Evening journal., 1921-01-29
Peoples Column
MARRIAGE AND nIvoRCE.

To the Editor Of The Evening Jour
nal:
Sir-The marriage law is evidently
not as exact and strict in many Of
the states as il should be-
In Delaware, as we'll as in Mary
land, the law specifies the age a per-
son shall be before he or sle may
get married. The age i'm Maryland, |
believe, is t6 years for the girl and
iS years for the boy. In Delaware,
the ages are respectively is and 20
years.
But there is a weak link in the
chain, because the law allows the
couple to marry at earlier ages by
se,uring the written consent of thar
parents.
This provision, which is a very
loose part of the law, permits the
contracting parties TO get married as
early as the age of 10 years, or even
at "A years, by the sanction Of their
/ parents.
The age fixed, think, should be
specified absolutely without any con-
ditional terms.
The marriage institution is OF di-
vine origin. ] think il should be pre-
served in every phase of its original
| ana substantial purity.
Many parents, especially mothers,
are anxious TO have their daughters
marry at an early age, so that they,
the mothers, may be free Of the ex-
pense of dressing them and be re-
leyed OF the responsibilities other
wise attending the keeping OF their
daughters at home.
A mother never made graver mis-
take: for soon after a girl enters the
teens she most needs the advice and
counsel Of her parents.
Is it not a great sacrifice to give
ND so soon the cOmpanionship OF
children and see them depart from
| the home ere the ripe age OF man
hood and wOmanhood has been at
tanned?
The transition is too great and sud-
den TO pass from childhood for
childhood 1t is at 10 or i6 years Of
age-Or raaher to surrender the gay
and pleasant pastime Of youth 10 as
sumo the grave responsibilities and
hear the heavy burdens involved in
the cares Of a home.
II Is totally Incompatible with dis
oretiOn and common judgment for a
child 10 be allowed TO PASS so early
in life, and so quickly, from the play
ground TO the altar: from the sim
pllcity OF schOolrOOm life to thC
life Of matrimOny, involving so many
intricate and varied obligations.
/ earnestly advocate getting mar.
ried, but 10 always should be between
man and woman, and not between
boy and girl. The change from boy.
hood 10 manhood and from girlhoOC
% womanhOod is a growth little b,
I little, step by step, till full and we'll
developed maturity IS attained. anC
not by leaps and bounds, trying tC
I make grOwn-ups of ourselves bofOr,
, II is time 30 become such grown-ups
Again. Dc is well known and ad
mittcd by good and substantial au
thority that children born Of Yer,
young parents are not 80 PHYSICAL,
% and mentally strong as are The OF
> spring Of parents Of mature age
J think the same rule is true am0ni
! dumb animals.
If this be true. early marriage
will continue 10 multiply the grea
swarms OF deficient and degencrat,
children i'm the future. as 1t has don,
In the past
our divorce laws are weak. loos,
= and insufficient. Il is no more din
cult for a party TO get a divorc
granted, in very many cases, by Ull
courts on trivial causes and unre
liable statements than il is for
wayNNard boy TO influence his teacher
by false representations 10 allow hin
an excuse from school In many in
stances. IL is no more difficult 10 oh
tain a divorce than il is 10 purchase
the marriage license. The latter is
passport into the former, a passpor