Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16
Lady Astor Formally In.
Produces Bill in Commons
to Amend Statute.
SIMILAR MEASURE is
DISCUSSED BY LORDS
Old Act Was Based on AS
sumption That Wife Dared
Not Contradict Husband.

LONDON. ,- ~
an ancient .SINrn Jaw. ;rchuj.,,iy
known as the doctrine OF rocrri,,, :.
under which wife is virii,al.v n.
property 81 her husband. has prrcini
,"'"" q storm in both houses of The
HriiiSh Parliament
Lady AStor has formally. i,,-
'u'"d hill IN the House ". con,
mons ~ amend the offending stature.
hnd NiscOuri Cnswater stronrI,.
pressed FOR similar measure in tba
iious" Of Lords
Parliament took note Of tho ne,
"h"n member OF the Common
i''n'cd out that it had been r-snr.
tect"d to sccurr tn" ,cnuitt,l -,
Gently OF the wealthy Mrs reel WIN,
was concerned with her husband in
netting frauds. while the husband
hiinsclI was sent 10 prison
The old Law. Niscnunt I.llswater
explained to IN" Lords. was founded
ON the assumption that wife would
not dare Ia contradict her husband.
nut II We want TO maintain respect
n"r me law. n" said. lit must la
strictly In accordance with our lives
ana our social relations. Whatever
thc !osal presumption may have
h"cn In the uldcu times. there can
be no such presumption today"
connotes AN Inferior ana de-
grading status which women of IN.
present day will never accept. The
"h"'e tendency az modern thought
mas been in Ia" other d!r.ction-,o
elevate tn" status OF women ana Nh,
'hem on the sam. footing as men
rnu>"> Laughter.
The viscount raised laughter when
n" continued. Il appeal To the rim.
"Nr"ri"nc" "t amy Of your lordshins
Bachelors with no experience Of NO.
men are the only people who take
an opp""it" view and no poIuf.S
Out that tn" doctrine did not prevail
IN Scotland. presumably bccaus. OF
Lady Macbeth. h" said.
l."rd Huckmast"r. Il former Lord
h'rh chancellor. defended tn. exist
ing Law. He sad 1t was his firm con-
vic,ion tina, the bulk Of women TO-
H"N acted under the direction of
their husbands. ANA this. h. said.
Was aSSur"d!y true among The lowe.
ranks %: society. II am not prcpar.d
!" destroy what had been established
ay the wisdom of our ancestors. who
knew a. much about men and wo-
men a. We d" today" he declared.
omen have got TIA" vote. but they
ar" Just IN" same as before"
Hero tue present Chancellor. Lord
hlrN"nh"ad, spoN" up. AS to hus.
bands controlling their wives" n,
said. every man has his own OK
r"iH"nr" IN ,h"S" matters. ana | am
not bold enough to make any such
claim"
LORD Aberdeen. a former lord lieu
'"hah' 81 ireland and TX -Guv"rnor-
General of Canada, rcticctiv-ly oh
served that On" Of his ancestors
When Chancellor of Scotland. re-
signed Otto" rather than carry out an
act which proposed TO make hus-
hands responsible for their wives.
h"na,t"ndanc" at church
In" az Overture.
Lady Frances Half"ur. president,
of tn" Na,ioual Council Of Women
of Great Britain and ireland VIII.
ing m tn" Times. calls attention 10
IN" fact that IN" ''dnctrin" or coer-
rf"m' is not The only survival of AN.
ri'nt English iaw affecting married.
Women Sn" cites tn" law OF cover.
,uf"' according Ia which a man ana
MS VII" ar" ON" person and the hus
band - that person. Tn. ,vifc.s
IcEal existence il Incorporated ANA