Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-03
MARRIAGE AND THE LAW
n FARRIAGE is a civil contract
lVA saw the law books. Marriage

CnufCn n the ClcISy. aNloiiio6S @
working agreement good only as
long as it is pleasant and profitable
to both parties, says modern opin-
ion and it keeps the courts busy
breaking up marriage contracts
with divorce DEGREES. Just now
the courts are taking cognizanee OF
the love affairs of a seventeen year
old daughter of the head OF the
Harvester trust and a grsnddaugh-
ter of John D. Rockefeller who has
engaged herself to marry a Swiss
ex-officer some 81 years older than
herself and wishes to marry him IN
Switzerland. Under the Swiss law
it requires the consent OF both
parents of a girl II years old to
contract a legal marriage. The
father of the girl, Mr.. Mccormick,
is willing to give that consent.
The mother, who is a daughter OF
John D. Rockefeller, and is di-
vorced from the father of the girl.
is not willing to give that consent.
Where the father and mother are
divorced or dead the Swiss law per-
mits the guardian of a minor girl to
give consent to her marriage. In
order to give that consent Mr.. Nc
Cormick has had himself appointed
guardian of his daughter. The
mother has gone into court asking
an Injunction against the father
and guardian of the girl, restraining
him from giving his consent to the
marriage on the ground that the
bridegroom to be is too old for the
bride, and that he is actuated by
mercenary motives. 1t raises some
interesting questions about the
jurisdiction Of the courts in such
matters and the ethics in the case.
Most people will at once SYM
pathize with the mothers view of
the case. because there is a natural
repulsion against youth matching
itself with old age. 1t is not hard
to draw the conclusion that selfish
reasons rather than sentiment die
tates such marriages. But in this
case it is not youth selling its
charms for gold. The wealth is on
the side of the young girl and not
the old man. Neither is he a very
old man at that, some forty-four,
old enough to be her father and yet
not old as old age is counted these
days. Neither is he a poor mar as
poverty is counted in his country.
He possesses a moderate fortune,
with an income of a few thousand
dollars a year in his own right.
Many a Swiss maiden would look
on him as a good match, eve if he
was 81 years her senior. Moreover
he comes of a good middle class
family, has held a commission in
the Swiss army as an officer and
gentleman. He bears a good repu-
tation. Since leaving the army he
has conducted a riding school,
teaching people who can afford to
pay his fees to ride-a perfectly
respectable occupation for ar ex-
cavalry officer. There seems to be
no reason why he would not make
a good husband for the little Nc
Cormick girl, except the disparity
in their ages. The assumption of
the girls mother that the motive
of her daughters fiancee lies in the
fact that her father and grand
father are very rich men, and that
she will inherit great wealth seems
to lack evidence. The same as
sumption of sordid motive might
be made against most young men
who sought her hand in marriage.
If the court decides to forbid this
young lady's marriage to her fian-
cee, it must be clearly be based on
the disparity between their ages.
Neither the court, the prospective
mother-in-law or the public can
look into a mans heart and tell
what his motives are in contracting
a marriage.
So far as equity is concerned
Mrs. Rockefeller Mccormick does
not come into court with very
clean hands herself, for she neg
lected her daughter a great deal,
leaving her alone in Switzerland
while she chased after the fad Of
psycho-analysis, and in that way
she was thrown much into the So
ciety of Max Oser, the riding school
master. who played the part of
fatherly protector to her first, and
lover afterwards. IF the mother had
looked after her daughter as a
mother should at that critical age,