Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-13
Should a Wife
Quit Husband
Once a Year?
Young Western MatrOn Evolves
Unique Philosophy of Welded
Life and Brings Forth Storm
of Violent Criticism

SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. June IL
Should a wife separate from her hus-
band for two months or more each year
i'm order to insure complete and ideal
marital happiness?
Would such an absence really make
the heart grow fonder for ones husband
and the binding ties of the home?
"Emphatically, yes" says Mrs. Ruth
Wilson Levy, young San Francisco
matron.
NO. positively, no." reply numerous
San Francisco club women and promin-
ent jurists. absurd. Such a course
of action is decidedly dangerous. Sep
aration of this kind would be the assas-
sin of love"
Opinions to the contrary do not bother
Mrs Levy. She declares that she has
found the real secret of being happy,
though married" She and Theodore NJ
Levy, grandson of the late II. NJ. ("Bo-
nanza") Levy, Comstock millionaire,
have been married six years. For five
years Mrs. Levy has broken up house
keeping" and departed from her husband
for a period of at least two months.
PHILOSOPHY OF. IDEAL. MARRIED
LIFE.
The annual separation scheme is her
philosophy of ideal welded life. Since
she has tried II and since it has worked
satisfactorily for both her and her hus-
band-why, she ought to know.
She has just finished her yearly isola-
ton She visited with friends for two
months. unhampered and not all worried
by the exacting duties of home life. Now
she has returned for the yearly reunion
with husband and they intend TO begin
housekeeping anew in downtown apart
ments When Mrs. Levy went away
from home their furniture was stored.
NOTHING NEW IN SEPARATION
SCHEME"
There is nothing unusual about her
system of earning happiness. she says.
The suggestion of the possibility of a
divorce leading from the annual separa-
tions. she brands as completely ridicu-
lous.
81 cannot see," said Mrs. Levy, "why
anyone should get excited over the fact
that 1 follow out this plan OF yearly
separation from home life. Hundreds
of women are doing it and nothing is
ever said about them. There is nothing
unusual or sensational about my ideas.
You'd be surprised to know how many
homes are kept happy by just such a
plan as this.
Separation is the best thing in the
world for married people. No matter
how congenial you may be to your hus-
band and he to you, both of you are
bound to get stale. An annual separa-
ton is the answer to this monotony that
CT eeps into married life. We have done
IL ever since the second year of our
marriage in 1910.
EVERY YEAR SEEMS TO GROW
BETTER"
when two persons have lived in the
same house for nine or ten months, we
believe that two or three months sepa-
ration from each other is good for both.
We know that we are happy. Every
year seems to grow better than the one
before. So do our friends, but just be-
cause 1t is little different they shake
their heads. But that doesn't bother u.s."
So much for the young matron who
has her own philosophy of success in
matrimony and is brave enough to fol-
low out her convictions in spite of the
head shakings" of her friends.
One San Francisco clubwoman sides
with her in the dispute that has arisen
over the question, And the question is
vastly important one in these days of
marital unhappiness, discomfort and in
creasing divorce.
MARRIAGE is NOT SLAVERY.
Mrs. Ida Finney Mackrille, prominent
in club and social life on the west coast
defends Mrs. Levy's views.
Marriage is not slavery" she says,
and no one should ask two people alb
solutely to conform to each others hab-
its of life for ever and ever, amen. If
a woman sees fit to live with her hus-
band only six months of the year, why
let her do 1t, say /. There's no question
that two people living together in close
relationship are apt to grow on each 9TH
ers nerves And a change should be
excellent. I approve of anything that
will allow people, men and women alike.
to be individual, to keep their own in
Idividuality."
But the others-they shake their heads
and declare, absurd! Juvenile! Dam
gerous!'