The New York herald., 1922-07-30
SECRECY ATTRACTS
In FRENCH DIVORCE
Silent Ease That Accompanies
Court Proceedings Magnet
to Americans.
PUBLICITY is BARRED
U. s. Attorney Declares Situa-
ton is an Abuse and q
Scandal

PARIS. July 20 (Associated Press) D.
The Increasing number of divorces OBJ
tanned in Paris by prominent Amer
leans and other foreigners seeking re-
lief from matrimonial infelicity has led
to many inquiries as to why the French
capital apparently has become such a
European Reno for discontented
spouses.
The chief magnet appears to lie in
the fact that divorce proceedings may
be brought IN French courts with silent
ease and completed without even friends
,nd acquaintances becoming aware. at
least through the medium of French
newspapers, that there has been the
slightest ripple on the sea of domes-
ticity. Publication OF such proceedings
by native newspapers is a criminal Of
tense. on the ground of lowering public
morals The newspapers may print the
names OF those Involved, If they can
obtain them, and the fact that dl-
yorce has been granted, but nothing
more.
Recent publicity in the United States
of some divorces of Americans in Paris
has caused an unpleasant feeling of APP
prehension among attorneys for others
contemplating divorce action. Cases OF
Americans are reported to have peen
taken to Tours. Rennes and other pro-
vincial cities, for the greater seciusion
offered and because the provincial court
calendars are not so overcrowded as
those here.
Residence Requirements.
Provisional DEGREES usually may pe
obtained in France in from one to three
mo,VlA and final DEGREES sixty days
ther .after The complainant must es-
tablish residence In France. but decla-
ration that he intends to stay indefinitely
is held 70 be sufficient, or the inclusion
among his papers of years lease on an
apartment The second essential condi-
ion is that the defendent must appear
before the court in person, or through
counsel If he is a resident of France.
But IL the defendant lives outside the
country, as in the Gaze OF Americana,
notice must be given through the State
Department.
There are three grounds for divorce
In France--adultery, conviction OF a
felony and cruelty. Both physical vio-
lence and mental anguish are accepted
under the heading Of cruelty. Neither
party to divorce is allowed to refnarry
in France within ten months, because or
the question Of custody and sustenance
for the children.
THE whole divorce situation in.
France, from the American viewpoint, Is
an abuse and scandal" said Charles
r. Beach, an American lawyer in Paris
to-day. There is no suggestion of Reno
in the attitude of the French courts, but
French Judges are hot aware of the ad-
vantage that is being taken OF them by
Americans who are procuring divorces.
These divorces are generally of no value
in the United States, but Americans OBJ
tain them and they may hold until their
validity Is contested. Any kind OF rope
of sand win hold until it's pulled.
Don't Like Reno Suggestion.
At the Ministry Of Justice the sugges-
tion that Paris Is becoming second
Reno for American divorces Is not well
received NJ Lemeerieux, first assist
ant to Minister Of Justice Barthou, said
to-day that France was a liberal coun-
try regarding divorces. having been the
first continental country to grant them
to foreigners, under the law OF 1884. and
that possibly Paris was being visited
for this purpose just as Fiume was
such a resort for Italians because OF the
lack of a divorce law in Italy.
M. Wells, director OF civil affairs at
the Ministry of Justice. said he did
not think 1t logical that France should
be looked upon in the United States as
a country where divorces could be easi-
Iy obtained since there were fewer
legal grounds for divorces here than In
America.
Generally speaking, France grants de
vorces to foreigners II their own coun-
tries permit divorces. Judges during the
last few years have been taking a more
lenient view toward applications Tor
divorce by foreigners. Previously the
applicants usually were notified that
they should apply for divorces In their
own countries.
III. e. Barrault. a French advocate.
who has made inquiries into the number
of divorces granted to Americans In
French courts, says there haEe not been
more than twenty in any one year. but
that the Divorces mostly were prominent
rich persons. which accounts for the
great publicity given in the American
press. This gives the appearance OF
much larger number OF divorces, he
SAYS. than are really obtained. because
of the fact that practically all of them
are striking personalities who merely
find Paris a more pleasant place to live
than some American cities where d.
vorcoa would he aa easily obtained