The Detroit times., 1915-01-13
PLAN 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
ID. Williams. bishop OF the diocese OF
Michigan of the Protestant Episcopal
church, with regard 10 the changes In
the Michigan marriage and divorce
laws as proposed by committee ap'
pointed a year ago by GOV. FERRIS
The committee recently made public
its recommendations for the revision
OF the marriage and divorce statutes.
These changes have been drafted INTO
a bill which will be presented 10 the
legislature. with the backing OF the
administration.
Bishop Williams. whose reputation
as an advocate OF marriage and dt
vorce reform Is nation wide, gives out
the following statement TO the United
Press:
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 OF 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 a dead law And dead law is
worse than none. For its inevitable
neglect or non-euforcement fosters a
spirit OF lawlessness or anarchy, a
disrespect and even contempt for all
law, temper too characteristic OF
the American people.
IT hope, however, that by the
preaching OF our pulpits and the edu-
cational propaganda OF our reform
movements, by the disgraceful record
F, OF our divorce courts and the teach
ing OF our medical profession, and OF
our sex hygiene societies, The public
conscience has been so sensitized that
ii will strongly. II 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 a less decided opinion
than on any other point in the pro-
posed scheme Ii II is based on mere
social prejudice, il Is undemocratic
and therefore, TO be condemned. But
~ n Is based, as I suppose II Is. on
considerations OF health and eff
cheney, Il has reasonable basis |
am not familiar with the statistics.
But ] am well aware that many dis
eases, such as tuberculosis, are pecu-
liarly prevalent among mulattoes and
neutrality-suspicious. 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 10 insanity.
ought 10 have the instant and hearty
approval OF every right'minded per
son. And here am moved to INQUIRE
why the commission did not forbid
the marriage OF the feebleminded
Careful research has brought out most
abundant end irrefutable proof that
the offspring OF the feeble-minded le-
climate and illegitimate. all the ranks
of prostitution and criminality. The
heredity OF feeblemindednes Is our
most prolific source OF crime and i'm
morality. II probably costs the state
more than any other one thing. Why
did not the commission deal with this
aspect OF the problem?
"As TO the attempt TO deal with
venereal diseases, II is beyond praise.
The only wonder is that our legisla-
tors have been so long Indifferent TO
this CRYING evil The black plague OF
yenereal diseases is far more preva-
lent than the white plague OF tubercu'
? losis II is far more fruitful or sur