The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-02
FRANCE MAY TRY
u, S, D0WERLE
MARRIAGE idea
Young Soldiers, However,
Object to Marrying
Without Money


A movement started in France 10
replace the marriage with dowry by
what is called the american plan or
marriage is bringing results entirety
unexpected by it's organizers.
The method by which marriages are
arranged not only in France put IN
Continental Europe generally, with
the parents of the parties taxing the
leading role in the negotiations OF the
contract and the question of endoW-
nent with worldly goods being made
a. deciding condition of the event1ul
union was believed by many to be
inimical to the best interests of the
nation in view of the changes that the
war has been bringing about.
An. association organized to faclli-
tate marriage and to encourage the
creation of families for the benefit OF
H the state and as one of the means OF
promoting repopulation to make good,
to some extent the shocking human
wastage of the war, has at its head
a number of leading men and women
Of the country. Its chief spokesman
is Urban Gohier, one of the editors
Of the Paris Journal and a recognized
authority on civic matters.
men and women Of, France to resort
| to the American Ilan." in accord
ance with which, it was stated, mar
! riage is to be based on love and in
clination and without regard to the
provident foresights of older and less
| romantic members of the families
i 1t was the duty of the girls, they
were told, to show their patriot; ap-
/ probation Of the heroism of the men
who had so nobly defended their be-
/ loved France, and to waive all exigen-
\ cies in the matter Of money and prop
erty.
+ The young soldiers, on their side,
were urged to remember that the girls
of the nation had nobly done their
part in the national defense, and had
won the right to aspire to marriage
without the. necessity Of dowry.
! The heroes in the field and the hero
ines in the munition plants, on the
farms and in the hospitals had proved
that they had courage and initiative
such as would guarantee success in
married life, even if they embarked
on it penniless.
NJ Gohier had summed up the ap-
peal in beautiful phrase:
"To be young together. to be poor
together. to run together the swift
adventure which is life-is not that
far more delightful than to be set
down in ready-made nest ?"
/ Quick response was received to the
appeal, but in form rather different
from what had been expected. The
young women announced their will
Ilingness to enter into wedlock with
out consideration Of the financial re-
sources Of the bridegroom, which.
g.
marriage prelininaries in the past.
! The young soldiers, on the other
hand, objected. The question of dowry
they still think vital. They are will
| ling to make all sacrifices that the
nation may need, but their view of
marriage, at least with regard to the
necessity OF resources or prospects of
resources, continues to be that of
their fathers.
! The young "poilu" cannot be taxed
with lack OF generosity or courage or
/ nobility Of soul. It is the wellbeing
of the unborn children that is kept in
i view.
The association which is urging a
change for the facilitation Of mar
rage among those who are inspired
Iby the instructive feeling of affection
now considers that radically new lines
(which they regard as inpe. ative1y de-
J. sirable. The study Of these means had.
ued to some measure Of the rearing Of
the young.
The outcome, 1t is. foreseen, may be
that the government will have to ar
range for a common form of infant
education and bringing UP and that
ian Infant Exchange will be estab-
lished by law. incidentally to this
consideration has come the proposal
that old persons be guaranteed against
want.
1 Positions in government offices, 1T is
suggested. should be- reserved for the
Jagged who are incapable for competing
for a living, while all the children Of
the nation should be given the great
advantage Of q more or less Spartan
form Of education
M. Gohier lucidly explains the SEN
timent Of his association on the sub
ject.
| "Paternal affection" he says, lis a
4 sentiment Of so elementary a kind that
there is no great difference. in it from
lone country to another: but there is a
world of difference in the way of low
ing children in France and in other
Icountries.
American and British parents are
more DESTROYS of giving to their chill.
dren force Of character so that they
will be able to surmount all Difficult
! ties than of leaving to them a fortune;
French parents dream chiefly of leav-
ing to their children the fortune that
will smooth all obstacles before them.
AT present most Of our soldiers are
fighting in the hope that their chill
|dren will not have to go to war. In
peace times our heads Of families I'M
dergo the rigors Of hard and labo-
rious career in the hope that their
children will have mild and easy
life.
! Does the happiness which it IS
natural to wish and to prepare for
the children consist in freedom from
worry in reduction Of the effort they
will have to put forth? Are all these
war orphans, to which the nation is
showing, and ought to show, so much
interest, marked in advance for UNI
happiness, destined to the rule of VIC.
Tins of society. since they have lost
the chance of an inheritance by losing
prematurely their fathers?
Left to themselves children would
make no distinction of wealth or pow