The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-10
Cupid Revamps His Depleted
War Record.
Nurses Just Can't Help Falling
in Love-
is REVOLUTIONIzED
True Affection Supplants Old
Conquest for Riches.
GOdmOther ROmances, unique
System Sly Dan Devised.

Paris March 1O.-Genuine courtshlp
real love-making-as an incident 10
marriage is one of the Innovations
that war has brought to France: II
may develop into revolution Oh ING
marriage system, and is almost GER
tain in any case to be the death OF
much of the red tape that has en-
tangled, and more or less strangleo'
cupid.
first months of the war, but by reason
of the authorization of unions py
proxy and the infusion of war ro-
nance, it is rapidly recovering:
In Paris there were only 76S mar
riages in January, 1915, as against
2,341 in January, 1914. In December
1915, there were 1888, showing re-
markable recovery under the circum-
Fortune No object.
In a great many of these war mar
riages, it is noticed that girls without
fortune are for the time being running
their more favored sisters a close race
since in a great proportion OF the
marriages celebreted since hostllltles
began the marriage contract has been
dispensed with; no mention of dover
nor talk about money; romance mas
taken the place of finance.
wounded heroes have in hundreds
of cases fallen in love with and mar
rfed their nurses; nearly every day
fighting regiment corresponding with
an unknown sympathizer who has
come home on leave to find that his
''godmother" is worth marrying for
herself.
Women and girls acting az god
mother" to unknown correspondents
at the front have developed what is
lightly called the flirt at the 'front.'
into formidable proportions, and this
is at this moment perhaps the most
The sacrifices made by some girls
marrying soldiers who have been
blinded or MANNED almost to the point
of total helplessnesS have spread the
contagiOn, and 10 e affairs are born
at every hand by the close communion
of sympathetic minds conferred on
great events, and through the con-
slant movement of soldiers coming in
contact with new faces, every one of
which under present circumstances is
bound to be sympathetic.
War E,ngenders Love, Too.
Some psychologists have inquired
whether there was not in France a
crying need for deeper affection, and
whether the decreasing natality in the
country was not due in great part to
the obstacles of marriage and the
more material considerations that al
ways entered into it. The Soul-Stir-
ring incidents of the war have unQues-
tionably brought everyone into closer
union and there seems to have been
a general wiping out of old scores that
kept acquaintance and even families
apart. There have been many recon
citations through the exchange of
news of the exploits of mutual friends,
and many instances of divided fami-
lies reunited over the tomb of a fallen
hero.
Young people are now being
brought together not by contract nor
by the attraction of wealth, but simply
by the greater force now asserting
itself of young hearts and common
wills. It Is asked whether it will con-
tinue after the war, and what effect
it will have upon the future of
France; an idealiStic people, after be-
ing held in materialistic bondage so
far as concerns SO vital a question to
the race, is coming out so strong in
the present irresistible appeal to ro-
manticism that many believe it will
result in transformation, If not in a
revolution, of the marriage system.
Some contend that men will marry
younger and marry for love instead of
for money, will marry more in reason
and sincerity, and that with the
stronger tie of affection taking the
place of interest, diorces will become
less while the population will grow
cOrT eSpOndinglY more numerous