Evening star., 1923-06-03
CALIFORNIA WOMEN
FIGHT EASY DIVORCE
Coast Mecca of Dissatisfied
Who Seek Quick Relief
From Matrimony.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch 10 Inc star
Los ANGELES, June 2-Headquar-
ters of the Los Angeles District Fed
Grafton of Clubs is being deluged to-
day with kilograms from women all
over the state pledging active support
in a campaign to curb the easy di
vorce" evil in America. and particu
larly in California.
The federation has just adopted
unanimously a resolution recommend
ing the enactment by Congress of a
uniform divorce law. Thus it. gives
public voice to a quiet movement of
protest which has been under way
for several months in this state.
For the door that swings in and out
| of local divorce courts these days
| hangs on loose hinges. Truly, say
the women. il is overworked to a
point of danger to home and society.
This attitude by the women is signifi-
cant, in that women are the great ma
jorty complainants. But the fa-
cility with which divorces are OBJ
tanned on most trivial grounds has
made thinking women vigorous advo-
Gates of uniform laws that will bring
| about reform in California as well as
the rest of the states.
Movie Stars Lead.
Los Angeles out-Renos Reno as the
divorce center of America today.
Often divorce actions filed outnum-
Der marriage licenses granted for the
day or week. The motion picture col
ony contributes to the grand total.
and in a sense, has blazed the trail,
but hundreds of persons in other oc-
cupations find California laws, as in
terpreted locally. strictly to their
liking, and rush here for desired re-
lief.
Indicating the widespread reputa-
tion of California as the divorce hub
| of America" Marjorie Rambeau, in
Paris this week, said that to part
company with her husband she will
'go to California and get a divorce"
Marjorie has the right idea. All
| she has to do is come here, establish a
claim to citizenship and the divorce
is hers virtually for the asking.
DEGREES by Letter.
And the easiest divorces in the civ
ilized world are obtained here
through the correspondence method"
| This is sure fire, and the wonder is
that more do not adopt IL. The Rev.
Francis p. Cook of Drew Theological
Seminary, for instance wrote to his
wife in Los Angeles:
Il suspect you want to throw me
aside for some other man and if you
will have 1t so / shall not mourn nor
pine away"
Some weeks later the Rev. Mr.. Cook
IledIu LII way IudI ne
was being sued for divorce. He
wrote to the courts here, but too late!
His wife had the decree on the
strength of his letter.
When Mrs. Joseph Ristelhuber's 8
husband accused her of snoring. she
hurried to the courts and secured an
interlocutory decree. ending twenty
five years Of married life. That was
mild. Mrs. Gertrude Rhodes said
her husband built a fire under her
bed when she refused to bulge from
her beauty sleep. Divorce granted.
Henry S. Thomas said his wife took
the bed apart when he declined to get
up. Divorce granted.
On BootIeEger's Charge.
A wife told the court her husband
was a bootlegger. Divorce granted.
Seventeen other wives rushed to
court and said their husbands were
bootleggers. Judge Summerfield
called a halt.
Il want it understood" he declared
from the bench, that the laws of this
state have not yet made bootlegging
ground for divorce"
Mrs. Julia A. Campbell searched the
pockets of her elderly husband, who
enjoys a large income, and found that
he had turned poet. She flew to court
and showed the following to the
Judge:
"Twas a perfect day. We chatted
and cooed, and by the falls we tarried
and dreamed. My baby was there by
my side"
Did she get divorce?
She did