Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-23
The Cost of
Matrimony
ny Frederic J. FiAskin

New York. Aug. ss.-What IL the
price OF a comfortable" marriage?
Although several frivolous answers
10 this question will no doubt readily
come to mind. serious one Is badly
needed. Divorce lawyers tell us that
most marriages fail because they are
badly financed.
The family income is unfairly
distributed or insufficient. Money"
declares one of these busy lawyers
the majority of marriages go TO
smash
How then" engaged couples well
might ask, "can we avoid this COM
mon reef OF matrimopial woe and
guide our dispositions and bank ac-
counts safely through the Storm"
They well might, but do theyg
The results of a QUESTIONABLE re-
Gently sent out 10 1000 young men
and women living in the Y. NJ. G. A.
and y. w. G. A. In New York would
indicate that they don't. suppose
you wanted To marry someone" this
auestionnaire asked. what weekly
income would ven consider necessary
Co finance comfortable marriageY"
Then. in parentheses, the young things
were reminded that whilc"comfort-
able" might mean the possession of a
talking machine. IL did not include an
cight-cylinder car.
The object of the questionable was
IA obtain exact and detailed figures
that could bc used as n basis in
making up standard budgets for the
newly married. What did the average
person expect matrimony TO cost?
OF the 1000 persons selected. only
zoo had given the matter sufficient
study to make their suggestions of
value. They We're lowering on the
brink of matrimony and were in
teiligently aware of it's financial prob
lens. OF the others, the young ladies'
seemed to feel that the consideration
OF family budgets was rather prema-
ture. As one of them explained, First
catch your husband was her motto.
In similar vein one OF the young men
replied. Never bother trouble till
trouble bothers you"
Nevertheless, the auestionnaire Sc
cured a great deal of useful informa-
ton for the benefit of those who are
interested in the relation of money to
rnatrimony. 1t showed, for one thing.
that women are more extravagant
than men. They require larger
weekly income as the basis for a
comfortable" marriage than do men,
but the men are higher in their esti-
mates of what is necessary IN tne
way of a savings fund. A weekly
income of s71 was the minimum upon
which the women thought 1t safe TO
get married. but the men felt that
comfortable" marriage could be ar
ranged on from $50 TO $50 a week.
Budgets According TO Sex.
The estimates varied among tine
men according to their earnings and
occupations Statesmen We're inclined
10 agree with the women that sIo
week was necessary to marital bliss,
while professional men felt that 700
would be sufficient, and clerks felt
that $50 was ample. Clerks are re-
signed to matrimony on a small
salary. Their estimate was lower
than that of workmen.
The women, on the other hand,
showed no class distinctions what
soever. Regardless of varying de-
.rc.s Of education. refinement and
aftracfiveness, they We're all deter
mined To keep house on exactly the
same scale. None was willing TO RISK
her happiness for less than sfl per
week. while one out of every four felt
that 500 a week would be necessary
10 her peace and comfort. " must pe
remembered. however. that these esu-
mates are based upon New YORK
prices. which are greatly above those
'xt.ttrs ii other cities. Below are
,.,,,,,lc ~ specinen budgets. show
s,,r ,he aiYerent estimates OF men and
women;
Per Per
Cent Cent
Men Wpp1en