Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-03-02

SnOul0 ne Obtained IN an easier ana tasteI
manner A uniform divorce law would
not decrease the number of divorces in
New York City, because we already have
= strict law, and the remedy for the local
situation must come from the parties
themselves. Clergymen can be Of great
service in this reconciliation, and they
have been of great service. In the Episco-
pal Church we do not remarry divorced
persons, except the innocent party in a
divorce which was obtained on the
ground Of adultery.
Then you think, Bishop Burch, that
| even though two persons have ceased TO
agree they should be compelled to remain
married throughout their lives?'
Il decidedly do think So said Bishop
Burch. .sThc doctrine Of free love, and
that is what easy dissolution of the mar
riagc ties means, is insidious to the last
degree and has resulted in great moral
i damage
Supreme Court Justice Vernon M.
| Davis was one of the four lay delegates
general convention of the Protestant
| Episcopal Church held in Detroit last
October Justice Davis urged the adop-
ton of canon forbldding the remnrriagc
by any Episcopal clergyman of either
party to a divorce action, but his motion
was defeated From his position on the
Supreme Court bench, Justice Davis Is
well qualified to comment on the increase
in divorce.
"The first step in looseninp the mar
riage ties is the failure to observe the re-
ligious obligations assumed at mar
rage said Justice Davis. THE chaos
/ created by the war also has something to
do with present conditions. That situa-
ton is the usual sequence Of on age of
luxury. do not think that the condition
is permanent II has been my experience
that most divorces are brought by poor
people and not by those who are well to
The experience Of Justice Davis is cor
roborated by the records of the Phila-
delphia divorce courts. In many cases in
the present term of the Philadelphia d.
vorce courts it was found impossible v
both parties 10 meet the usual standards
of life because of the present cost of liv-
ing BY mutual agreement 1t was sought
TO dissolve marriages which were made UNI
pleasant 10y the well known pursuit of love
by poverty, via the window.
Justice Guy, who has handled many of
the large number Of divorce cases tried
during the last year in the Supreme Court,
declined to be interviewed on the reason
for the increase in divorce.
Judges should not speak through the
newspapers" said Justice Guy. They
should rather speak TO the public by
means of their work.
Justice Samuel Grecnbaum Is Of the
opinion that there is too much material
ism in the world today and that the rea-
son for divorce can be found IN that
condition of mind
# IsF, ,.- 1a,trr1
upon as strongly as it was formerly" said
Justice Greenbaum. "The younger gen
Grafton runs around much more freely.
The home lacks sanctity, and there ls q
tendency among young folks TO escape
from the tics that bind them. They call
that freedom.
This country is not the only divorce
offender. In spite of the fact that, &C
cording 10 statistics of population, there
are some 1000, 900 women in England
who will have to go without husbands, the
divorce courts are crowded. 1t II re-
markable, considering the war casualties
and the slight chance of second choice,
that so many English women are willing
TO let go of so many husbands, and 1t also |
may he the reason why SO many husbands |
are ltIred from so many wives.
The reason for the large number OF
divorces IN England, as stated 10y MIR. ID.
Figur, of the most popular and busiest |
firm of divorce solicitors IN the United /
Kingdom, is:
The reason we are getting more /
divorces is simply because the war has
taught both men and women independ-
enee, and has taught them to think.
Women have learned that they have an
individuality, and that they can look |
after themselves. The men, too, have
come to take broader view OF life.
THE fact IS that there would have
been just as many divorces before the
war il people had not been shaekled by |
lack OF initiative and by fear of challenging
the conventions of society. The desire for
divorce was there, but instead OF taking |
action people went on in the Old unhappy |
state. Now, after over four years OF
separation, many couples have come to
realization that they can be happier
apart. That Is the situation in a nutshell.
The Federal Census Bureau is dis
to ardent lovers. According 10
a bulletin issued last August, there Is one
chance in ten that fond lovers viii ever
their silver wedding anniver-
sary. The census figures also show that
The largest number o. divorces occur
IN the fourth year OF marriage, and that
he next danger points come IN the TWEEN
beth year and the twenty fifth year. The
are reassurIng IN their insist
snce that there are comparatively few
divorces after couples have lived to-
yether for sixty years.
According to Chief Clerk Scully, who
las charge Of the Marriage License Bu-
eau, prohibition has had nothing to do