The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-09
Change of Habit of
Mind To BE Brought
About by Example Of
Working Women.

10 cited. The law there is that
the causes upon which divorce il
sought must have occurred in Ken.
lucky. or II in another State, the
grounds must have been grounds
for divorce by the laws OF that
State. This must be alleged and
proved. ..t
"A husband and wife who lived
in New York agreed that she should
go to Kentucky and that he would
follow her, and they would reside
in that State. She went, but he
never did. AS the abandonment
occurred in New York. she was not
entitled to a divorce without proof
that abandonment was a ground for
divorce by the laws of New York,
which was Of course impossible.
since New York does not permit
divorce on that ground.
Most OF the States have equal
guardianship laws, but underneath
the statutes the courts recognize
the common law rule that the faith
er is the natural guardian of the
child. and has the preferential right
to control the estate. II not the per
son. The following decision is typ
ical: 1.-THE father is head Of the
family and is prima facie entitled TO
the custody Of the child against all
persons. including the mother, but
the right to custody may be for.
feited by misconduct or lost by mis-.
fortune"
I'm Delaware. 1t is provided by
statute that: A father may, by deed
or last will, name a guardian for his
child. who shall be appointek II
there be no just cause to the con
trary.' What would constitute Jus,
cause to the contrary let us re
member, would be determined by
the court. The mother would have
no prima facie right.
MARRIED WOMAN'S
ACTS INTELLECTUAL.
There is a general impression
that the married women's acts have
removed all inequality as to prop.
erty. This is not true. Mere 'sepa
rate property laws do not contem.
plate any recognition OF the wife's
contribution to the economic stand
ing Of the family through her labor
in the home. Usually. where 'sepa-
rate property laws are in effect,
they mean little. IL anything, for the
wife-unless through inheritance
from her family or by work outside
Of the home she acquires something
which she may hold as a separate
estate.
I'm Florida, she may have her
separate estate. but II remains In
the care and management OF the
husband Such statutes are always
strictly construed, and mean no
more than they say by strict tech
nical Interpretation. Georgia has
n separate property law. Yet. the
earnings Of the wife belong to the
husband, unless there is express or
implied consent on his part that they
shall be retained by her. Also, he
and not she has the right to sue for
loss In case of personal tort affect
ing her earning capacity, unless he
has consented for her to have her
earnings or she is living separately
from him.
THE laws of succession are also
too varied to go into details. In
most IL not all the States there
are, inequalities. For instance, in
Arkansas, as between the father
and mother Of a child dying with.
out issue. the estate goes to the
father. II he be living. and at his
ucoth W thO btOlhcIb hnu blSteTH
Of the decendent child: and to the
mother only IL there are no broth
ers or sisters at the death OF. the
father, or unless she were the only
parent at the time Of the death OF
the child.
AS to the eligibility for office.
the qualifying word male" will
have to be removed In many in
stances. Georgia has q rather
comprehensive prohibitive statute
against women holding any civil
office or performing any civil func.
tions unless specially authoeonGnky
law, II Is interesting
to the nrsctice Of
from the gene1
several minor
Another I'M
said to exist
l. M. A.