Evening star., 1925-11-15
new MARR|AGELA LAW.
| IN SOVIET RUSSIA.
Code as Now Arranged Rec
ognizes Church Weddings
as Legal.
BY JUNIUS B. WOOD

Correspondence 3aly 81 yhs News: star and chicago
MOSCOW, U. S. S. r., October Is.
Important changes in the much-dis-
cussed marriage laws Of soviet Rus
sia have been approved by "Sov-
narkom" the council of peoples COM
missars) which corresponds to the
cabinets of other countries. They are
now before "Vzik" central executive
committee) the chief executive power
of the country, for final approval and
promulgation. The changes are the
most significant since the present code
of family law was adopted Nov. 20,
1917.
Legalizing of religious, or church,
marriages which hitherto have not
been recognized by the state is a
significant feature of the amendments.
This change is effected indirectly with
out the naming of the church. by
broad extension of the definition of
the marital obligation.
Another new provision makes chill
dren responsible for the support not
only of their parents but of their
brothers and sisters in case these de
pendentS are unable to work. in the
same way that parents are now legally
responsible for the support of their
offspring.
Marriage Ceremony Not Necessary.
The legalizing of church marriages
Is accomplished by provision that
there shall be no distinction between
registered and nonregistered marri-
ages. Those whose marriages are moi
registered have the same rights and
responsibilities as those who are re-
istered. While this provision relieves
persons who are married by a religious
ceremony of the necessity of register
ing, 1t gives to persons who are living
together without marriage ceremony
and their children as well, the same
legal rights. The church record of
marriage will be sufficient legal proof
for the former, but the latter must
have other evidence to prove that they
have lived as husband and wife. Hith.
erto persons in either category did
not have a legal marital standing and
in case of the death of one member
of the family, if there were no chill
dren, the property of the deceased
went to the state.
The principles of our party regard
ing marriage are not altered by these
amendments" says a lawyer in ana
lying the new law. I'm 1918 we were
forced to struggle against the religi-
Gus marriage and to popularize the so:
called civil contractural relation. Ma
turally under such conditions we en-
phasized the fact that participants in
marriages in church had no rights and
obligations unless the marriages were
registered. This necessity has passed
and the new code repeals the extreme
attitude.
Husband and Wife Equal
The basic principle of the new laws
acknowledges equality between hus-
band and wife without the limitations
imposed in bourgeois states-such as
the husband being the head of the
family-and the wife is freed from
obedience to her husband. The obli-
cations between children and parents
are based on actual blood relationship,
thus protecting the rights of mothers
and children. A family, or those hav-
ing legal rights to its property, con-
sists of only parents and their chill
dren and not, as under the bourgeois
French law, grandparents. uncles.
aunts and cousins. Adopted children
have equal legal rights as such only
when registered, and they must be
adopted while under age
The legal age in soviet Russia is
IL years for both men and women,
except that a married woman obtains
her rights Of citizenship at 16 years.
Marriage between insane persons and
direct descendants or members Of the
same family is forbidden. Persons
registered as married, or married with
out being registered prior to Nov. 20,
1917, Thy church weddings), cannot
be welded again at a registry office.
However, they will have no difficulty
in being divorced.
The new law specifies that no limita-
tions shall be placed on either marri-
ages or divorce, and that marriages
shall be without ceremony.
Divorce Easy and Cheap
Divorce proceedings are equally sim.
pie. 1t Is sufficient to make a declara-
ton at "Zags" (registry office for civil
acts), where the clerk makes a nota-
ton on the applicants card of identity
and the proceeding is finished-quick-
ly and cheaply. Divorced parents
must support their children. and each
contribute to the support of the other
If the latter is unable to work. Men
as well as women are entitled to sup
port from their former mates.
The soviet registry office cores
ponds to the branch Of a county clerks
Office on most American States which
registers births, deaths, marriages and
divorces. 1t performs all these func.
out action in court
A marriage costs so cents and a
divorce $1.75. A divorce, If there are
children, means alimony of from one
third to one-half Of the wage earner's
salary, and 1t must be paid. Each
district has a registry office. Mos
COW has eight
While divorce at a registry office
is simple, other formalities are more
Dhl
children and rights in property to be
settled. These are heard in court
and require at least a month. In
Mosccw, where the congestion is acute,
premises may consist of two, even
OF one room-an important family
asset. Before its ownership is de-
cided between the Divorces, one or
both of them may be married again
and all by force Of circumstances liv-