Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-31
IN THE DAYS NEWS
Gretna Green,

"Gretna Green seems about to revert once more to a figure of speech" says a bulletin of the National Geographic society, commenting upon the London despatches which tell of the closing down of the vast cordite plants built there early in the world war. ITO most Americans the words may never have meant much more than a nickname for any rendezvous of elop- ing cop1e. but there is a real Gretna Green. Twice has it been conspicuous among English towns. once when it's chief industry was matrimony and again when. as a wag remarked, it started making new kind of high ex- plosive.
 'Now like Hopewen. Va, it is about to sink into obscurity. with the end of it's war contracts. which represented an investment of some $5O.000.000 in our money and the employment of more than 5000 workers.
 "Gretna Green is a village in Scot land, tiny except for it's munitions boom, less than mile from the River Sark. which marks the England Scot land boundary line in that vicinity, near the Solway Firth. and about nine miles northwest of Carlisle. Upon it's promixity to the border line rests it's first claim to fame; for the English Scotland just as the divorce laws of some AT of our states make Reno de- sirable for would-be divorcees.
 Before 1754 Fleet Prison was the figurative 'Gretna Green of England. Until that time the English law recog- nized marriages valid so long as they were performed by clergymen of any denomination. but it imposed a fine upon clergymen who would per form the ceremony for couples who either by banns or license.
 Such fines had no terrors. of course. for clergymen imprisoned in Fleet for debt, and some of them undertook to marry couples who wished to avoid the expense of the customary public cere- mony. Less scrupulous persons soon took advantage of this example. and tavern keepers fitted up places where they brought couples to be married by the Fleet parsons and in some cases young women of means were brought there forcibly by soldiers of fortune, and women of the underworld lured means of compelling their husband victims to pay their debts.
 These abuses were checked by the famous Hardwicke act of 1754 which made unauthorized marriages voida- ble, and thereupon Gretna Green be- came the romance spot of the British Isles. All, the Scotch law required was that two persons should declare their intention to be married in the presence of witnesses; and the British law then. as now. recognized mar riages as legal so long as they con- formed to the laws in the places they were consunnmated.
 At Gretna Green. as in Fleet PriS- on, were persons who exercised cupid ity at the expense of Cupid; and inn keepers, ferrymen, and dollhouse tend CTS exploited the couples who fled to Gretna Green. Any witnesses would have served. but the professional wit nesSes' there, like the marrying par sons of some American towns, en- gagged 'touts' to bring couples to them, and when the railroad from Glasgow to Carlisle started running the station platform at Grean Green thronged with these obnoxious commission men
 "A pioneer of this unique industry was John Linton formerly valet to Sir John Gresham. described as man of fine presence and manners and another a MT. Beattie. was per sonable adventurer. But later traf- fickers were ne'er-do-wells and town drunkards.
 According to popular legend. black smith shops were favorite meccas for