The Washington times., 1922-09-13
GRANT DEVILS
DEADLYENEMY,
ASSERTSSCOTT
Episcopal Divorce Laws Create
Evil They Aim to Prevent,
He Says.
BY LEROY SCOTT,
Famous NoveII.t and Social Inve.tl,

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(Copyright. 1922 New York American.)
can say frankly concerning the
attitude of the Episcopal Church
toward marriage and remarriage
what DIR. Grant in his statement
could say only by inference. The
Episcopal Church, by it's attitude
toward divorce and remarriage, slim
ulates its members to infidelity. The
church creates the very condition
which 1t smugly processes 1t aims
to prevent. a." as
This same statement applies to
some other churches. the laws Of the
State Of New York and all other rigid
civil laws whose purpose Is the, regu'
lation OF divorce and remarriage upon
the basis of ancient and narrow ideas
This attitude of the church does
not alone stimulate infidelity. 1t also
stimulates deception and disregard
for law-and thereby stimulates the
moral deterioration of the Individual
Privately Scor1 Law.
Just try to consider, with a clear.
Idispassionate brain. the natural
consequences Of such church and
Icivil laws bearing In mind that
we are all human beings with very
human reactions. Most of. the
members of the Episcopal church
are above the average In intelli.
gence. They, therefore. in their se.
cret minds, believe this law of their
church is without real authority
based upon the words OF Christ, or
upon the needs of human nature,
or upon the practical living Of mod.
ern life.
Perhaps. for what may seem to
them good reasons. they wish to re-
main in the church; then, although
outwardly they comply with the
law. privately they scorn II. Then
here grows up that attitude which
develops toward all laws which
common sense does not approve;
they are disregarded, become dead
letters: one feels there is nothing
wrong in breaking them.
Creator OF Deception.
II the church, or the State. by
such unapproved and outgrown laws
prohibits divorce and remarriage,
then the conscience OF the individual
by degrees comes to see nothing
morally wrong in infidelity. and the
individual Is unfaithful with an cx.
cusing conscience. This develop.
ment is logical, psychological. and
almost inevitable. The only i'm
portant consideration Is that we
mustn't be found out, and thus sta,t t.
ing with disregarding a law that de.
serves no regard, here, begins de-
ception.
However great the moral or legal
difference may be between obtain
ing illicit liquor and Illicit love, the
psychology prompting. and excuslng
each is the same. Make divorce and
remarriage difficult or impossible
and decent people will enter o1t1
surreptitious illegal relations with
similarly clear consciences.
How the church Is fostering de
ception and general deterioration Ct
moral standards. can be pc
hest illustrated by how New YORK
State fosters these practices. New
York, State. deriving this particular
law from the church, has the same
attitude as the church toward di'
vorce. the ground for divorce Is In.
fidelity. An intelligent majority oi
the people do not approve any such
law. II they want a divorce they
practice all kinds OF deception 10
circumvent this law.
II a person is rich. the way Is com
!, paratively simple; the person goes t0
Nevada or California. estabhshes
residence and alleges almost any
cause But this procedure Is cioseo
to most people; they have TO remain
lin New York and earn hvins. i, IL
a couple agree that they wish III
vorce, they may make use OF an es
tabi,shed machinery Of deception-a
aaohinery which includes lawyers
dat ectives witnesses and men and
women who will, for a fee, act as CO
respondents. c
Every person acquainted with the
divorce courts in New York knows
ALI this machinery exists and can be
hired. The law penalties coilusion
hut most divorces granted an New
York are the result of collusion
Having made the arrangements with
this machinery, all that is necessary
is for one Of the couple generally
tbe husband) to be seen by witnesses
in a compromising situation with
nerson of the opposite sex, and then
not appear in defense when the SUI.
comes TO trial.
All the rest Of the business is at
tended to by this machinery, created
by New York's code of morality. II
Is not even necessary to be found ir
n compromising situation, IL thai
should be distasteful-it Is quite
enough II the hired witnesses swear
plausibly to this situation; certainly
il Is not necessary that there should
be any disgaceful act.
And the divorce comes automat
ically and is as legal as divorc.
can be, and the high dignity of tn,
code of New York has been main
tained and all the moral standards Of
the community have been upheld ant
indicated.
Yet every step in the affair has
been q lie-the whole procedure has
been an elaborate education in de
ception! And the consciences Of the
happily divorced couple applaud heir
evasion of the law and their lying
and their experience makes II caster
for them to evade other laws and
tell other lies.
Such divorces are never men
toned in the newspapers: they are
usually secured by couples who are
OF no public interest or importance
The stringency Of the New York
law drives people into still other
courses; they part finally withou,
the formality Of divorce and remate
without the formality Of marriag ge
and wives run away from hus