minded. le-
gitimate and illegitimate, fill the ranks
OF prostitution and criminality, The
heredity OF feeble-mindedness Is our
most prolific source OF crime and inn
morality. II probably costs the state
more than any other one thing Why
IContIrued on Page Four)