The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-11-17
NEW MARRIAGE LAW
At CLOSE OF WAR

A correspondent of the Associated
Press writing from Vienna, says
Whether or not Europe will be obliged
to change it's marriage laws as the re-
suit of the war, is question which
has recently occupied sociologists in
the central states. Most Of them are
of the opinion that material modi6-
cations must ensue; few think that
legalized polygamy must be establish
ed in order to provide for the surplus
Of women which two years of warfare
has made one of the problems of all
Europe.
The total population of the states at
war, the non-Arian elements of Rus
sia excepted, is roughly S73,000,000,
of which, according to best sources,
1873 100000 are women and 1856 ,000,O 900
men. For the countries of Europe
where exact statistlcs are available,
the proportion is 1O5 males to 1O7
females. For Europe this leaves in
normal times an excess of 100000
females, of which number third
would be manageable.
To this million of women who at
present can find no husband for the
reason that nature, while ensuring All
excess in the birth of males permits
more of them to die in infancy, Will
be added at least 100000 whom
death on the battlefield and incapaci-
teating wounds has also deprived of
mates. Europe, therefore, is face to
face with the question of how these
100000 women are to he cared for.
Economically the problem has beer
solved by the women themselves, by
showing that in many departments
Of industry they are able to fill a
place. But sociologists point out that
except the state makes provisions
tending to avert this, certain natural
law would increase the rate of illeg-
itimacy Of children, which even now is
a serious matter.
At the conclusion of the Thirty
Years war, similar conditions pre-
vailed. 1t was met in many of the
central European states by making
polygamy legal. When the proper
ton Of males and females had been
readjusted by the coming of later gen.
erations these laws were repealed.
For the time being the European
parliaments are too occupied with
matters affecting the continuation of
the war, but expressions on the sub
ject agree that some sort of legisla-
tion will be necessary.
Several writer's point out that it
will take two generations before the
old social equilibrium is re-establish-
ed. The tendency of men to marry
women younger then they themselves
are is held responsible for this.
Usually the men marries a woman
from three to five years his junior,
and some authorities fear that great
er choice, which the excess Of women
will give, will decidedly foster this in
cination, so that only the girl who
today is from IL to Is years cd can
hope to be the subject of competition
among men, which her mother was.
This would be matter of only
seven to eight years for most of
Europe; provided the end of the war
comes soon. Should the war con-
tinue another year or two and so cause
the loss of many young men who are
ow from Is to 16 years old the pro-
blem would be much harder to meet.
In that case the excess of women over
men would be no less than / 900, 900,
50 that for every male of marriage
able age, during the next ten years,
there would be almost two single
women.
1t is impossible to say just how Eu-
ropean legislatures will meet the sit
uation. Legal polygamy is so unwel
come to Europe's social system and
religion that opposition to it will be
great. The belief is neId, for this rea-
son, that legally at least illegitimacy
will be abolished and that laws will be
passed giving the child born out of
wedlock every right upon the care and
property Of it's father. 1t is argued
that this measure of expediency would
meet the situation easily, and that it
would violate no social arrangement
now in force, giving in it's most ex-
treme application nothing but an ex-
preston to tendency which has
manifested itself in Europe for sew
cral years past.
lait,