Arizona republican., 1920-02-19
YOUTH
 WE'D OR WAIT TO
 MATURER AGE !?
The Best Time For Men and Women to Marry Freely Discussed by People of This City-And Divorce Evil, Too

 woman marry?
 Do divorces result from early mar l riages?
 Are society and the progeny of a later union in life better off as the result of young folk waiting until they have attained their majority l These problems were discussed by | Phoenicians yesterday, the discussion growing out of a plea made before the | Womans National Bar association of i Chicago by Attorney Josephine Steven | son who advocated that all men should marry at 21 and girls become brides at l IS. In her paper on Marriage and Diyorce'' which Attorney Stevenson presented to the feminine lawyers at their convention. she stated:
 Young people are capable of mak 1 ing up their minds at the ages of 21 and IS and from a hygienic standpoint, and from the viewpoint of developing better progeny, these are the best periods to wed.
 Happier homes result from early marriages and there are fewer di- l vorces
 If the girls are engaged in busi- ness at the time of their marriage they should continue their work 1 Opinions Divided Opinions were divided on the ques- ton of youthful nuptials. While many emphatically denied that the Chicago | woman lawyer ndO lOuHu tue for domestic evils in the early mar riage plan, there were others who ap- proved of her statement and are heart fly in sympathy with her views.
 Judge David Patterson Dyer Of Missouri, who arrived in the city yes terday, is decidedly in favor of youth ful marriages if "they are the right sort of people," If they are the right type the marriage will not be right no matter what the age of the man and the woman. What l mean by the right kind of people, explained the federal judge, "are those who appre- ciate the obligation of being husband and of being a wife.
 Dr. Mabel Mcdonald one of the leading professional women of the city, pointed out in refuting Attorney Stev- enson's propaganda for early mar riages that a girl of IS is not capable of being a wife and mother. She is a child who has not yet completed her education and should meet a hundred and one men before selecting the one. She has not had world experience at that age and does and ways of the world. She has had no experience at IS and is not fit to take over the responsibilities of wife hood and motherhood
 A Boy at 21 Dr. Mcdonald laughed at the idea of d girl of that age attempting to give advice, and declared 1t would be noth- ing short of a sin for ''youngSter to marry.
 A man of 21," she scoffed. Twenty one is just a boy who does not even know what his life work will be. He will outgrow the girl he loved at 21 when he reaches a mans age. Another factor she finds in lavor of a later marriage is the fact that children of older parents have higher grade of mentality.
 The young woman physician who shares her offices with her husband, Dr. Foster Mcdonald. is opposed to women working after marriage unless it is with their husbands. otherwise, she says, it is not conducive to happi- ness.
 Mrs. T. Leonard Norton, prominent young society matron, is in favor of the early marriage, on the ground that in growing up together the husband and wife have better understanding. The close sympathy and love of young folk makes the youthful marriage ideal, according to Mrs. Norton.
 The most direfuI results to homo life would ensue if our girls continued working after marriage" said Mrs. Norton. 'She should be the home maker and do her bit in making it att tractive for her husband. She should not kill her husbands energy and ann DX 1dkfnR over nlS QuLleS anu responsibilities"
 Should Wait Until 25
 Mrs. Norton believes that progeny are benefited by girl mothers, claim ing that only the young mothers can enter fully into the lives of their chill dren. She is also of the opinion that there would be fewer divorces if happy youthful marriages occurred more often.
 Mrs. Gertrude Jay, member of the high school faculty, declared that the 1S-25-year-old age suggested by At torney Stevenson is not logical
 Young folk should not marry until they are at least 25." she said. Be fore that they are not old enough to know their own minds. They cannot be sure of their affections
 < Mrs. Jay believes this is a tickle age, with too many taking the respon- abilities of homemaking lightly and frivolously. owing to the present liv- ing conditions she believes that the average man is not able to support family and that the woman should continue work after marriage although she does not think the wife should les her work interfere with home life nor the prospects of children.
 She should work for the inevitable rainy day" says Mrs. Jay.
 Mrs. Roland c. Dryer, regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution. d IedolHS 1neHDef or the w Oman'S cluD and special investigator of conditions at the Fort Grand Industrial school, thinks that IS and 21 are a bit too young for marriage. She, however, is an advocate for early marriages placing the ages at 20 and 23.
 Says Wife Should Not Work
 If the young people are congenial when they marry at that age, be- lieve theirs will be lasting happiness without thought of divorce. Young people have a better understanding of one another when they go through life together"
 Mrs. Dryer also approved of the young mother who gives her children her youth with all else a mother has to give. Unless the reason is urgent, she would not have the wife round our the family income by working.
 Claud Bergman, clerk of the su- perior court, who files all the divorce cases in Maricopa county. believes in early marriages.
 T believe in the girl and boy marry ing when they are young and learning each others wayS-giving and taking