The Detroit times., 1917-04-12
DENY THEY
WE'D TO Be
SLACKERS
Men Seeking Marriage
Licenses Say They
Will Fight
LOVE RULES, is
EXPLANATION
Brides-tO-Be Say Their
Sweethearts Must
Do Duty
Unmarried men nrst,


This IN the conscription cry. the
cry that echoes the boom OF cannon.
the rattle OF musketry. and brings to
the mind visions OF the bodies OF
loved ones lying In trenches or No
Mans Land.
But is II the cry which has sent
an unprecedented rush OF young
men to the marriage license counter
in the county clerks offiee-men who
hope to avoid military service by
nguratively hiding behind the skirts
Of the woman who IL willing 10 take
life's greatest step with them1
The question cannot be answered
positively. for the hearts OF men
and women do not answer frankly
in such times as these. Affairs OF
the heart are sacred 10 those who
EEL them most keenly The young
men insist they are patriotic. the
young women insist rs strongly that
they would not marry the men OF
their choice II they suspected their
prospective husbands were taking
he step 20 escape army or navy ser.
yice.
Yet the rush on the counter OF
the marriage license clerk continues.
n, Afonaay I'm tgc.r... .,,r. f..u.A
on Tuesday 144. and on Wednesday
ISL And II Ia a fact that the
majority OF the applicants are men
under % years OF age-men who,
unmarried, would be among the frst
called II CONSUMPTION were enforced
stand at the marriage license desk
for few hours in the morning dur
ing these days OF world war
You will see young men of all
classes; white-hngered persons who
look as n they had stepped out OF
the style posters published by the
makers Of ready.to-wear clothing
men OF the factories. with calloused
hands. All are serious. The gentle
testing which usually companies
-tfse issuance OF the license ~ eiinif
psieh- -..-
Joseph PITarsNt, rn,,-s. -,-. rr- tf1ree
clerks who write out the documents.
is eager TO know whether or not
these men wish TO avoid serving in
the first army that Is TO be raised
under the governments new war
plan.
Don't want TO hght2" he suE
gests
Yes. III light" Is one reply tha;
IL repeated many times. Il intended
TO get married. tho. but I'm going 10
enlist. even II am married. Yes,
maybe the single men Will have TO
go hrst but I'll 90 just the same"
And In more than one instance a
Young woman accompanying the ap-
plicant has volunteered the state
ment that she wouldn't be in the
once II she thought for a minute
that her husband was getting mar.
ried so he could stay out OF war.
A few OF the men who are about
10 take unto themselves a life mate
have frankly admitted that the APP
pie of their eye had forced them
10 an early marriage.
Seems as tho some women
would sooner have a husband at
the front than a sweetheart" com
mented Pilarsh. II don't know
why-because I'm a man
No one could have said that Ed
win Hecker applied for a license
TO escape service. Young Hecker
Is grandson OF Col. Frank J. Heck.
err He came into the once attir-
ed in the uniform OF the Detroit
Naval militia. lie leaves tomorrow
for the Atlantic coast TO 90 into fed
eral service. His bride-to-be IL Miss
Helene Woodward.
A report that the issuance OF mar
riage licenses would be stopped
threw fear into the hearts OF scores
OF persons who were contemplating
matrimony No less than 40 per.
sons called on County Clerk Oak.
man TO learn II the rumor had