Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12
Divorce and Modern Dress.


With the new census as the basis, it is
certain the centre of population Will be
shifted to a point further west. by the
reports of the western courts IL is showi,
that tho divorce centre has SHIFTED
further east, and that Reno must DOW 10
Chicago. The lake city was supreme III
the divorce 20 years or so ago put py
opening a shorter route ior the rehei vi
the misnated Nevada became such
rival that she attracted almost all OF thao
kind of transactions. Reno jumped INTO
city with metropolitan wickedness ana
Importance and provided racy amose-
ments and fast dissipation for the PLAIN
tifIs. even establishing luxurious quarters
where the applicants might dwell III con-
cord and amity and close proximity 10
their correspondents.
In Reno no particular cause was needed
for divorce, consequently "ncompa'-
bilitv." like charity, was made to cover
multitude of sins, and no seeker Tor dl-
vorce with a sufficient bank account TO
appease the money lust of the attor-
news ever came empty-handed from Keno
The early record of Chicago was but a
little less odious than that or her Nevaua
rival. and half a century ago, she became
notorious for her lax divorce regulations
and as offensive to persons with sense ol
morality as Elkton. Md, is today with
| her disreputable marriage mart ana the
! scramble of parsons and hack drivers ior
business.
Last wear there was one divorce Tor
every seven marriages in Chicago. an
increase of 20 per cent in decade, which
loads statistician there to the conclusion
that in thirty years moro there VIII De
divorce for every marriage. These figures
shocking as they may seem, arc lar from
improbable Indeed they Will more hkeiy
| than not be borne out II the preseh'
growth Of the evil continues even at its
present rate Of progression.
Everybody who can read arght the re-
norts Of divorces granted in all the com
munities can discern the tremendous m
crease and perceive the menace oi tne
nractice but while our churches protest
and law makers discuss the subject, ther'
have been no steps taken that give prom
Use Of in the least interfering with TINS
orpie one might almost call it, that eX
tends today to every part OF our country
and to almost every nation Of Europe
Perhaps 90 per cent Of the applicants
arc white. and while they are all citizens
Of the United States, the percentage q
American-born is rather small ana may
indicate that the sanctity Of the marriage
tie is more observed among our own peopi'
but the criticism that morals arc becoming
more and more lax also applies to tn
alien nationalities perhaps slightly NOR
than to American-born.
Another demonstration of this laxlt,
NAV be found in fashionable female attire
II has become so disgustingly shockln
that the police Of many seaside resorts ar
: compelled to see that the women ar
: dressed decently when they appear fo
E bathing. The women clad for bathing
for lolling in the sand-at Atlantic Clt!
for example, would shock almost to deat
the mothers Of ten years ago, and indee'
they startle the most blase. for they al
grossly immoral from all Christian an
: civilized points Of view.
> Unless We can go back to rational NOR
times. one cannot see much chance ahea
for the moral progress Of the people
means of checking the divorce evil al
the closing of the home against the d
f generating influences Of the mode'
ethics or customs.