Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-14
SECOND MARRIAGES
FAIL IN IMPROVEMENT.

Children do not thrive in a broken
home aud the evidence in the cases heard
in this court shows conclusively that
second marriages following divorces
does not improve the situation relative to
the child.
"Many of the children appearing in
this court have two fathers and two
mothers, caused of course by remar-
rage" Miss SommerviIle states 1.-The
child IS handed back from one side to the
other. 1t is necessary for Us to center
our interests on what is the best for the
child. Action of the juvenile court rela
tive to children of divorced parents. is
separate and distinct from that taken In
the divorce courts
1t often happens in the Juvenile court
that the father has been awarded the Gus
Sody Of the child and that child appears
IN the Juvenile court on A charge. gen
orally delinquency or being incorrigible
The Juvenile court Judge has authority
TO dispose of the case as he sees fit hav-
ang the power to send the child to an
institution or make provisions for the
child. Supreme Courts in many States
have upheld such action
THE child must have the love and
care Of the mother and the discipline of
the father Both supply certain neces-
cary attributes in the proper bringing up
Of the, child. Divorce robs the child of
one Of those influences and in some cases
both Of them. The neglected child is a
natural product of divorce.
The divorce courts haven't the means
to consider the welfare of the child as is
necessarily done in the Juvenile court
When child is awarded to the father by
divorce proceedings, tho father gener
ely calls upon housekeeper or rela
tive to attend the child The records
show that such people can not take the
place of the mother unless she is abso-
lutely worthless. A father is not a good
housekeeper. Stepmothers are not al
ways a bad influence on the child and
IN some cases in this court, the step
mother has done everything In her power
for the best interests of the child, but
has failed to obtain the love and respect
of the child"
IAvORS COURT OF
DOMESTIC RELATIONS.
Miss SOmmerville is of the opinion that
the remedy OF the divorce evil lies in a
better control Of marriages. She favors
the creation as does Judge Linn Hay of
Superior Court. Room 2, OF a Court of
Domestic Relations which would have
tile power to investigate all applications
for marriage licenses to determine the
ability of the proposed contracting
pdILNs 10 LuIlll tho ObUEdlloNS OF
married life. She also favors the passage
of a law requiring a thirty-day period
to elapse from the filing Of the marriage
application to the actual granting OF
IT,
finder present conditions, the county
clerks office is not required nor is II
able to investigate cases where a very
young looking girl appears as pros
pective bride" Miss Sommerville con-
tends. "They rely upon an affidavit as
to her age or one setting up the con-
sent Of one Of the parents"
Miss Sommerville also favors q strict
grand Jury investigation of any irregu-
Iarities or perjury committed at the time
Of the granting of marriage licenses.
Juvenile court authorities often post no.
tees with the county clerk advising him
not to issue a license to a certain couple
until a court issues q permit.
But the trouble is we are unable to
learn Of many such cases until the mar
rage is consUmmated," Miss Sommer-
vile states.
Until society wakes up to the real dan
ger Of divorce Snd until there is some
control Of marriage, the juvenile court
probably will continue to deal with hun
dreds Of children who are the criminal
products OF broken homes.