Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-16
IMPORTED DIVORCE
FEW YORK CITY, Dec. lit has re-
BY Frederic J. HaSkin
Gently been observed and remarked

Paris, usually along with their frocks Thus
he lawmakers of the fashion code have, by
their own example, laid down a new decree
for high society.
OF recent years there is as much danger
of bad form in connection with a divorce
as with any other social function. Just as
it is not in accordance with the best thought
on etiquette to be married in a lavender
waistcoat, or to appear at your funeral in
a polkadOt necktie, so it is incorrect to be
divorced in your home town. The law of
the elite goes further to prescribe the exact
place where a divorce is to be most agree
ably and fashionably obtained, and, like all
questions Of style, the social divorce center
shifts with the seasons
South Dakota, unconsciously instituted
the divorce pilgrimage as a national GUS
tom, when 1t made six months a sufficient
time to establish residence in the state
This was done to encourage farmers, BUSH
ness men and home-makers to come in to
develop the state. But it did not take the
unhappily married of other states long to
see the use to which such law might be
put. In the modest town of Sioux Falls a
divorce colony rose, prospered, and then fell
heavily
For a New York lawyer was attracted to
the beauties of the liberal Nevada divorce
and residence law, and by advertising them
and himself, he started what is now we'll
worn trail from New York to Reno Since
then Reno has been resort Of the fashion
or annoyed it. Yet Nevada claims that Reno
has been misjudged, in that it is regarded
nationally as wild and reckless town.
Reno Not for Rich Only
AS matter of fact there are all sorts
of people among the prospective divorce
seekers of Reno. There are a few gay and
dashing types, and many more quietly ex-
elusive types, and there are great many
ordinary citizens from Pittsburg, Sacra-
mento, New York and other places, who have
journeyed to Nevada to get release from
troubles which their respective states re-
fused to recognize as grounds.
Reno is indisputably the center of the di-
vorce industry in this country, with only
Newport as a possible rival for fashionable
divorces. AS result, Reno is somewhat diff
ferent from any other city in the United
States. 1t is prosperous and attractive lit
tie community, with luxurious shops, thea
tiers, hotels and cafes, all of scale of
sumptuousness ordinarily boosted only by
large cities.
Reno lawyers may well be shivering in
their boots over the tendency of fashion to
turn to Paris for it's divorces. Once before,
when Nevada tried for year the experiment
of changing it's residence requirements from
six months to one year, there was an alarm
ing decrease in the contents of it's Golfers.
Paris backed by fashionable approval, may
attract only small fraction of Nevadas
clients. But that shifting hundred or so of
population is important to the lawyers, fur
riers, caterers, jewellers and hotel men of the
town.
Paris as a divorce colony is a logical after
math of war conditions. Passports have
been granted grudgingly for several years,
and now the rush for Paris is on. There is
no longer any difficulty in getting a pass
port from the government for France, pro-
vided one agrees to pay SO for it. And
there is no difficulty in obtaining a passage
on steamer, provided you make up your
m tyxy0 IN odu ~ &hn dow
you wish to SAIL
Paris offers attractions to the fastidious
divorce-seeker that Reno, with all it's efforts
to make visitors comfortable, can scarcely
rival In the first place, Paris is indisputa-
bly, correct place in which to be seen by
ones friends. And, of course, Paris offers
fascinating collection of amusements.
With races, cabarets, theaters, dressmakers
and milliners at hand, sad or impatient
candidate for divorce has plenty of diver
sion between the ordeals Of appearing in
court.
Paris More Exclusive
Another advantage Of Paris from the So
ciety point of view is that it promises to be
more exclusive as a divorce colony. Many
a person of moderate means goes to Reno
to gain release from an intolerable mar
riage. In Reno he or she finds employment
and settles down to establish Residence and
get decree. Paris divorce, however, nee
essarily costs good deal more To get your
divorce in Paris is generally a badge of af-
fluence.
The French divorce law is lenient, and
usually swift. The applicant appears at the
court to file a petition and hearing is in
time set. The judge solemnly urges that
the parties reconsider before taking the fatal
step, and then, having done his duty, he
proceeds to hear the grievances and any
protests from the other side, if present.
Kinds of Cruelty
IncOmDatibiIity which for a time was one
of the stated grounds on which divorce
could be obtained by French law, is no
longer recognized as adequate grounds.
Cruelty, however, is just cause for divorce,
and no Judge has ever been wise enough to
set down rule showing exactly where in
difference, lack of consideration and I'M
kindness shade off into cruelty. In the cir
cumstances, the possibilities Of the cruelty
phrase of the law are numerous. A young
woman has been known to offer an ex
ample Of cruel treatment the fact that her
husband thought he played the piccolo beau
tifully, whereas his squeaky discords drove
her wild. At least one harassed wife, too,
has used as evidence of cruelty that the
brand of smoking tobacco used by her hus-
band made her sick, though we believe this
has usually been rejected as an insufficient
cause. But, on the whole, a skillful lawyer
can do wonders with such disputable points
of conduct.
Desertion Is another popular gateway to
freedom. AS divorces are seldom contested
in formal society, the decree can usually be
obtained on this ground, if on no other.
There is one drawback to France as a di-
vorce hunting ground, and that is that after
a second divorce has been granted, the court
DEGREES that the applicant may not remarry.
Hence France will not do for those addicted
to frequent divorce.