The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-03
By GERTRUDE ATHERTON.

WINCH SHe Says 10Stt hetp make q
marriage happy and lasting.
BY GERTRUDE ATHERTON.
In an interview with Helen Fox.
Copyright 1854, by Coslhopolitan
News eervice.)
7 NEW YORK, March 8.-Marry-
ing is far too easy.
It is too frequently the result
Of an impulse.
Young things rush into marriage
without giving q thought to the
innumerable problems Of 'matri-
mony.
If they don't think for them
selves, why shouldn't the State
help them think? That, no doubt,
is an important aspect of q bill
now under consideration in AL
bany, permitting husband and
wife to contract with each other
concerning rights, duties, obliga-
lions and liabilities.
WOul0 Make People Think
The contract marriage would
make people think before taking
the leap.
While tho minds Of the people
are not yet sufficiently prepared for
30 radical a change in our marriage
institutions, as the substitution Of
a contract for a license, a contract
supplementary to the legal routine
already existing, would be almost
az effective a means Of setting into
motion the cerebrums of all the in.
experienced young creatures who
are urged into marriage by sheer
primitive instincts.
Even though our good assembly.
men at Albany are Mortified at the
idea OF making marriage a business
proposition, by all means let us
have romance tempered a little
with business. and thereby save
romance.
There is no reason why a good
many OF the ruts on the road to
welded bliss should not be passed
by, completely provided for, before
the trip Is begun. Two people who
intend spending the rest Of their
lives together, must inevitably make
sacrifices and compromises. Grant
ing this, why should not the various
duties and obligations be assigned to
each and agreed upon beforehand?
Memories Are Short.
People's memories are short.
Verbal promises are easily forgot
ten. Written contracts are props
to vagrant memories. Tommy may
forget his promise to stop gambling
"a weakness of his before mar
riage. But with that promise writ.
ten down in black and white and
witnessed by a lawyer. Tommy is
more apt to remember that his
weakness Mortified Mary before his
marriage and would be apt to hon
rify her every bit as much now
that they were ''one." What is
more he has more than a suspicion
that the law would sustain her
horror.
OF course, since the contract as
suggested by the Albany bill ia
intended to supplement rather than
to supplant the existing marriage
laws, it is not at all conceivable
that the breaking Of the contract
would in itself constitute a divorce.
That 1t might facilitate divorce
there is little doubt. When the
marriage contract is broken, the
offended party should naturally
have recourse to the law. A con
tract that is not backed by law il
not contract.
A great deal has been said about
love and marriage. Many serious
minded people doubt that love is
ever basis for marriage. 1 don't
quite agree with that. I do, how
ever, think that the importance OF
love 10 much over.estimated. Ro.
nance is so short-lived, that mar.
r1age should be put upon q firmer
basis. There should be somethins
left when romance dies. And that
something should not be differ.
ences OF temperament and opinions
| and interests. It should be under,
standing. sympathy and co.opera,
ton. .
No Matter for Discussion.
In the matter Of whether a
woman should support herself, or be
given the necessities Of life by her
husband, to me the matter il
scarcely one for discussion. / am
Of the opinion that the strong mem
Der OF each union should supply the
income. If woman's earning ca
pacity is greater than that Of her
husband, there is no reason why
she should not contribute to the gen
eral support OF the house. The only
time that 10 not advisable is when
she lie about to bring a child into
the world. At such a time a woman
should be given every care, as much
for the sake Of the child az the
mother.
Apropos Of marriage and makina
1t a success, 1 have the followine
rules to offer to young girls:
Don't marry too young. Nc
girl should marry under twenty-five,
What Is more, she should be al
least twenty-five in emotional and
mental development, as well an in
actual number Of years.
Don't marry a man merely be.
cause there is q pure physical urge
toward him. That wears off and
then you will find that you have I'd
live with him. Idon't suggest that
you marry without love, but there
should be something besides a fond.
ness for the man to make the mar.
riage a success.
3-Think many times before YOU
marry once. 1t is awfully easy ia
say Let's go to city hall and get
married" It In not nearly SO easy
to make your impulse stand up un-
der the stress OF living with q man
whom you don't know nearly
enough about. Nor IL II nearly 10
easy to undo what you've done